PHOTO of the DAY...

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
28/08/22

Grateful thanks to our faithful movement reporters! Yesterday's activity at Blackbushe, apart from the regular and busy flying school activity, yielding increasingly routine jet propelled activity as another PC12 arrived plus a Cessna 525 and Dassault 900EX. Business/passenger movements such as these seemingly confirming that Blackbushe offers an affordable convenient business airfield solution that would/could/should be handling a whole lot more were it not for the past six decades of varied political intransigence... Hope for the future remains buoyant, it's a remarkable story where a happy ending is surely written into the last chapter? Had Blackbushe not been destroyed after her closure in 1960, but retained as planned by a 'take-over' consortium of her resident airlines, it's pretty certain that these business movements, and many more, would be enjoying the benefits of a fully functional Blackbushe Airport today....

Going back in time, it was on this day in that the Beech Queen air first took to the skies. Powerful engines and a swept tail heralded a new era of sleek shapes from the USA's light aircraft manufacturers.



Way back in the sixties Queen Airs brought their exciting sounds and looks to Blackbushe.




Racey shapes appeared from Cessna, and others...




The wonderful shape of the Desford on a fuel stop at Blackbushe around 1963. She made her very last flight recently.




The sleak Beagle 206, this country entered the competitive business twin business, but the mass production capability of American manufactures was tough competition..



Those photos above bring back memories of so many friends who made the 'Blackbushe scene' back in the sixties, friends now sadly missing, the excitement of new types of aircraft making their first appearance, the anticipation that soon Blackbushe would be building her new infrastructure, we used all six runways, we never dreamed that sixty years later some of us would still be around and still waiting to see that new infrastructure rise from the precious Blackbushe turf... As someone who was closely involved with Blackbushe's adventures from day one when the AVM acquired his 365 acres of precious Hampshire real estate, the ticking clock suggests that if a resolution to the decades long problems is not found soon I might be 'otherwise engaged' when that longed for moment at last arrives and a green light shines forth permitting Blackbushe to show the world what she can do.... Be a shame to miss it!


Moving back in time, continuing with action at RAF Hartford Bridge on D-Day..


"....D-Day had arrived!

Once G/Capt MacDonald had put the station on standby the scene changed dramatically with terrific activity taking place all over the airfield. It appeared that everyone was getting in each other's way. There were armourers bombing-up aircraft and fitting smoke canisters to others and fitters checking over engines as minor airframe problems were being rectified. Crews were undertaking their on last minute checks. Bomb trolleys, crew transport vehicles, tankers delivering fuel, ammunition being delivered and personnel all over the place, often very keyed-up, made up a scene of frantic preparation and movement across the airfield. Add to this the painting of so many aircraft markings, which as being done at very short notice by most of the station personnel, sometimes in a somewhat haphazard manner, an we can envisage a scene of extreme activity".



Imagine, if you will, the spectacle of every quarter of full sized Blackbushe/Hartford Bridge, gripped by the anticipation of striking back.... More tomorrow.

Finally today, looking back in time to this day 28 August, in 1957. A rocket boosted English Electric Canberra set a new altitude record of 70,308ft, (21,430m) after departing from Luton Airport.... This was Canberra B2 WK163, one of many Canberras to use Blackbushe in the fifties. She routed through here on 3rd June, 1957, en route to the Paris Air Show.





Many things to look back on thanks to events at Blackbushe, many things to look forward to too....

See you tomorrow,

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
29/08/22

Actually set foot upon Blackbushe tarmac yesterday for the first time in seemingly ages. Travels and viruses each taking account of the recent past, the virus fighting back again overnight causing a delayed departure for this morning's "POTD"..


On this Bank Holiday Monday bright blue skies, a touch of cool blowing down from the north but seemingly a pleasant day to have a Bank Holiday.




Arrival yesterday morning immediately confirmed Blackbushe was busy, the car park was very full!!




One of the regular and increasingly popular Blackbushe gatherings of specialist cars. A chance to wander through lines of rare and beautiful machinery while watching aeroplanes, relaxing at the Pathfinder Cafe, and realising what a great asset Blackbushe is...and could be!!




Another aspect of Blackbushe's events will be the presence of the Blackbushe Heritage Trust's 'road show' trailer whereby visitors can learn of the Viking project and the return of a piece of UK aviation heritage to Blackbushe grass where it belongs!




