PHOTO of the DAY...

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
20/05/24


05.00 and looks like another sunny day in May in the offing. Yesterday, another sunny day, made what is an unfortunately all too rare descent onto Blackbushe - and what a result.

Car park almost full, a couple jets snoozing on the apron, and non-stop circuit activity of both fixed and rotary winged flying machines. Great to catch up with some familiar faces at the Blackbushe Heritage Trust shop and in the Pathfinder. Dined al fresco with the family with a background of continuous aviation activity. Plenty of families doing the same thing enjoying both the atmosphere and the food! Dear old Blackbushe, it was quite obvious what a popular location she's become for both those who fly and those who watch them fly!

It's too easy for someone who's been around a few years to look back on those rugged days after AVM Bennett purchased most of the Airport and an embryo home-based flying club evolved becoming the Blackbushe Aero Club. As a 16 year old who had loved Blackbushe for as long as he could remember they were amazingly satisfying days, mixing with flying types and a solidly determined group of people who all shared one ambition, save Blackbushe, and indeed the future was far from certain although AVM Bennett had great plans. Plans that would have unfolded were it not for a body of hostile opposition whose ambition was, supposedly, to turn the airfield into a wilderness. They got their way over the east-end of the Airport as any visitor can see today!

Yesterday confirmed fully the benefits of Blackbushe. Eventually the re-development programme will begin, we've already seen the massive lighting installation programme still under way, and when the redevelopment takes place the area currently the car-park, and the structures that have become so familiar over the past six decades will give way to a totally different aspect. A lot of memories will be consumed of the past sixty years, the people no longer with us of which there are sadly too many missing, a lifetime where the Terminal area has played such a large part. A new exciting future will dawn, a future possible after six decades of struggle against the voices of those whose views of the Hartford Bridge Flats did not include aviation..

It's been quite a story for the book on the airfield who refused to die! A couple of other stories focused on today's date that are also of note for their determination!!

On this day in May 1927, Charles Lindbergh flew the Atlantic nonstop from New York City to Paris. This was the first solo transatlantic flight flying his Ryan monoplane named 'Spirit of St. Louis'. 3,600 miles in 33 hours, 29 minutes - the successful landing in Paris was rewarded by collecting the Orteig Prize of $25,000.

On 20 May, 1932, another notable first solo involving the Atlantic Ocean. Amelia Earhart flying a Lockheed Vega became the first woman to make a solo flight across the North Atlantic, flying from Harbour Grace in Newfoundland to Derry in Northern Ireland in 14 hours 54 min. 92 years ago today, but only 28 years before Blackbushe was closed by the government, makes you realise how much time has been consumed in the 'battle for Blackbushe'...




Time changes everything, and our old airfield has certainly seen some changes!




Commercial airport..




Key wartime airbase known as RAF Hartford Bridge from where her crews fought valiantly for our freedom - the Boston was a very familiar sight. Hard to imagine perhaps after the busy but tranquil airfield enjoyed yesterday..


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
21/05/24

Morning, it's 03.30 here at POTD world, seems the damage from February's prang is not exactly healed, the old nose is a painful gurgling mass of distressed tissue that has now blocked any airflow completely - can't lie in bed any longer so perhaps the 'earliest' "POTD" ever!! It's probably driving me nuts (can I say that in today's world?) just another 19 days before a GP will see me.. Heaven knows what they'll find, but onwards and upwards...

The Blackbushe Air Day is happening in the middle of next month, where and how has the time gone? Just now there were months to go, now it's just days..but Air Day 2024 promises to be another excitingly different day at Blackbushe. Apart from the 100 aeroplanes expected to attend the show-ground is ever more extensive, varied live music, and Aerobility Live - the famous Armchair Air Show comes to Blackbushe. What an amazing day, there are still some tickets left, but you'd better be quick or you'll miss the boat - as it were! It's all here >> www.blackbusheairday.com/

Meanwhile, more exciting stuff as Blackbushe steps closer to being a very well equipped airport. The runway lighting installation programme has now reached the installation of light fittings and signage stage, work that is scheduled to continue until 31 May. The following week testing and commissioning will follow, then from 10 to 28 June flight testing, certification and approval and looking forward to the darker evenings!!




