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Post by PB on Sept 16, 2016 6:13:11 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
16/09/16"POTD's" dedicated team who serve you a slice of Blackbushe most mornings are only human. I know, it's a shock, but being human subjects one to the frailty associated with such beings. If POTD should make an error or impart false information those responsible are subjected to the most serious punishment. Accordingly the entire editorial team should today be dragged off to the salt mines for an extended period. However, as that would spell the end for POTD such would not be a practical solution. So, lets just clear the air as to a recent error... Very recently the photo below was included in "POTD"..  Our editorial team correctly identified some Boston aircraft adjacent to the hangar, but incorrectly identified the hangar and its location. Apparently. This startling realisation comes following the use of old airfield plans connected with possible future changes at Blackbushe. The editorial staff had previously suggested that the hangar shown was the one located north of the A30 and destined to become Airwork's peacetime base. Wrong. Had the editorial team spent more time at Specsavers they would have twigged that the wartime petrol store was in fact on Blackbushe south of the A30, and located west of the hangar that was to become Eagle Airways engineering base.  Location "K" indicates the Petrol Store. The terrain, bushes, and orientation in the Petrol Store photo suggests that we have got it right now..The entire POTD work force extend humble apologies, and hope our members will stay loyal and not cancel their memberships as a consequence of 'duff gen'? Before we go and eat humble pie, the next photo allows us to indicate some more traces of old Blackbushe while still striving for a degree of accuracy...  The Blackbushe Terminal building and "today's" car park...The main square that comprises the current car park was in fact the base for the Blackbushe Airport freight sheds prior to 1960. I well remember the amount of angle iron left jutting from the concrete surface where the high speed demolition workers had simply cut through them and left the stumps behind in their haste to eliminate Blackbushe from the aviation map. They failed, but certainly wrecked the freight sheds. The photo also shows how during the AVM's tenancy we had two entries to the car park from the A30. The one nearer to the Terminal being closed long ago.. The entry we use today would have served the freight sheds as seen in the plan above, the old public entry to the main car park that used to be east of the Terminal has long been consumed by council owned scrub and dereliction. Interesting to note how full the car park is nowadays compared to the photo taken during Doug Arnold's tenure. Finally, as yesterday was "Battle of Britain Day" it's worth remembering that a number of the Spitfires on our current air display scene were brought back to life at Blackbushe under the skilled hands of Doug Arnold's "Warbirds of Great Britain" team.. Long may they fly and keep the "Spitfire spirit" alive.    Blackbushe has stored up much history in her 74 years of operation.. let's hope we can celebrate her 75th year in the style it deserves?? The task is certainly keeping a couple of ancient grey cells flickering amid the editorial team...providing they don't get dispatched to the salt mines.. PB
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Post by PB on Sept 17, 2016 5:37:01 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
17/09/16The days of temperatures nudging the upper 20's are a thing of the past as at 05.30 this morning even the still acceptable 15C suggests the chill of autumn is none too far away. For those in circulation at this hour the still night sky offers an amazing moon casting its glow across islands of high cloud - the sky is indeed an amazing place even if you just stand and stare. "Stand and stare", something I did a lot when a mere yoof who pedalled furiously upon his bike to visit London's second airport - in those days known as Blackbushe. One would stand either in the lee of the then full sized Terminal or on the grassy edge to the A30, the major trunk road that unusually intersected a major airport. Happy and wonderful memories that to this day still excite the memory bud, but if the memory should fail one always has the photos to fall back on.... Today one can "stand and stare" across the acres still known as Blackbushe. A little different to the view offered in one's 'yoof', common land now overgrown that was massacred by the local authority and then sold to the county to prevent the airport owner getting his grubby hands on it..or you can stare across the remaining Airport and the many home based aircraft that happily live upon it. Talking of 'home based' aircraft, the types on offer for those would just "stand and stare" in the golden years of the 1950's offered a guaranteed feast for the eyes... I give you some of Blackbushe's home based aircraft of the fifties...  