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Post by PB on Dec 2, 2016 6:39:48 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 02/12/16Plus four degrees on the GTM, garden temperature monitor, almost tropical! Warm enough to brave a trip down into the vaults for a snap, or two, for today's POTD seeing as the cold snap has moved along.. Here's a print, a finger print, from the past. No idea whose finger print, but I do know the subject is a Heron of the Queens Flight... Four engined delight from De Havilland. Queens Flight Heron on a spick and span Blackbushe. The Control Tower's new top can just be seen behind the Heron.Four engined delight. Another British beauty, RAF Coastal Command demonstrate you can park a Hastings on the grass with no worry of sinking!Four engined beauty from Blackburn. A visiting Beverley keeps an eye on the A30..Four engines, eight propellers, a Shackleton enters the east end of the apron. Crying shame, the Airport's eastern infrastructure all dug up and destroyed, but how nice it once looked...That's today, four with four.. tomorrow I'll be back with more! You even get poetry.. ..Poem of the Day? Oh no, what a thought.. the One-Stop Forum Members Poetry Section?? There must be an ode or two in our midst that would raise a titter at Christmas? ..or maybe not? PB
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Post by PB on Dec 3, 2016 6:32:23 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 03/12/16Hopes that POTD would take my mind off the 'discomfort' coming from a tooth that will probably be leaving me around 0900 were totally in vain... oh my, it's amazing how these things can spoil your day/night, and the day's only just begun!! Nevertheless, POTD's weekend staff have visited the vaults and come up with something... The story goes that a lonesome albatross brings luck to those at sea, let's see what happens with one on land? A lonesome Navy Albatross enjoys the view of Blackbushe "east", complete with Control Tower..Similar view, Blackbushe Airport "east" 2016.. The public open space we were promised as a result of totally excavating the airfield's east end!!!It's not just my tooth that's a painful mess... PB
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Post by PB on Dec 4, 2016 5:52:56 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 04/12/16Well, that was fun. Or rather, it wasn't.... as large tooth at the rear of the collection was wrenched from its socket yesterday. Farewell after nearly seven decades of munching, I returned home looking like a freshly sustained member of the Dracula family - but, happily POTD lives to see another day! I brought the grizzly freshly liberated specimen home obviously to impress those nearest and dearest before tucking it under the pillow to await the benevolence of the fairies.... What do I find? A large bottle of paracetamol! Life goes on, and talking of fairies, there is one Fairey that I'm sure most of us would welcome at the bottom of the garden, or preferably on an airfield such as Blackbushe? The Fairey Gannet, XA321 from HMS Ocean, September, 1956.Gannet at Blackbushe with sub tracking radar extendedThe Fairey Aviation Company based at White Waltham made good use of Blackbushe up until 1960. Blackbushe was only a short hop from WW and once here you could do all the Customs formalities before leaving the country - or returning to it. Many aircraft built for export left the UK via Blackbushe, often with long delivery flights awaiting. Gannets, for example, ex White Waltham routed through Blackbushe on delivery to the Indonesian Navy. German Navy Gannets recorded a number of visits in 1958, and the Royal Navy also logged numerous landings on the good ship Blackbushe. The prototype Gannet AEW3 visited 1st September, 1958. Sadly no further photos could be extracted from the vaults, seems the Gannet was not widely photographed. Not a beauty maybe, but she had character, fabulous sound from her Double Mamba power unit with contra rotating props... Apart from Farnborough Air Shows the nearest I got to the Gannet was my Frog 1/72 kit. Happy memories! PB
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Post by PB on Dec 5, 2016 5:01:44 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 05/12/16Another dark, cold December morning frost clinging to the car, the stars blazing in the firmament... Silently beautiful at 04.30 hrs. Talking of stars in the night.... A Blackbushe resident star of the past, Airwork's Viking George Able Item X-ray Roger, to put in 1950's phonetic parlance, rests at night on the Blackbushe apron..A star has risen, X-ray Roger, takes to the skies for an air to air sortie. I'm guessing she's somewhere over Brighton in the fifties? Brighton? Any offers guys as to the coastal town below? PB navigational answers!! blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/5926
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Post by PB on Dec 6, 2016 14:40:25 GMT
POTD 06/12/16 Technical and time issues this morning..POTD back tomorrow.