Blackbushe is setting herself the highest of standards, as the installation of new light fittings and signage confirms!



We seem to have travelled some distance from the 1960s when mid-airfield with camera lens open hungry for action Gordon 'Benjy' Wilmer and I were out on the airfield while night flying took place on winter Wednesday evenings aided by the many goose neck flares that lined the main runway. Not quite like the wonders of the FIDO system that once burned the fog away..




Night flying at Blackbushe in the sixties. Interestingly getting off the ground at night back then was greeted by a vast black expanse below, the 21st Century has lit up the scene significantly.




Residents awaiting on the Common Land adjacent to Blackbushe..always pays to be wary on hot summer days when they're taking the sun!!



Adders were a problem for wartime air crews living in tented accommodation on the airfield. Seems that they rather liked the shelter provided - the adders, that is!

I think this is where our early morning's Blackbushe thoughts take a break...No doubt Charles Lindbergh had the need to take a break as it was this day 21 May, 1927, that he landed in Spirit of St Louis near Paris having just completed the first solo Atlantic crossing.

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
22/05/24

07.00, nearer the normal time for "POTD" to take it's daily stretch although at 2am it was tempting to forget trying to sleep and bash out a couple of paragraphs for today's "POTD". The old damaged nose refuses to allow even the slightest intake of air...




Not long now 'til 15th June when D Day stripes once again descend onto Blackbushe - 80 years having flown since they first appeared ready for the invasion of Europe. The dear old Anson carries so much history under her wings, the type having attended four of our most recent 'air days' at Blackbushe. This one coming down from Sleap..




..this one came from BAe Systems at Old Warden for a couple of our events including the weekend of Blackbushe's 75th Anniversary in 2017. My contact who flew her and supported our events has moved on, would have been quite unique to see a couple of Ansons together on Blackbushe soil once more.




A huge attraction at this year's Air Day will be the arrival of the world's only airworthy Hawker Tempest. Like the one in the photo, it too departed Blackbushe after the war to join the Indian Air Force. Additionally the Tempest due in June came back to Blackbushe as an abandoned airframe when Doug Arnold acquired it from its mud encrusted retirement in India back in the seventies..




EKCO's radar calibrating Anson joined us in 1962 for some work prior to the Farnborough Air Show of that year..




This one sat on the grass for quite a while surrounded in some kind of mystery as to its future intentions. The war in Biafra being its suggested destination..




Lord Trefgarne's Treffield Aviation Anson added to the Blackbushe scene long ago..



During the war Ansons were a very familiar shape at RAF Hartford Bridge, then came the fifties and the Farnborough Air Show - the the Annie was the RAF's personnel transport and they arrived at Blackbushe in droves...

Today they truly are rare birds.


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
23/05/24

Overnight the government has sent this response to the petition that many of us signed in an effort to seek the re-classification of airfields from brown field sites to green field sites. The signature tally at the moment is just over 11,500...we need 100,000 signatures for the petition to be considered for parliamentary debate. This response was carried by "POTD" recently, but no harm in repeating..

Dear Peter Brown,

The Government has responded to the petition you signed – “Reclassify general aviation airfields as greenfield not brownfield sites”.

Government responded:

We are not seeking to alter airfield classification at this current time.

The Government recognises the importance of the General Aviation (GA) industry for supporting key services as well as training and commercial use.