..of utmost importance, the way of the future at Blackbushe, as business flights using aircraft of various shapes and sizes very easily show why the Airport's apron space will need expanding...



It was great catching up with Pete, Mark and Mike yesterday at the Blackbushe Heritage Trust trailer and talking Vikings and Blackbushe with some of our visitors during an all too brief stop over at EGLK. The atmosphere was generally vibrant, one feels that Blackbushe is increasingly screaming out to show what she can do if only she could...how anyone can object to such a valuable and entertaining venue is hard to see.


That's all for today,

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
30/08/22

All too soon August prepares to leave the stage, an interesting month for Blackbushe with her increasing and varied business traffic, the undoubted success of the Pathfinder Cafe, the regular gatherings of vintage and/or specialist vehicles, and the Blackbushe Heritage Trust's trailer that will be increasingly manned -here and elsewhere- as the project to return a Viking airliner to the Airport gathers momentum...

We left the D-Day story a couple of days back on "POTD" describing how the airfield was an absolute hive of activity early on 6th June, 1944, "D Day". The drama continues with further reference to Stuart Marshall's, "The Wartime Years" as D Day unfolded...


"....While all the activity was going on at the airfield 264 Squadron were busy throughout the period patrolling between St Pierre and St Martin, watching for enemy aircraft. They were also patrolling on D Day itself when eight of their aircraft patrolled the Cherbourg area but no enemy aircraft were seen.

It was the intention that 88 Squadron would lay smoke in support of the Navy Second Cruiser Squadron, while 342 Squadron would undertake the same task in support of the American invasion fleet which lay off the Cotentin Peninsular. The Bostons were manned by a crew of three instead of the usual four as the aircraft were flying at such low level that a lower gunner would serve no purpose. Masks had to be worn at all times as the smoke would seep into the aircraft and was highly poisonous. 342 Squadron were airborne at 0500 hrs and flew at wave-top height, weaving their way between vast convoys of ships. On reaching the allocated area, runs were made at four-minute intervals to maintain the smoke cover. They were flying so low that fire from both sides was passing overhead their aircraft and in addition they were being fired at by enemy coastal anti-aircraft batteries. One of the aircraft losses was a 342 machine, Boston BZ213 (J), which was hit by flak and crashed into the Channel, with the loss of Sgt Boissieuxand his crew of Sgt Henson and Sgt Canut. P/O Boyle and his crew of 88 Squadron also failed to return from smoke-laying and are presumed to have crashed into the Channel.

Les Walker continued, : "Our orders were to lay smoke cover for the invading naval forces along the Normandy coast. The force included battle ships HMS Ramillies, Achilles, Warspite and Rodney. We took off at 0430 in pairs led by W/Cdr Paddy Maher, or CO, and proceeded at 500ft to cross the coast at Selsey Bill and the turned onto course out over the sea in the direction of the French coast. We had been briefed to lay smoke from the mouth of the River Orm to Bayeux, starting at 0500hrs. Attempts were made to contact HMS Ramillies to advise them by radio that the squadron was ready to commence the smoke-laying operations, but no response was ever received. As we approached the ship at below deck level they opened up with their guns at us but luckily we were not hit and continued on past the other battleships, being relived to receive a more friendly response from them. I recall that we made smoke and passed over a monitor ship with a very large gun on it which was firing at the shore batteries, which were by now very close. We could hear the noise from the gun as it fired from inside our aircraft.

While flying over the beaches we realised that we were taking part in an historic event, not only because of our own involvement in the operation but because we could see the vast armada that stretched from the English coast right across the Channel. It was made up of every type of marine vessel you can imagine belching black smoke from their funnels. The activity on the actual beach head was fantastic and as we were flying so low it was difficult to absorb all the activity that was taking place at the speed we were travelling. We learned later that the powers-that-be had estimated there would be a 75% loss rate of the 24 aircraft from the two squadrons taking part. We think we got away lightly as only three aircraft were lost on this hazardous operation.

