PHOTO of the DAY...

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
05/12/22

As mentioned yesterday in "POTD", this evening sees another free to attend meeting of the Blackbushe Heritage Trust. Starts at 7pm in the Pathfinder Cafe and YOU are cordially invited. With the year's end fast approaching it's time to plan out our operations in 2023, hopefully we'll gain some more volunteers to join the already very successful team dedicated to our guiding objective - the return of Viking G-AGRW from Austria to Blackbushe whereafter she will be restored and placed on permanent display as a symbol of the type's role at Blackbushe in those pioneering post war days when British civil aviation reached out across the peaceful skies of Europe.

We'd love to have your help and assistance in 'oiling the wheels' of the project, tonight will give you the chance to offer some help or to just listen and learn a little more about the Trust and our ambitions..

Seven o'clock THIS EVENING, don't miss it!!


Another moment in the life of the Blackbushe Heritage Trust was Saturday's prize draw for our first Annual Raffle, funds all going to the Viking project..

The winners have all been notified, and our congratulations to all. They are...

1st Prize Ben Humphreys. Ben now has a fantastic flight simulator experience to look forward to courtesy of British Airways at Heathrow.
2nd Prize Celia Harris, Mark Edwards, and Paul Nichols. All have won one of three flights from Blackbushe in a light aeroplane thanks to Mike Biddulph and his beautiful Cessna 150.
3rd Prize Andrew Mercer. A framed portrait of a Viking at Blackbushe plus Blackbushe Heritage Trust merchandise.
4th Prize Brian Palmer. A £50 pound voucher to spend at the Pathfinder Cafe.

Don't miss the chance of being a winner next time the Blackbushe Heritage Trust's raffle goes live!




A Viking. Once such a familiar sight on London's Blackbushe Airport. Together we can return this scene to life at Blackbushe and put together the aeroplane and the Airport's joint history as a permanent token of their combined role in creating an historic chapter in our British aviation heritage.


Do feel free to join us tonight at Blackbushe and find out much more.

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
06/12/22

ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?? You're about to read the most outstanding news.......

Well, there are some days when you just cannot believe how well things are going. Today's one of those days!!

As you will know the Blackbushe Heritage Trust was formed earlier this year as the body around which would focus the task of returning a Viking airliner to Blackbushe for restoration and display. An honourable idea, but one that would consume significant quantities of money, money that would no doubt take many months - or years - to accumulate.

The aeroplane, G-AGRW, first flew with BEA before joining airlines such as Hunting-Clan who regularly operated her from Blackbushe. G-AGRW is very much be a symbol of British aviation heritage reflecting how BEA and numerous independent airlines together employed the Viking, the first British post-war commercial airliner, bringing air travel to many across the UK, across Europe, and into Africa. Combined with the illustrious history of Blackbushe Airport where numerous home based airlines found the most ideal 'near to London' operating base. Indeed, this was the beginning of the growth of civil aviation leading to where we are today...

Blackbushe became a veritable Viking mecca, the Trust's prime ambition being to rescue, restore and preserve a priceless aeroplane and its history, a true act of heritage preservation.


BUT WHAT IS NEW???

Well, today we are thrilled to announce our new partnership with British Airways. Thrilled and proud to announce that the national flag carrier has adopted the Blackbushe Heritage Trust as an official charity for the coming years providing massive fund raising potential..

Now, wait for THIS bit... To launch our new association British Airways will be donating £20,000 to the Blackbushe Heritage Trust. Yes, you read it correctly! Our initial estimate to return "RW" to the UK was £30,000. 2023 will almost certainly see the aircraft making the long journey by road from Austria to Blackbushe!!

Sometimes dreams do come true!!

There's more... British Airways passengers receive Avios points which may be redeemed for future travel requirements or they may donate them to one of the airline's official charities... The deeply established heritage of British Airways is one that many loyal customers would appreciate, we anticipate further support via redeemed Avios points.