Critical to GA’s success is the network of airfields which reflect the diversity in the sector, differing in size and infrastructure capability, ranging from smaller airfields focused on training and educational opportunities, to larger regional and international business aviation hubs. They all have an important role in supporting the aviation sector.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) emphasises that planning policies should recognise the importance of maintaining a national network of GA airfields and their need to adapt and change over time. The NPPF is a material consideration in planning decisions, and each application is judged on its individual merits. It is for local planning authorities to make individual decisions based on the planning policy and guidance that reflect the local context and engagement with local stakeholders. The weight given to these considerations is a matter for the authority as the decision taker in the first instance.

The NPPF encourages effective use of land in meeting development needs, while safeguarding and improving the environment and ensuring safe and healthy living conditions. The NPPF states this should be in a way that makes as much use as possible of brownfield land.

Brownfield land is defined in the NPPF as “land which is or was occupied by a permanent structure, including the curtilage of the developed land (although it should not be assumed that the whole of the curtilage should be developed) and any associated fixed surface infrastructure”, with some specific exclusions.

Airfield buildings and their curtilage are currently regarded as brownfield land. However, as the policy above makes clear, it should not be assumed that the whole of the curtilage of a brownfield site should be developed.

Applications for planning permission to redevelop airfields must be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

Applications for the reuse or redevelopment of airfields must also be considered in the context of wider national policy and account should be taken of the Government’s General Aviation Strategy. The NPPF acknowledges the significant contribution aviation makes to economic growth across the country – expecting planning policies, where supported by robust evidence, to identify and protect sites which could be critical in developing infrastructure to widen transport choice.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Click this link to view the response online:

petition.parliament.uk/petitions/660502?reveal_response=yes

The Petitions Committee will take a look at this petition and its response. They can press the government for action and gather evidence. If this petition reaches 100,000 signatures, the Committee will consider it for a debate.

The Committee is made up of 11 MPs, from political parties in government and in opposition. It is entirely independent of the Government. Find out more about the Committee: petition.parliament.uk/help#petitions-committee

Thanks,
The Petitions team
UK Government and Parliament


The reply sounds as if airfield protection is recognised as an important issue, but looking at the number of airfields currently looking to become new 'leafy green' suburbs it is tempting to question the sincerity in which the above reply is wrapped.




Green field site....




...or brown field site, BCA would seem to have turned it partly into a multi-coloured site as many hundreds of pre-owned used cars await disposal on their part of the airfield's hallowed acres.



PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
24/05/24

..and here we are again! Where do we start today? How about yesterday? Having escaped from the dentist - seems I doomed to always have something occurring in the head - I took the only route I could think of and arrived in the car park at Blackbushe. Just another Thursday, but for a weekday the scene was one of activity on the ground and in the air. Once again I was struck with a sense of pride that this historic and vital airfield has progressed to being so busy during the week! I walked down to the east end of the main runway and as engineers worked on the new lighting project and flying machines took to the air I was struck by a very significant memory from 1962.. summer school holidays when I spent much time assisting Gordon Wilmer out on the airfield helping clear out drains that the demolition people had filled with rubble plus lots of other tasks that I hope were useful. Gordon had been employed by the AVM as the Airport caretaker, having worked for Eagle during the fifties - he was also a highly experienced photographer. I met him on one of my after school bike rides to Blackbushe, he was coming out of the Terminal we said "Hello" and became firm friends from then on. In those days the airfield looked so much larger as there were no trees on either north or south sides of the site - or on the long lost east-end. No aircraft on the ground, VC10s would scorch overhead on trials from Weybridge and Farnborough movements transited to the east and/or the west. Blackbushe felt so vast standing out there on the main runway, it was hard to believe that this was the same place where from the main car-park I watched the Blackbushe life of commercial and military movements - never dreaming that it would all be taken away. Standing mid-field gulping the fresh air I felt very lucky to have met Gordon and able to offer some assistance while pondering on the great variety of heavy metal that had only recently been forced out.




Very occasionally those days were rewarded by the arrival of an aeroplane! This was on a hot humid August back in '62, the old Messenger was a joy to behold! Other aircraft that popped in included Charrington's new Aztec B, a Piaggio P166 from United Steel, and the occasional Army Beaver. Usually the scene was simply one of desolation - yesterday made it quite obvious how far Blackbushe has come since those old memories were cast in place!