On return to our base our ground crew of Nobby and Netty told us that we had sixty flak holes in the aircraft. We had been too busy at the time but we had smelled cordite, which means that the flak bursts must have been very close. Once back at the airfield we had the chance to turn our thoughts to the forces on the ground in France as they fought their way inland. The Germans put up a terrific resistance, having been misled into believing that the attack would come in the Calais/Bologne area. It was amazing how effectively the secrecy and deception had fooled the German forces. Only a few of our forces had known the actual details of the operation."

Back at the airfield the last Boston home was an 88 Squadron machine, BZ214 (T), which limped back into the circuit with only two of its three wheels down. On landing it crashed and caught fire and despite the waiting rescue crews burned fiercely regardless of the liberal use of foam to try and extinguish the flames. The aircraft crew perished, as did a brave soldier who tried to help rescue them. The runway melted in the heat and burned patch of runway was found to cover a 50 square foot area. Despite the sorrow at the losses sustained through the day, the missions flown were considered a great success which contributed to save many lives among those in the invasion force".




In June 1963, this French Air Force Dakota arrived carrying 342 "Lorraine" Squadron air crews on a nostalgic visit to their old air base, local schools, and the wargraves at Brookwood. What memories they carried of Blackbushe when she was still RAF Hartford Bridge we will never know, but I think we can imagine well enough.



A reminder of peacetime Blackbushe when the US Navy made Blackbushe their only UK land base. This R5D-3 from Seattle was a familiar sight between 1955 and 1960.




..the Royal Netherlands Navy were no strangers to Blackbushe..




Staying naval, this French Navy York arrived in June, 1958..


Hoping you found the account of D Day activity thought provoking?

See you tomorrow...

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
31/08/22

Farewell to August, now the days again starting in first light or darkness as autumn's fingers shift the Sun's grip on our precious daylight hours, the passing season will be remembered for Blackbushe's 80th Birthday Open-Day way back in June and perhaps the meteorological events that gave us more than a few warm days!

Perhaps one of the more significant scenes over the past summer season has been the increasing variety and frequency of 'business' movements at Blackbushe. Dassault tri-jets, PC-12 and 24, Beech 200s, Piaggio 180s and their bold pusher design, etc.. A very healthy situation that surely paints a picture of what affordable Blackbushe is capable of if/when granted that infrastructure of hangars, a new Terminal, Tower, aircraft engineering base, greater apron space, lighting, and facilities for human comfort be it food or anything else! It should be so easy, yet the past six decades have proven the power of intransigent politics.



OY-VPS by wokinghampaul, on Flickr Many thanks to Paul for once again supporting our Forum with his photos!

OY-VPS by wokinghampaul, on Flickr
Vulcanair P.68 Vulcanair of Bio Flight. Danish Bio Flight is an Aircraft Operator that has specialised in “Special missions” and Aerial Data Acquisition.



Slipping back in time once again to when this airfield more than proved her worth, D Day, 1944.

"...Very early on the morning of D Day an accident at RAF Lasham, which had closed the runway, caused a Mosquito MkVI of 305 (Polish)Squadron to divert into Hartford Bridge. The pilot Tony Wilson recalled that there was a continuous string of gliders being towed overhead on their way to the beach heads. On landing and checking in at the Control Tower, he noticed a glider which had also just landed, its tow rope having parted as it passed over the airfield. He recalled that on exit from the glider it was very obvious that the troops that had been aboard were very annoyed that they would miss the 'show' and were very keen to be picked up and returned to their base so that they could restart the journey....

The Mitchells of 226 Squadron were also in action later in the day when they took part in bombing road junctions behind the beach heads in support of our invading forces.

Once the landings had been accomplished the role of 264 Squadron changed to patrolling the Normandy beach heads. They ere to continue these patrols continuously for two days and nights with two aircraft over the beaches at all times. Due to very bad weather at the airfield with a 300ft cloud base, the landings were accomplished by the use of FIDO as necessary."



Be she known as RAF Hartford Bridge, RAF Blackbushe, or simply Blackbushe Airport this outstanding stretch of what otherwise would have been desolate and unused heathland fought with courage and sacrifice in the battle to rid Europe, and the world, of Nazi oppression, post war provided a major commercial airport for London, and for the last six decades has fought for her very survival against certain bodies who would have the airfield returned to no more than waste land - taking down the industry and enterprise, employment and hopes for all who enjoy this wonderful airfield.