There's more... British Airways have introduced a new scheme for their many staff today. Each employee has been given a £20 charity donation to be allocated to one of the airline's official charities. The BHT will be in competition with some other very worthy causes, but it is anticipated that many BA staff will feel a strong bond with the airline's heritage and subsequently feel a wish to support the call of the company's long and well established heritage and support an aeroplane that started her airline career as part of British European Airways fleet long ago.

TAKE ME TO THE ACTION!!! Here you go, this link takes you straight to the action... www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-return-of-vagabond


All this is thanks to the tireless work of our Trustee, David Payne.. Through his very hard work David has secured the deal you have just read about. A BA Fleet Manager, David has really pulled off the most amazing result. Our Trust will now be able to make new headlines and G-AGRW will become a centre of focus on Blackbushe Airport and the Viking story...but before then, there's work to be done!




This emotive photo from David Payne shows what, due to his skill and dexterity, we might expect to see as memories of long ago days come back to reality thanks to his efforts and the incredibly generous support provided by British Airways...RW might never fly again, but she will now be able to tell her story for many years to come..



"Vagabond", G-AGRW with her first proud owners, British European Airways, little did she know of her illustrious future in the 21st Century... (Photo British Airways)


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
07/12/22

Following the great news regarding British Airways and the Blackbushe Heritage Trust a quintet of BHT Trustees spent yesterday at BA's Waterside Headquarters promoting our new relationship with the airline at an in house event for employees. A further exciting aspect of British Airway's support for our Trust is the fact that all BA staff have been given £20 to donate to their chosen BA charity, and all have had an email from 'the top' advising them of the fact.

Now, who do you know who works for British Airways?? Well, please remind them that they have £20 to donate and, naturally, direct them to the Vagabond option. BA have a very large number of staff!!!




While at British Airways HQ, a visit to the fantastic Heritage Centre is a must! The Viking is very much a part of things, this model wearing the colours that Vagabond wore during her service with BEA.




The later and more familiar colours worn by many BEA aircraft.




Vikings and the numerous airlines that flew them spread British commercial aviation across Europe, it was a true work horse aeroplane and totally worthy of being immortalised at Blackbushe from whence so many Vikings went about their pioneering work..




Becky and Mark on duty at BA's impressive Waterside HQ..



Highly successful day, we spoke with so many BA staff who showed great interest from all heights of the BA tree... Please spread the word amid your BA contacts!!

Thanks

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
08/12/22

With the outside air temp scratching around minus 3C there is little doubt left that winter has arrived. A month of contrast, happy faces, Christmas presents, and maybe Santa Claus working the airways yet again? It can also be a time of sadness when those missing from our lives are particularly missed. It's now just over a year since Stuart Marshall was taken from us, and while I work with him daily by virtue of the wealth of material produced concerning Blackbushe he produced and has left behind, the chasm left behind is huge. We send our love to Sandra and his family at this time.

To Rob Belcher who lost his Mother recently we also send our deepest thoughts of condolence.

At Blackbushe life continues and the news is really rather good. Apart from enjoying increased business flights with aircraft such as PC-12, PC-24, Falcons and Gulfstream, prospects for future development remain positive as work proceeds to eventually secure the green light to greatly needed hangars and associated aerodrome infrastructure. Optimism has a far greater place today than perhaps for the past six decades.

From an historical point of view it was announced on 2nd December, 1944 that RAF Hartford Bridge would change its name to RAF Blackbushe as the Post Office were having trouble directing mail to the airfield named Hartford Bridge and another location named Hartford Bridge in the north of England.

December 1944 witnessed cadets from nearby Wellington College being taken for 30 minute experience flights aboard a de Havilland Dominie, while another de Havilland aeroplane - the Mosquito - arrived in numbers as their squadrons worked up to operational readiness. Armed with 4x Hispano Suiza 50mm cannon under the nose ad 4x Browning .303 machine guns located in the nose, plus 2x500lb bombs under the wings the Blackbushe Mosquitoes could deliver a very significant Christmas package. Typically attacking from around 100ft at high speed the enemy were taken by complete surprise, aircraft losses were mainly attributed to striking objects en route, church spires, for example..