Another Messenger from the past, had the airfield almost to itself and blended nicely with the golden grass of August. The US Navy hangar spoke of days gone by...



Today's date 24 May reminds of this day from years gone by. Not Blackbushe days, but out there in the world of commercial aviation in 1988 British Airways took over Caledonian. Within Caledonian were the genes of airlines for whom Blackbushe was home.. Staying with British Airways, it was on this day in 1982 that the last British Airways Boeing 707 flight took place. Cairo-Heathrow and so ended an era. Happy memories!

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
25/05/24

It's Saturday and by strange coincidence the sky is pure blue! Naturally it's a Bank Holiday weekend so the blue will, according to the Met persons, give way to a more traditional grey..they've been wrong before.

I don't know if you've heard, but apparently next month there is going to a General Election? What colour will the sky go then?

For those who signed the recent petition seeking to change airfields from brown field sites to green field sites - or any other ongoing petition - they will have received this communication from the petitions department at HMG....

You recently signed the petition:

Reclassify general aviation airfields as greenfield not brownfield sites
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/660502

Because of the General Election, the closing date for the petition you signed has changed. All petitions now have to close at 00:01am on 30 May. This is because Parliament will be dissolved, which means all parliamentary business – including petitions – must stop. This means the petitions site will be closed and people will not be able to start or sign petitions.

We’re sorry we weren’t able to give you more notice that this would happen.

The petition will be available for people to read on the site even though it will be closed for signatures. This petition won’t be reopened after the election.

The Government can’t respond to petitions during the election period. This means if the petition has over 10,000 signatures, it can’t receive a response from the current Government after 29 May. After the election, the new Government will have to decide whether to respond to petitions from before the election.

The current Petitions Committee, the group of MPs who decide whether petitions are debated, won’t exist after 30 May. This means that if the petition has over 100,000 signatures, it can’t be scheduled for debate during this Parliament. After the election, a new Petitions Committee will be responsible for deciding which petitions are debated.



What happens after the election only time will tell...

An event on this day back in 1958 is probably long forgotten, but on 25 May one of the Blackbushe regular sights in the shape of Dan-Air York G-AMUV came to grief near Gurgaon in India. The crash happened following an engine fire, the five onboard lost their lives.




The pure magic of Blackbushe can be felt recalling the site and sound of Yorks as they went about their business..



The magic of Blackbushe continues as she continues to welcome 21st Century sights and sounds to her runways..




Another great photo from Paul Phillips, a TBM-700 from this week's collection of 'business' movements..



Tomorrow's "POTD" steps back to 1944 once more as we trace the steps RAF Hartford Bridge was taking towards D Day...


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
26/05/24

Our heartfelt sympathy is extended this morning to the family and friends of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight pilot who lost his life yesterday while flying one of the Flight's Spitfires.

Today we turn our thoughts back to 1944 once again to feel something of the atmosphere that would have been felt at Blackbushe/RAF Hartford Bridge during these days leading to 6th June 1944...
D Day.



Last Sunday the focus was on the airfield providing ongoing attacks on German forces, railways, marshalling yards, and surface infrastructure to keep their attention as far away from the invasion landing sites as possible.

June 1944 saw S/Ldr P Aderton assume control of the airfield on transfer of the station from 2 Group to 11 Group. The following units were also were also accommodated at the airfield at the time:

137 Wing, comprising 2 Group Wing HQ, 88,342 and 226 Squadrons.

141 Airfield (85 Group), comprising 141 Airfield HQ, 264 and 322 Squadrons 416 Services and Repair Wing.

On 2nd June a party of six officers from the Central Flying School visited the station to study the latest details of operational flying.