The airfield nowadays is permanently busy. It's proven the point as to the value of a General Aviation hub located to the south-west of London, Blackbushe now needs to be able to fully unfurl her feathers and for common sense to prevail and let Blackbushe be the airport she wants and needs to be.

Do you agree? Why not say so in our POTD comments section?

Thank you.

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
01/09/22

2022 has reached the autumn of its days, a bit like someone else round else, but in both cases there remains hope for some sunny days before 'winter' sets in... The first week in September was once the hallowed annual Farnborough Air Show period. Days of quite intense pre-show validation flights where the sky would produce pure delight as new shapes and new sounds were put through their paces while the excitement mounted as the Exhibition area of tents and marquees reached the climax of weeks of building and promise of their exciting contents.

Such was the build-up and execution of Farnborough Week, originally an all-British show case of airframes, engines, and electronic wizardry...Perhaps we built too many new types, especially in the military air combat field where many new types appeared. The flying was beyond the imagination of today's bodies who 'validate' show participation. Aircraft flew low, sometimes over the crowd, they went supersonic as testified by green houses etc around the area...it was exciting, thrilling, and nobody got hurt. When it did go wrong on one occasion no rules would have prevented what happened. Memory of the DH110 falling to the ground and claiming lives will never leave.

That was September, and in those days in the fifties and early sixties Farnborough Week could not come soon enough. Air events continue to be big crowd pullers, sadly they are in diminishing numbers as airfields disappear or regulation makes them unviable. If you cannot have a flying displays as a result of draconian regulatory requirements then an least bring people and aeroplanes together as was achieved at this years's Blackbushe 80th Anniversary Open-Day. A touch of the old Hendon garden party occasions when long ago car parks filled with endless rows of black cars, and crowds had the chance to meet aviators and inspect their aeroplanes at close quarters..It certainly worked this year at Blackbushe!




So many brilliant photos submitted following this year's 80th at Blackbushe. Old classic designs steal plenty of looks, admiration, and nostalgia for days gone by..Neil Randell's nose shot of faithful Annie proves the point!




Farnborough Week in the fifties bestowed Blackbushe with countless visitors from around the world. Civil and military rubbed shoulders..












..and for some years after Blackbushe was closed by the government, under private ownership she still produced an interesting few days during Farnborough Week.




Yesterday's "POTD" finished with these lines, "The airfield nowadays is permanently busy. It's proven the point as to the value of a General Aviation hub located to the south-west of London, Blackbushe now needs to be able to fully unfurl her feathers and for common sense to prevail and let Blackbushe be the airport she wants and needs to be.

Do you agree? Why not say so in our POTD comments section?"

.... it's always good to hear from anyone who shares the Blackbushe buzz and is happy to say so!!

Meanwhile, good luck to the crew taking the Blackbushe Heritage Trust 'road show' to Elstree aerodrome today!

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
02/09/22


Some days seem to be good for first flights. Take today, for example... 1937, Grumman Wildcat, 1939 Me 210, 1942 Hawker Tempest, 1947 Hawker P1040, 1949 de Havilland Venom, 1998 Boeing 717....

First flights, that moment when so many hours of human endeavour commit themselves to a runway and airspeed. As humans I guess our own first flight must register in the memory. For me the day came back in March, 1963. A Sunday afternoon at Blackbushe Airport - where else - strapped into the Blackbushe Aero Club's Piper Colt. Using runway 08, yes it was 08 back then, the long taxi to the holding point seemed interminable as the heart pumped in anticipation of whatever the next minutes would bring. For the first of countless times to come, the Blackbushe scene slipped away below us. Not too long after I was washing club aeroplanes at the weekend to earn free flying lessons...that was in the Three Counties era when Auster 6 aircraft with their white canvas provided a bit of a Saturday challenge where exhaust and oil stains dared to darken their otherwise perfect appearance! I've kept a log of every flight made since that day in March 1963, a couple of weeks back when flying into Sweden, Stockholm became the 200th airfield I'd flown into to. No way could I recall what or where they were from memory.. Needless to say, Blackbushe features strongly in the airfields flown from!




You never forget the first time...final approach to 08, March, 1963....


Flying back to 1944 and our coverage of D Day action at Blackbushe (RAF Hartford Bridge) as related by Stuart Marshall in "The Wartime Years"...