One further feature of RAF Blackbushe in December of '44 was the arrival of the first USAAF unit to operate from the airfield. The 9th Troop Carrier Command arrived with 17 officers and 44 other ranks. Equipped with seven C-47 Dakota aircraft and a Lockheed Lightning that was the Commanding Officer's personal transport. The unit flew supplies to the battle fronts in Europe, their return flights bringing wounded troops back for treatment.




Peaceful operations in the fifties. The Dakota served many nationalities civil and military through the Blackbushe years, here's just one such moment frozen in time....


I remember well from personal Dakota days how the slipstream from the running port engine would play hell with that rear door if you didn't get it closed in good time! The amount of air displaced by those propellers even at quite low rpm is something to behold!!

See you tomorrow..

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
09/12/22

Early morning appointment with the NHS, a big question mark seeks answers....

Meanwhile, back to the important stuff.

By now you'll be very aware of the Blackbushe Heritage Trust and their ambitions of returning a Viking airliner to Blackbushe to take its rightful place in history on the airport upon which together they laid a huge path to our nation's place in civil air transport.

Sometimes a reminder of Blackbushe past and her amazing role in civil aviation's growth is of significant value. You can have a taste of this for free right now. Some years ago I purchased the Avionvideo DVD "UK and Irish Airports From the 1950s to the 1970s". A priceless gem that includes a fabulous collection of colour film of old Blackbushe in business. Well, I'm pleased to say you can have that sample by going to the Blackbushe Heritage Trust website where you will find not only this exert but also the chance to buy the DVD at a special price!! Go on, you know you want to .. www.blackbusheheritagetrust.com/
"We start with some wonderful film taken at Blackbushe in 1959; Falcon, Continental, Orion, Pegasus and Eagle Vikings, Dan Air Yorks, Bristol Freighters and Ambassadors and lots more, all in colour, as is the rest of this DVD, of course". Treat yourself.

Now, before I depart to the world of medical people, one more word about the Viking and the amazing relationship we now have with British Airways.

Crowdfunder producing amazing results but we cannot sit back on our laurels, the door is open for all to make contributions and if you take a look at the Crowdfunder link this will take you direct to our Vickers Viking project. Here's the link you'll want, you can see how well the project is going, you can also see how quick and easy it is to donate. Your chance to have direct involvement in our aim to restore a priceless piece of our aviation heritage for the enjoyment and education of generations to come.. Here's the link, perhaps you would also share it amid friends and those you know who truly value our aviation heritage. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-return-of-vagabond




YOU can help bring the Vagabond (looked just like this in her BEA colours) from the edge of obscurity to a long and glorious future at Blackbushe's future heritage centre. Hit the Crowdfunder link today, and tell your friends too!!


Hopefully be back tomorrow...

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
10/12/22

Looks like it's not just the weather that's going to be frozen over the coming days as the workers unite to freeze many of our vital services..While it's not in our remit to discuss such affairs it's sad that the Christmas spirit appears to have lost its inertia. Maybe if the major airports are brought to their knees by militant action some may find alternatives via the services of private airfields and the business aeroplanes that serve them?

Taking a look back now to when Blackbushe had hangars and executive aircraft enjoyed fabulous facilities during the days of Air Hanson, and Premiair as Beechcraft and helicopter operations showed exactly what the right facilities would do for the prestige of Blackbushe Airport. And what Blackbushe would do for them....




Royal Air Force Beechcraft came to Blackbushe for servicing..




Hangars maketh an airport...Built by Doug Arnold, then owned by BCA who owned the entire Airport by then... Today, they'll be full of cars. G-RAFN is now G-OLIV and a regular Blackbushe visitor.




Rotary wings played a big part too in the Premiair days.. They proposed forming the West London Heliport at Blackbushe..




That was 'yesterday', but yesterdays gone. BUT, imagine when Blackbushe eventually gains her brand new hangars and infrastructure. Photo taken 2004.


For now, stay warm, and don't forget...


www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-return-of-vagabond


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
11/12/22

There would seem to be a blanket covering the country this morning, not just the grey fingers of freezing fog that cling but another that originated in Qatar last night. A bit like the battle for Blackbushe when the Planning Inspector found in favour of the requested de-registration of part of the airfield's Common Land following the 2019 Planning Inquiry only to be shot down by Hampshire County Council. So near, yet so far! Blackbushe re-mustered and fights on for her rights and will succeed, so will the boys who faced defeat last night. These things just take time....