To illustrate how valuable the FIDO system was at the airfield, the following account from S/Ldr Basil Watkin formerly of 487 (RNZAF) Squadron is included in his own words:

"Flying from RAF Gravesend in Kent, we were detailed to carry out a night intruder attack on a German fighter base in eastern France, flying a Mosquito Mk IV. Despite the unbelievably lousy weather with heavy rain, low cloud, almost nil visibility and forecasts for it to deteriorate , the operation was 'on'. As the first aircraft on target we departed at dusk into the heavy overcast to met with such heavy static that any R/T communication was impossible. However, we were maintaining standard R/T silence so that didn't gibe us too much concern. How wrong we were! We climbed to altitude, meeting AA flak en route, and on ETA we identified our target through the murk. During our 35 minutes over the target we carried out standard low level attacks in the air as well as those still on the ground and also airfield installation targets. On our return we climbed back to the comparative safety of the heavy overcast and on ETA we crossed the French coast and called base with the standard call '..our feet are wet...
To say that we were stunned by the replies would be an understatement. They included 'How had we missed the general call hat all operations had been cancelled' (This had been shortly after we took off during the heavy static). 'All airfields in England are closed due weather' and information that we had the entire radar and air traffic control system for our sole benefit...Wow!!! After simple but short discussion we were offered two alternatives:
1. Bail out over England (and lose our faithful'R' Roger Mossie.
2. Make a FIDO approach into RAF Hartford Bridge (and keep R).
"It was a no win situation; for us there was only one solution - go for the FIDO approach. Unfortunately neither I nor my navigator F/O Munro had flown FIDO, but as a real safety conscious crew we had studied the FIDO film - I wonder where that film is now? Also during training sessions we had pre-planned and flown our own approaches and let-downs into dummy airfields. But even if we had both flown a further 100 missions, never did we expect that we would need one of these approaches, let alone both at the same time
"The weather at the airfield was really dreadful, airfield closed due to fog witha visibility of 50 yards, cloud base 200 feet and landings permitted using FIDO with the added proviso...'To be used by pilots with FIDO experience only'. We arrived over Hartford Bridge and using his 'G' box Andy proceed to instruct me using our Watkin/Munro 'G1' approach and let down! What a carefully instructed and painstakingly flown approach and let down. On approaching 200 feet and committal altitude, suddenly directly ahead piercing the dense fog appeared this tiny triangle of intense fire and Andy's only comment during the letdown; 'Gosh! It's rather small, even for our Mossie'.
"We landed safely in this wall of fire, to be met by a completely unexpected and incredibly deafening roar from the enormous thrust of thousands of gallons of fuel being forced through the burners, intense almost overbearing heat with an unbelievable brightness from the burning fuel. We immediately experienced complete loss of night, or any other, vision. As we rolled to a stop two events occurred without warning:
1/ The burners were turned off, leaving us in complete and utter blackness. (We couldn't see anyway).
2/ Both engines just stopped, we had run out of fuel. (We later discovered that this was due to AA fire that we encountered on our mission. What chance of an overshoot then?). Eventually MT found us in the fog and towed us to the nearest hard standing.
"Our simple debrief consisted mainly of 'where the h... have you been?' and "Why did you run out of fuel?"
After a greasy but very welcome breakfast of beans and sweet tea -I still do not drink sweet tea - two very tired airmen retired to lumpy bunks in the duty pilots' hut. Later that morning we returned to our base by MT, leaving 'R' at Hartford Bridge, to be greeted by our Commanding Officer, his main comments including: "Where on earth have you two been?" and "at least you brought the aircraft back".
The saddening sequel to this was that a few days later I managed to break my neck - yes, flying a Mossie. When bailing out I landed on my head instead of my feet - so while the medics were doing a superb job on me, Andy was crewed with a new pilot and sadly they crashed in flames attacking an ammunition train in France".