"... Not all the based crews were, however, directly involved in support of our forces on D Day as described in this unusual story attributed to Navigator JJ parker, who was a member of Grant ' Sut Sutties' crew, flying with 226 Squadron. This crew which went on to complete a second tour of operations in October 1944, were at the time attached to the top secret 'C' Flight. In his account Jack Parker wrote: " On the night of 5/6th June my pilot and I were summoned to the Operations Room for briefing. Expecting to be ordered to take off there and then on a support mission for the landings, we were surprised to be told that as far as we were concerned our trip was to be a VHF calibration in our Mitchell, serial number FV900. Our route was to be Hartford Bridge - Point of Ayr - Trevose Head and return to base via Basingstoke. Our operational height was to be 20,000ft. "I prepared the flight plan with some foreboding. The met was forecasting a cloud base of 1000ft, tops at 20,000 or above with icing index high. (Today this would not be too serious - but this was 1944). I was to appreciate the time I spent on the flight plan...

"We took off and soon found the weather as bad as, if not worse, than forecast. Going up through the thickening clag we at one stage had ice hurled off the propellers hitting the fuselage. I suggested the possibility of returning to base and George junior, our 18-year old Canadian gunner, expressed the same idea though, more forcibly! our Aussie skipper 'Sut' was, however, the press on type- so on we pressed ..

"The VHF was full of static, the Gee box packed up (not uncommon) and we flew by dead reckoning. We were by this time at about 20,000ft, on oxygen and freezing cold (aircraft heating - don't make me laugh). We passed messages as detailed, but no acknowledgement, though from time to time a broad northern accent came through with 'turret to turret over' which meant nothing to us. We saw no Isle of Man, we turned on ETA and flew hopefully down to Cornwall, where we repeated the process with the same negative results. So we pressed on to Basingstoke.

"At long last it seemed suitable to commence our letdown. After what seemed an age we had reached the stage in this letdown when to quote an old joke'if this altimeter's right we must be a ruddy submarine'. Then all of a sudden through the clag we saw a fairly large river and a built-up area. Thames, Seine or Rhine? Then I shouted..'OK Sut 260 magnetic sharpish'... There in the not-too-far distance and directly ahead were Big Ben and the House of Commons. With a near vertical bank (a split-arsed turn was the crudity then in vogue), we arrived at Hartford Bridge, landed and taxied back to dispersal after 4hr 30 minutes flying time. Old Sut had been flying on instruments for most of that time. He deserved a medal but he didn't get it. Back in the Mess, to the strains of 'Mairzy Doats' clashing with 'Lili Marlene' we consumed our operational bacon and eggs. It was only on reaching our billets that we heard of the D Day landings. There was a sequel in July 1945 when a B25 similar to ours did collide with the Empire State Building in New York. But for old Sut's timely emergency turn we might have a made an even more spectacular impact!"




Our peaceful B-25s back in the seventies...a long way from these to wartime 'C' Flight based on the south side of the A30...




Bumbling around Hampshire in a B-25 with Jeff Hawke somewhat different to Sut's flight at night, iced up, instruments all the way, and including a sight seeing visit to the House of Commons! nearly...


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
03/09/22

Had you been at Blackbushe on this day, a Thursday, in 1959 amid all the regular commercial and US Navy activity you would have seen the arrival of three US Army CH-34 Choctaw helicopters.