The Hermes.. the type served Airwork, Britavia, Falcon and others.. Home based DC-4 Early days and the home based Halifax, or Halton, would be regulars on the eye's pleasure! Yes, the Lancaster lived and flew from Blackbushe long after war days were over, Eagle flew her for the Ministry of Supply. Eagle's Rapide, she lived here in the mid fifties. The Viscount, another Blackbushe based beauty. They served with Eagle and Airwork. The Dakota and the Viking. The hard working twins that were so much a part of Blackbushe's resident aircraft fleet.. Part of the Blackbushe diet, always a good serving of Vikings available.. The little guys lived here too. This Argus belonged to a Pan-Am pilot who was working with Eagle Dan-Air, and Skyways were names seen on Blackbushe based Yorks.. Home based Avro Tudor of Fairflight.. The mighty home based DC-6s were a treat for eye and ear! Smaller, but just as exciting, Blackbushe based Hawk Speed Six. The Blackbushe based unit of the United States Navy, FASRON 200, gave those who stood and stared plenty to look at!! Neptune, the old man of the oceans played his part at Blackbushe too! All home based players on yesterday's stage.. A visit to Blackbushe produced no shortage of Bristol's beauty, the "Freighter". Dan-Air and Silver City being the names on most Freighter ops from Blackbushe..Well, hopefully you get the picture, Blackbushe was a total joy for those who would just stand and stare. I certainly did my share! Then they were gone..........May 31st, 1960 did no favours to those who would simply stand and stare..  ...how could they do this? Now was the time to stand and sob as our much loved friend gave in to the wreckers.Wouldn't it be fun to recreate just a fraction of the sights we used to stare at long ago? Well, wouldn't it???PB
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Post by PB on Sept 18, 2016 8:47:53 GMT
Photo of the Day"
18/09/16In fighter terminology the meaning of "going through the gate" is well known...  At Blackbushe one morning the expression took on a more literal meaning...The mixture of alcohol, a car and an individual who should have been kept away from both. Another "sudden twang" moment..
 The glider that met up with Three Counties Aero Club overhead EGLF came off somewhat worse - nobody seriously hurt - just shaken..Sometimes a walk on the desecrated Blackbushe "east" produces unexpected results... That bit of runway dug up by the local 'officialdom' would have been useful?Happily there is still enough runway for some serious aviation.. At least four F1 fans arrive on Blackbushe's somewhat damp runway. But the instructor said to, "Try a steep bank...". PBcomment! blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/5506
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Post by PB on Sept 19, 2016 5:40:10 GMT
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Post by PB on Sept 20, 2016 5:55:40 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
20/09/16A few flash backs to Farnborough Week 70's/80's when Blackbushe had a bit more traffic than usual..      Much time was spent during those fun weeks imaging days such as these were the "norm" at Blackbushe. It did look quite impressive when we filled that runway with visitors on BOTH sides, and we did sometimes. A week's holiday to park planes for the Airport owner was always massive fun, visiting aircraft taxiing at you from various directions while overhead yet more joined the circuit. By lunchtime it would go quiet with just our rows of visitors also quiet. The fun started when they all wanted to leave at the same time!! Sadly, those days will not be repeated, but fun times are not necessarily over if what we're cooking up for next year comes to the boil...?? I should be able to give the low down by the latter part of October, I'll just say that things are looking good with regard to marking Blackbushe's 75th birthday..!!??....? PB PB
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Post by PB on Sept 21, 2016 6:33:37 GMT
21st September, 2016.Roger Russell.