Next Sunday the experiences of a new crew arriving at RAF Hartford Bridge shortly before D Day. Thanks, as always, to Stuart Marshall for his work in "The Wartime Years". Never published it takes us on a journey to the very human side of life, and death, at Blackbushe during those decisive years.




88 Squadron Bostons returning to RAF Hartford Bridge after a raid on engine sheds at Charleroi.

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
27/05/24

The view of the sky from the 'POTD Office' here at 'POTD Towers' is increasingly obstructed by one's Indian Bean Tree that has grown rapidly and now in the process of opening up its new leaves for the summer. I can see enough through it to indicate heavenly blueness at 07.30, but it's a Bank Holiday so must assume it's a short lived colouration - or my eyes are having a problem?

I understand that yesterday's "POTD" was of interest to some, hopefully more, as we accounted for a Mosquito, a foggy night, incredible airmanship and FIDO. Next Sunday a little more on the pre D Day story and on 6th June some account of life at Hartford Bridge on 'the day'.

Great to see the Blackbushe traffic of today continuing to produce the movements that will keep her on the map into the future. Apart from the amazing resident flying schools, movements by CJ4s and PC-12 and PC-24s testify as to the 'all round' benefits of Blackbushe for General Aviation.




Just one of Blackbushe's many Air Day attendees, the de Havilland Leopard Moth first flew on THIS day in 1933. Beautiful G-ACMA will be returning to Blackbushe among the many other aircraft now booked for the Air Day on 15th June!




Something about today's date and first flights....

1936 Fairey Sea Fox
1955 Sud Aviation Caravelle
1958 Republic F-105 Thundechief
1958 McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II
1999 Bombardier CRJ-900


Enjoy Bank Holiday Monday, here's to it remaining cloud free..

While you're here take a look at this page from the Blackbushe Airport website. Scroll down to the bottom and you'll find some photos of the state of play and depth of work involved in the current installation of Blackbushe's new lighting system... It's here www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/agl

Time now for another handful of life support pills. Life continues to be fun with one's varied problems all of which depend on NHS intervention, and now a deep nagging toothache has added to the fun! If you're in good shape - enjoy it to the max!!


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
28/05/24


The "POTD" editorial department are not quite running at 100% today, so today's production will be small but very much to the point thanks to the latest photo from the airborne camera of Mike Biddulph..




The luxuriant green of Hampshire in May and thickly wooded areas provide the perfect setting for our airfield on the plateau - Blackbushe!



Slightly elevated above her surroundings Blackbushe shows her qualities for not only being easy to spot from the air, but also her environmental assets of affording clear and unobstructed approaches to her runway while being an excellent good neighbour airfield in relation to residential development. Few airfields with such usefully long runways, usefully close to London, in the south-east can claim the environmental qualities shown in Mike's photo..

Why is the "POTD" not running at a full 100% today? Rather annoyingly the crash damage sustained by my head back in February is manifesting itself in rather too many ways! The old nose, while not looking like Pinocchio in length is certainly swelling significantly... Totally blocked off for days and increasingly painful, miserable days and sleepless nights are part of the consequences. The benefits of one's nose are only fully appreciated when they're shut down! Just another seven long days and I can see an NHS Doctor!

Sorry to be a bore, but being a tad edgy this morning I'll wish you a good day and leave you with the image of Blackbushe to adhere to your memory! You have got to admit, it is the perfect place for an airfield in so many varied ways...

Bye bye
PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
29/05/24

Some operational 'difficulties' this morning hence 'POTD' running late and a little minimal in content.

Did you know that the Messerschmitt Bf109 first flew on this day in 1935?




..and see who turned up in June last year for the Blackbushe Air Day!



In 1947, on this day, another German creation, the V2 rocket, a captured and modified version was launched from the White Sands Proving Grounds in New Mexico. Unfortunately all did not go as planned as it returned to Earth after just three minutes. On return it scored a direct hit on Tepeyac cemetery south of Juarez, Mexico. The unburned fuel exploded on impact...there must be some apt comments out there??

PB