Below a few more memories from the period when Blackbushe enjoyed hangars and a thriving GA centre showed what the Airport is capable of... At this time BCA owned the Airport and while they had already taken over some of the hangars built by Doug Arnold during his ownership of the airfield the Air Hanson/PremiAir operations continued to great effect.

These photos from Stuart Marshall's collection..




A visiting Premier abeam the very business like Blackbushe hangars during the second time in the Airport's life that she'd been equipped with substantial 'permanent' hangars..2003




Unmarked, stretched. Harold Bamberg once said to me that if he were younger he'd like to start an air operation at Blackbushe again.. Perhaps a few of these would have suited? This was one of two Beech 1900s stored at Blackbushe around 2002




Both ends of the Airport spelled out the words "Business Aviation".....the main apron has supported countless business jet movements spanning the years of Blackbushe under private ownership.




Cessna 195 visitor long ago, no more details, but what a beauty! cc September 2003




N310ZM, immaculate Lear 45, and no mistaking where the photo was taken! Once again, the photo dates back to the BCA days when they owned the whole Airport.. 14 February, 2004.



Don't forget, while you're here to check out the Crowdfunder campaign and see how the days bring the Blackbushe Heritage Trust's Viking back to Blackbushe.. and DO feel free to contribute. THANKS!!

blackbusheairport.proboards.com/thread/1001/british-airways-vagabond-project

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
12/12/22

As a dusting of snow lies across northern Hampshire it seems a long way off from that glorious day in June this year when we celebrated Blackbushe's 80th and the airfield had more than a dusting of visiting aeroplanes to show off!

You'd better make a note in your 2023 diaries that next June, on the 3rd, Blackbushe Airport will be holding what looks like becoming an annual event a Fly-in and Air Day. June 3rd, 2023.



June of this year, Blackbushe celebrated her 80th under blue skies and warm sunshine..

Reflecting on history for a moment, 94 years ago today 12 December, 1928, I note RAF Vickers Victorias were evacuating British civilians from Kabul. The most recent evacuations from Afghanistan show how unstable life there continues to be, just the aircraft are much larger today..

Back then Blackbushe was just a flat expanse of heathland waiting for something to happen, 14 years later it did, RAF Hartford Bridge came into being opening in November,1942!! It was in December, 1944, that RAF Hartford Bridge ceased to exist - it was renamed RAF Blackbushe due to mix-ups with the delivery of mail, and personnel, to the wrong Hartford Bridge in the north.

Blackbushe, although it was thoughtlessly destroyed by both the government and local councils in the sixties, is an historic aviation site where history has been made throughout her lifetime.




The King came personally to reward the heroes of Hartford Bridge, a rare investiture away from the usual London location.



The airfield where during the war Dutch and French aircrews flew in their squadrons joining the RAF's numerous resident squadons in the defence of our nation and the removal of the enemy in Europe.




The airfield that post-war became London's second airport and home to numerous independent airlines as air transport expanded and 'package' holidays were invented..




The airfield that became the United States Navy's only UK land base...




The airfield abandoned in 1960, infrastructure almost totally destroyed with not one thought for the lives lost and the history lost when the place was destroyed in acts of gross vandalism.




Blackbushe, the thriving General Aviation centre of today, thriving despite the six decades of ceaseless endeavour to build the GA airport that so much wants to be placed on that same heathland that became an RAF base in 1942.




Today, the airfield is also home to the Blackbushe Heritage Trust, the Trust who will be bringing a Viking airliner back for restoration and permanent display as a token and salute to the heroic operators of the type and the role they played in Blackbushe's historic journey.


Please don't forget that you too can contribute to the Viking's return... www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-return-of-vagabond

Thank you, and here's to Blackbushe continuing to make aviation history long into the future!!