It was on this day, 21st September, 1980, that we lost Roger at Biggin Hill's Battle of Britain air display. Tragically, the A-26 Invader in which he was flying was a total loss following an apparently wrongly judged element of their display. Roger was not only one of my closest, if not closest friends, he was a true asset to Blackbushe having contracted the Blackbushe Bug and consequently a became 'brother in arms' when it came to supporting our airfield. When not working for Dan-Air he would be found manning the Blackbushe tower, learning to fly with Three Counties (I was his first passenger), or helping with projects like the Blackbushe Air Festival or helping gather intelligence for writing to operators across Europe selling the idea of flying to Blackbushe for Farnborough Week, and then spending Farnborough Week with me on the old runway parking our visitors. On that fateful 21st September Roger and I were set to fly to Biggin Hill in one of the Blackbushe B-25's, but fate already played its first card. The starboard engine refused to start. It eventually did, but our taxi to the runway was brought to an abrupt halt as the nose wheel tyre when flat. Don Bullock was at Biggin with the Invader, a type that neither Roger or I had flown in. We were in competition to see who could fly in the most warbirds! Don was always up for giving us a 'lift', we had already logged a number of B-17 sorties. Fate then played its next card. It seemed obvious to me that we would never get to Biggin on time and as my wife and I had been invited to lunch I opted to do the 'right thing', said 'cheerio' to Roger et al and left the airfield. Apparently they did fix the B-25 in time and Roger made it just in time to board the Invader. What happened next is well known, the first I knew of the afternoon's events was the TV news in the evening and a phone call from Roger's Mum asking if he was with me. Sadly, he was not. That was the worst phone call of my life. Thirty six years ago. Seems like yesterday fate dealt the card that saved your scribe but took Roger. He would have loved this year's Air Day, hopefully next year we will put on something that would make him very proud - for his sake I fully intend to. His resting place just east of Blackbushe will afford some good views.  Roger, still greatly missed. PB
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Post by PB on Sept 22, 2016 5:22:29 GMT
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Post by PB on Sept 23, 2016 5:30:41 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
23/09/16The Victa Air Tourer is, as we all know, a product of the Australian aircraft industry. The photo below indicates what happens when such an aeroplane is in the northern hemisphere and feeling a little home sick..  Air Tourer salutes Three Counties Aero Club in true Ozzie demo style, "wouldn't give a XXXX for anything else...".The photo brings back vivid memories of Blackbushe life in the late sixties. Not all circuits were flown inverted, but Three Counties was the hub for the airfield's social activity, many many happy days and evenings passed here amid the best company you could wish to meet. The sort of days you don't appreciate until they're gone......then you do! Clustered around the fuel pumps are a number of Three Counties aeroplanes including my favourite Auster 6, G-ARGB...and some Three Counties Colts, while in the background is home based Tiger Moth, G-ANEH, if I recall correctly, owned by Hughie Putt. Beyond the apron you can easily see the rubble being created by the local authority's decision to spend X years budget digging up the apron on 'their side' of Vigo Lane... and the taxiways, and the runways. Imagine what that must have cost and how democratic was the decision to turn Blackbushe east of Vigo Lane into a wasteland?? The answers mainly lie buried.... The scene was devastating for all who frequented the airfield's west side of "Vigo Lane"... the little lane that served long passed generations visiting the "Anchor" pub just north of the airfield. Characters in the photo include the late Jack Smith, the late Bill Townshend and Rex Coates who - like your scribe - is still with us!! The photo was taken by the late Gordon Wilmer and includes your scribe who is standing next to Jack. The word "late" appears too often in the previous sentence and is rather sobering for six in the morning. I was the baby of the pack back in those days, not quite the baby of the pack today but still firing on all four. Well, I think I am, the tangle of ECG wires stuck to me for 48 hours will hopefully confirm my firing status!! The fun comes ripping the adhesive connectors from one's chest... Enough splashing around in the memory barrel for today, I wish you a fun Friday! PB
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Post by PB on Sept 24, 2016 6:57:12 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
24/09/16Following our recent expose of impromptu inverted flight by a homesick Victa Air Tourer, another upside moment at Blackbushe today. A moment caught at an air show run by Three Counties Aero Club back in the sixties.  Cosmic Wind, a problem on the Starship Enterprise perhaps, but this time it's the beautiful G-ARUL.Three Counties Prentice, G-AOPL, poses in the background. She was on pleasure flying duty, talking of which the beautiful Scillonia Rapide returns to Blackbushe today to offer the very popular 'Champagne Pleasure Flights', trips that proved so popular during the July Blackbushe Air Day.  This aeroplane has simply, "Got it...", performance and fantastic looks...That's it for today and the next couple of weeks. One I've disentangled the ECG wires and removed the device that still clings to my chest later today (another hairy moment) I'll be going into hibernation for a fortnight, or so.. Stuart will be keeping an eye on the forum while I take a break from this old keyboard and our old airfield. PB
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Post by PB on Oct 12, 2016 6:59:14 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
12/10/16Two feet back on Hampshire soil, brain following behind hopefully mid Atlantic by now! "POTD" will return soonest... a few items to clear up, a Blackbushe project to complete, and then I guess it'll be back to the vaults once more.... Thanks to Stuart for keeping an eye on the proceedings of recent and to those who have continued supporting the Forum's pages.  Ahh, happy memories of our summer now past! PB
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