Just out of interest on this day in 1958, a Wednesday, the following were noted at Blackbushe, French Navy Bretagne, French Air Force Flamant, Danish Air Force Pembroke, Royal Canadian Air Force Dakota, Portuguese Air Force C-54, two Yugoslav Air Force C-47s, French Air Force C-47, Douglas RFD-2 US Naval Air Training Command, US Navy R5D-4R "Kiwi Special", two Douglas R5D-4Rs US Navy electronics test laboratory Anacostia, Fairchild R4Q-2m US Marine Corps, Douglas JZC-54A USAF Edwards Air Force Base Flight Test Centre, C-47 USAF 46FIW Manston, VC-47 USAF, C-47 USAF, C-47 USAF MAAG Brussels, C-54 USAF JUSMG Madrid, VC-47 USAF ABGRU Prestwick, Lockheed VC-121A USAF, C-47 Israeli Air Force, DHC Beaver US Army, Fairchild C-119G USAF 322nd AD, Lockheed C-130 USAF, two Fairchild C-119Gs Belgian Air Force, Beech 50 Fried Krupp, Nord 2503 Noratlas demonstrator, Percival Proctor Rolls Royce G-AKIU, DH Dove English Electric, Percival Prince Ministry of Transport & Civil Aviation, DC-3 Silver City, Auster Autocrat Hunting Aerial Surveys, DH Chipmunk G-AOSA, PA-23 G-APCL, Miles Student Miles demo flights, DH Heron Ferranti, PA-23 United Steel, two Dakotas Royal Canadian Air Force 137 Transport Flight, Douglas C-47 Italian Air Force, Vicker Viking Aerotransport, Beech 35 OO-JAC, Cessna 310 SABENA, HP Hastings RAF 242 OCU, nine RAF Avro Ansons, three RAF Devons, Dakota for sale ex Williamsons Diamond Mines, Vickers Valetta 228 OCU, Avro Shackleton T4 RAF, Valetta RAF Cranwell, EE Canberra B2 6 Sqn RAF, Vickers Varsity RAF School of Maritime Recc., Varsity RAF HQ CC, Sea Prince Royal Navy, three C-47 Royal Netherlands Air Force 334 Sqn., Percival Pembroke RAF, DH Devon RAE Farnborough...

Who needs photographs, just imagine the above arriving on one day plus all the regular airline traffic etc that Blackbushe handled on a daily basis. Farnborough Week was an incredible week at Blackbushe in the fifties..



However, under private ownership Farnborough Week still produced a good crop of visitors skillfully filling up runway 14/32. The dark clouds were synonymous perhaps with the ongoing situation that hampered the Airport's progress, clouds that still have not finally parted...

On a very positive note, as you know, the Blackbushe Heritage Trust is working hard on recovering a Viking airliner to Blackbushe. This week the team took the BHT Road Show to an open day at Elstree aerodrome with great success. Much of our merchandise was sold and broad interest shown in the scheme to put a Viking on show at Blackbushe. A Viking that will say so much on the heroic characters who formed and operated the UK's post war independent airline services.. Great work team, but much more to be done...

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
04/09/22

Come January next year I've just calculated that the Forum and "POTD" will have been transmitting its daily thought waves for eight years! Eight years since Stuart Marshall and I agreed to place some kind of recollections of the airfield we know as Blackbushe together in order to preserve something of her deep and varied history that neither of us could bear to see vanish. The likes of present day social media were either non-existent or in their early days, it seemed prudent to put finger to keyboard and preserve something of the airfield's yesterdays while harmlessly making known the benefits of Blackbushe for General Aviation in the future in the face of deep rooted bodies of opposition who seemingly still would rather the airfield was reduced to a wilderness wherein her great story would come to an ignoble ending.

"POTD" has enjoyed well over half a million visits during the past almost eight years. I suppose when you're driven by deep persuasions it's quite easy to spout forth, and I've been delighted to have many photographs from Stuart, Gordon Wilmer, and numerous others who have been kind enough to provide the pictorial ammunition to support our morning scribings. Sadly, Stuart and Gordon have been taken from us, but we shared our haunting love for Blackbushe with dedication and passion while we could, each morning I feel as if they are with me as I search through their photographs and Stuart's thoughts pertaining to the airfield found elsewhere on the Forum.

I'm particularly grateful to the members who provide day to day photos of Blackbushe's ever increasing business flights for the Forum's 'movements' pages. Equally, I'm grateful to the small band who give a "like" to "POTD" most days and make comments in the "POTD Comments" section. Basically, I'm grateful to all who have contributed over the past seven plus years, and hopeful that we'll carry on a bit longer as our hopes for Blackbushe's 'resurrection' continue as strong as ever...and, of course, grateful to all who have shared the Blackbushe memories in "POTD" and elsewhere on our Forum. Thank you!




A shape that has endured the lifespan of Blackbushe and says so much with no words necessary. A BBMF Spitfire salutes Aerobility at the time of the opening of their new Blackbushe hangar.




An increasingly typical scene on Blackbushe's apron, business flying and Blackbushe are striking up an ever growing relationship..




Regular car and motor cycle gatherings combined with Blackbushe's excellent Pathfinder cafe are also combining to put Blackbushe on the map..