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
13/12/22

Well, where do we go from here? Just coming up to 07.00, minus 3C,the runway lights at Blackbushe shining brightly, visibility improving over recent efforts, but across our land the first snowfall of winter seemingly brought chaos while Downing Street are warning all who depend on the railways to expect a lot more than just bad weather cancellations..

Blackbushe provided a fabulous photo opportunity yesterday afternoon, the weather precluded fixed wing operations but a rotary visitor arrived while I was in the Terminal its rotors stirring up a rotating blizzard of snow as she touched down on the main runway. An amazing spectacle, you'll just have to imagine it, but that was the whole days flying ops in one go. But, what a picture...




It's when the depth of winter creeps that you look back at sunnier times, and look forward to them too!! A moment snatched from the 'warbird' days when Doug Arnold ruled the roost and Neil Williams would give an impromptu Spitfire work out. Silence, bar the sound of that Merlin engine, all stood transfixed by the pure majesty of the Spitfire's lines and its smooth as silk aerobatics that were so much the trade mark of Neil Williams..




Supremely beautiful be it on the ground or in the air. I wonder if RJ Mitchell could have dreamed that his Spitfire design that first took to the sky 86 years ago would be so treasured in the 21st Century?




The last sixty years of my life have captured so many 'moments' at Blackbushe during the years she has hovered between being turned into a waste land as some would wish or being properly employed as a very viable General Aviation centre... A Red Arrows 'moment' as one of the Team's Gnats streaks across the still freshly disused looking land some of us call Blackbushe 'east' during a full team display at a 1960s air show.




I took this at some point during the early 1980s. Why? Just to remember the way we were. The small 'hangar' built by AVM Bennett to store a Linnet aeroplane and airfield equipment, the unsurfaced car park based upon foundations of buildings that once comprised the much missed old Blackbushe infrastructure, angle iron protruded through these foundations in places where it had simply been cut and left by the contractors who were paid to destroy Blackbushe in the sixties..




October, 1962. The Great Blackbushe Airport Re-opening Aid Display where many an aeroplane filled the Airport on the ground and many an aeroplane filled the skies during the display. The US Air Force playing their part...The mighty United States Navy hangar provided a powerful background to the memory of days gone by.




On that sad day on 1st June, 1960, when Blackbushe Airport was for the first time completely without any flying machinery, (It closed on the last day of May, 1960) silence was all you cold hear, nobody guessed that in a couple of decades scenes like this would be possible... Doug's Dakotas earned some money by being painted in war colours for the movie makers..




Who the heck is he?? I can tell you he had very positive hopes for Blackbushe back then in the 'sixties', he still does and has done throughout every day since!! These things just take some time.. The aeroplane was dear old Maggie G-AFBS, at the time operated by the Blackbushe Aero Club under the new management of 'Wilbur' Wright.


Don't forget.... www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-return-of-vagabond



Enough for today.
PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
14/12/22


The cold spell lingers on, it bites fingers and noses, but it managed to cast a seasonal Christmas card look to nature as trees and plants transformed into artistic silver statues, symbols of winter almost akin to the stage props of panto land! The trees that now line the A30 as it traverses the length of Blackbushe Airport formed a magnificent silver corridor, quite magnificent! Rather different to the days of Blackbushe Airport in the fifties when the rule straight road offered scenes of hangars, offices, and multitudes of transport aeroplanes on either side.




Crossing the line yesterday, I wandered onto Blackbushe's long disused eastern flank, the frozen wilderness had gone through a transformation thanks to nature's artistic brush work... Silent, almost frozen in time, memories of standing on this very spot when I was thirteen came rushing back. The view was very different, a case of beauty and the beast if you want to continue in the panto idiom, although which is which depends on the individual percept....




Same view, just 63 years of separation. You must make up the rest as to where beauty and the beast might be found..




Talking of beauty, here's our Blackbushe Heritage Trust Viking as seen this week. She still rests in a foreign field but with the help of British Airways and our many donors she will rest on Hampshire's finest earth once winter is over...


As if you needed reminding, here's the Crowdfunder location where you can so easily slip in a few quid toward our magnificent goal of returning the Viking to Blackbushe Airport, the home of the Viking for many years... www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-return-of-vagabond


PB