Coming up is the Twilight Runway Challenge, you still have time time to enter!! Raise money for good causes and see the airfield at close quarters.. www.twilightchallenge.co.uk/



...and don't forget the Blackbushe Heritage Trust!! Plans continue toward bringing a Viking airliner back to Blackbushe for display and a permanent token of the Airport's brave yesteryears. www.blackbusheheritagetrust.com/



With that I'll go and lie down again, some virus continues to try and drain our editorial energy but it's not going to win..

Hopefully.

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
05/09/22


T7-DAT by wokinghampaul
Another great photo thanks to Paul! The 'regular' Avanti is up and away bound for Glasgow. Business flights continue their increasing use of Blackbushe adding more and more cities in the UK and Europe to Blackbushe's 'network'.. PC-12, PC-24, Be200, Dassault Falcons, and Gulfstreams are finding the benefits of Blackbushe's affordable acres.


In 'another world' Blackbushe's traffic was varied and often exceptional. For example, if you look at the first day of the Farnborough Air Show in 1959... This was Blackbushe's last "Farnborough" before the Airport was demolished by a government who'd decided to replace her with an airfield down in the West Sussex countryside.. Farnborough was still an annual event and held in the first week of September. An occasion longed for by many a young lad who could not wait to see the new shapes of the year taking over local skies while at Blackbushe the excitement mounted as to how many and what would arrive creating an extraordinary free show of aircraft from around the world..

The following arrived on 7th September, 1959, the opening day of "Farnborough".. Three Douglas R5D US Navy, two Lockheed P2V Neptunes US Navy, Douglas R6D US Navy, two Convair R4Y US Navy, Grumman Albatross US Navy, Douglas C-47 USAF, two Beech L-23 US Army, Dornier 27 Army demo, Avro Anson AV Roe Ltd, Percival Proctor Rolls Royce, Miles Gemini G-AKFU, DH Dove David Brown Group, DH Dove MTCA, DC-3 Silver City, DH Heron Ferranti, DH Dove English Electric, Douglas C-47 Belgian Air Force, Avro Anson RAF, Gloster Meteor T7 729 Sqn, DH Chipmunk 242 OCU, Sea Venom FAW21 RN, EE Canberra B1 16 Sqn, Douglas R4D US Navy, plus the airline operations that were part of Blackbushe life!

That was the quiet first day, next day was busier with aeroplanes like this arriving...



The Douglas C-124 Globemaster, at the time the largest aircraft in the world... It was 'another world' for Blackbushe back then, but does no harm to look back and recall what she was capable of in that previous life!





Faithful Annie "GPG". From the early fifties year after year she was a part of the Blackbushe "Farnborough" traffic mix while she belonged to AV Roe. After Blackbushe's closure she remained faithful and returned to her old familiar tarmac owned now by EKCO Electronics...




The dear old "Annie" returned once again as this beautiful example flew down from Sleap to join Blackbushe's 80th Anniversary celebration back in June of this year. Another fabulous photo from Flo!



Perhaps tomorrow I'll account for the traffic that arrived on the Tuesday of Farnborough 1959...

Have a nice Monday, if you're passing Blackbushe why not drop into the Pathfinder cafe, you'll always get a great welcome!!

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
06/09/22

As it's what used to be known as "Farnborough Week", the first full week of September we'll carry on from yesterday and recall what arrived at Blackbushe in the way of Farnborough visitors on 'Day Two', Tuesday, 8th September, 1959.... It was a lucky week for me as my new school, new as in being brand new and freshly built, had to delay opening by a whole week and would not open until 14th September!! What a gift, I had Farnborough Week free!!!!!!!

This was the week when being September it dawned grey, overcast, misty.. but mild. I lived in Crowthorne back then, some eight miles or so north-east of Blackbushe, a location where Blackbushe circuit traffic of mixed commercial aircraft of the era and US military types routinely flew over the house on the downwind leg of the then circuit. Downwind wheels retracted, flaps lowered, propeller pitch adjusted with wonderful sound effects for those beneath. However, on this day 8th September, fairly early on I noted an endless droning sound coming from somewhere 'up there' in the early September mist. I was intent on cycling up to Blackbushe to check out the Farnborough visitors of the day thus launched self and bike toward the airfield curious as to the sound effects coming down from above.

Cricket Hill is the road that runs from Yateley north/south to connect with the A30 at the east end of Blackbushe Airport.

I was about half way up Cricket Hill, which provided the bike rides last challenge with gravity, when the mist started to open up and burn off to reveal the perfect day to come. It wasn't just the blue beyond that was revealed, for against the misty blue the source of the droning sounds became obvious. Above was a host of silver dots, and more discernible shapes, as stacked to a very considerable height were Blackbushe's inbounds. I assume many had been waiting for the mist to clear? Whatever, the fly-in to end all fly-ins was taking place!!!

From the records, herewith some of the aeroplanes that arrived on the morning of 8th September, 1959, the week that my new school so kindly was going to be a week late in opening..who says there's no god?

Mikes Geminis G-AKFU and G-AKGC, Avro Anson G-ALIH EK Cole Ltd, DC-3 Silver City, Percival Prince MTCA, DH Dove Vendervell, Auster 5 BKS Ar Charter, DH Heron Rolls Royce, Miles Student demo flights, DH Heron Ferranti, DH Dove English Electric, HB-GAL Aero Commander, C-47 Belgian Air Force, three Dakotas Royal Canadian Air Force 137 Transport Flight, Vickers Viking OE-FAT Aerotransport, sixteen Avro Ansons RAF, two DH Devons RAF HQ Germany, four DH Devons RAF, five Vickers Valettas RAF Cranwell, Vickers Valetta 2nd TAF Comms Flight, Gloster Meteor 729 Sqn Leconfield, Chipmunk 242 OCU Dishforth, Vickers Valetta RRE Pershore, two Vickers Varsity RAF Coastal Command HQ St Mawgan, EE Canberra B2, Chipmunk WG364 and WP859 RAF, Vickers Varsity 1ANS, Percival Sea Prince Royal Navy Linton on Ouse, EE Electric Canberra B6 Wildenrath, Percival Provost 6 FTS, two Sea Venom FAW21 Royal Navy, Auster AOP9 Army Air Corps, two C-47 Royal Netherlands Air Force 334 Sqn, two Westland Whirlwind HAR1 Royal Navy, Hawker Sea Hawk 736 Squadron Royal Navy, Westland Whirlwind HAR1 RAF 22 Sqn, Percival Pembroke RAF, EE Electric Canberra B8 16 Sqn, DH Heron RAF Queens Flight, Sud-Ouest Bretagne French Air Force, Dakota RCAF, Douglas R4D-5 US Navy Rota, C-47 French Air Force GLAM 1/60, C-47 French Air Force ET60, three Lockheed PV2 Harpoons French Navy, three Douglas R5D-5 US Navy, Douglas R5D-3 US Navy Naples, Douglas R5D-3 US Navy FASRON 107, Douglas R5D-4 US Navy Anacostia, two Lockheed P2V-5F US Navy, Douglas R6D-1 US Navy, Grumman Albatross US Navy attache to Oslo, Convair R4Y-1 US Navy CINC US Navy forces southern Europe, Beech 18 French Air Force, Lockheed P2V-5 Netherlands Navy, C-47 USAF, Douglas VC-54 USAF SHAPE, Douglas VC-47 USAF EOARDC Brussels, Convair T-29 USAF 47th OS Sculthorpe, Douglas C-124 Globemaster USAF 322AD 14th TC Sqn, two Beech L-23 US Army Heidelburg, Convair 440 Luftwaffe FBS, three Fairchild C-119s Belgian Air Force, Dornier 27 on demo to Army Air Corps, D-GENA Beech 95, F-BFRG Nord Noratlas demonstrator, F-OBCN Jodel D117, G-AGPG Avro Anson AV Roe Ltd, G-AGVN Auster J1 Wolverhampton Aviation, G-AGWE Avro 19 Decca, G-AHFR Percival Proctor Rolls Royce, G-AHLM DH Rapide Marshall Flying services.


THAT was one morning at Blackbushe Airport in 1959, the week my new school was a week late in opening. It's really rather sad that such occasions are either forgotten or simply unknown or unheard of.. but, I guess that's life? Blackbushe has without doubt had the most extraordinary one so far...




Just one of 8th September's many visitors in 1959.





...and another!


Back tomorrow all being well..

PB