PB
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Post by PB on Dec 7, 2016 6:02:24 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 06/12/16Yesterday's technical issues appear resolved, POTD again prepares to fly out to wherever you are, obviously yesterday's fog was below limits for POTD, we certainly were unable to leave the Terminal.. It never ceases to amaze me that POTD, once it's left the runway, can be read just as easily in Australia as it can by the good folk who live nextdoor. Actually, I'd be most interested to know of any followers who reside beyond the UK, perhaps you could add a comment in the POTD comments section? We have followers in the USA, South Africa, Norway, be great to know where you are located....?? Five in the morning now, scratching head as to which direction today's POTD should travel - got to be something to do with Blackbushe...the brain can still be foggy at this time of day... Perhaps look to the North Star for guidance? The North Star.. a classic of the big piston prop era ... A case of when is a DC-4 not a DC-4? Perhaps one could ask, "What was a DC-4 once Canadair got their hands on it?". Answer, it became the "North Star", the Canadair North Star - basically a DC-4 fitted with Merlins and also pressurised. BOAC ordered in excess of 20 such aircraft and called them Argonauts. The type served with both civil and military operators descending into cargo use before finally retiring. Actually, the North Star was more than just a DC-4 with Merlins, the nose was that of the DC-6, it had a C-54 mid fuselage section and wing centre and outer panels, plus the benefit of being pressurised. It was reportedly very noisy with a couple of Merlins bolted to each wing, but she had the advantage of flying significantly faster than the original DC-4. The North Star, BOAC's Argonaut as seen at Blackbushe.... A BOAC Argonaut G-ALHR on crew training detail at Blackbushe. Some time between 1954 and 1959... LHR came to BBS quite often during those years!and the DC-4, same place... A natural DC-4! Saudi Arabian Airlines HZ-AAW trundles across the once expansive Blackbushe apron... 24 January, 1959.That's it, more negotiating this morning in pursuit of aeroplanes for the 75th... It's a long hard road to July 2017, but come what may it must lead to a gathering of wings not seen at Blackbushe for a long while. That's the plan, one chance only...sadly not a North Star to be had. Unless you know of one? It goes without saying that if YOU know of a rare bird that we could perhaps coax out of its hangar next July you'll let the POTD crew know about it? Thanks, and do let the Forum know if you're a POTD reader who is resident beyond the British mainland.. PB
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Post by PB on Dec 8, 2016 6:35:16 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 08/12/16It's hard to believe but it's become rather less easy to think about Blackbushe, forums or the 75th... Last week's molar extraction has turned into a pit of vipers! Pain worse than the 'root' cause of the procedure has tempted me to leap from the bedroom window in search of a lasting cure, but being on the ground floor would only lead to a sprained ankle and more reason to complain? I'm sure you don't wish to be encumbered with images of things dental so we'll move on with the news that what should by now not be hurting...is!! Whatever you do, please don't send chocolates! OK, so I managed to stumble down into the vaults, POTD cannot stall due to self pity, below is the one image I extracted........... One of the longest Blackbushe residents, 1950 to 1960, home based Proctor G-AHGA of Stewart Smith and Co.. The Airwork hangars, huts and offices form the backdrop.Another fine view of Blackbushe "east"! Note the Airwork Hermes tail end in the distance. Light aircraft were no strangers to Blackbushe throughout her years as one of London's leading airports. Hopefully POTD will be back in 24 hours, that's if I have not jumped as per the temptation described above, or found the final solution courtesy of the Christmas tree lights and departed via a short circuit? You'd better be nice to me or tomorrow it'll be POTD.. Pull of the Day, I've a lovely photo of what the dentist extracted - be warned! Have a nice day........ PB Series of POTD comments!! blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/5951
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Post by PB on Dec 9, 2016 5:39:35 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 09/12/16"Photo of the Day" is happy to be back with you on its daily mission to the past! After yesterday's various comments on "POTD" I hope that our crew are all still kicking and we've made it through another night? Students of "POTD" will be aware that "POTD" was granted various alternate interpretations yesterday according to health related manifestations... "Pain Of The Day", "Pill Of The Day", "Poor Old Toe Day", "Prescription Of The Day", or in my case the dentally focused "Pull Of The Day"... Such are the rewards of gathering seniority, my throbbing jaw at 04.00 confirming such, however I've got the one and only original "POTD" to play with and take my mind away from earthly constraints - such as are responsible for this morning's discomfort!! On with the day...A huge benefit of gathered seniority is " the memory" - on the proviso that a degree of it remains serviceable - and in the case of Blackbushe Airport a degree of functional memory is required to relive the golden moments of Yoof when the Airport yielded a daily aviation treasure trove. Days when one's bike spent many hours propped against the main car park fence - or other days when you and the bike would share happy hours perched by, or within, the ditch that separated A30 from Airport. Fabulous..... Today, some examples of memory extracts (oh that word..) you could share were you able to plug into my remaining memory bank!! The main car park fence..Located to the east of the Terminal Building, this fence played a significant roll in my earlier years. With the scenes in the background it's hardly surprising! Come rain or shine, the action never stopped. The US Navy base in the background helped make Blackbushe's air traffic mix quite unique...Variety was a keyword.. December, 1958, Mosquito of Fighter Command Communications Squadron. The fifties witnessed many a Mossie pass through Blackbushe, military and civil en route to new owners far away.Nice control tower too. The original one from WW2 sporting its new glass top. The US Navy always provided entertainment for those who simply stood and stared..Fresh in the memory, the gorse lined ditch along the A30 where many a happy hour was passed. Tell me of another ditch that offered such riches??The dream becomes a nightmare. I shall never forget the wanton destruction as in disbelief I had to accept it was over. No shame is felt in admitting that the tears of a 14 year old fell freely to the ground at this terrible sight. Not an aircraft to be seen, just the din of destruction permeated the now silent Blackbushe Airport.. Happily some 56 years later I'm giving my all to hopefully bring a shadow of yesteryear back to Blackbushe by way of celebrating her 75th year in 2017. Now that WAS beyond my wildest dreams as I surveyed the nightmare of Blackbushe on that awful summer's day in 1960, it's my way of thanking the old airfield for a mind full of magnificent memories that happily I'm still able to cling on to............ Have a good day, whatever "POTD" might mean to you!!! PB
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Post by PB on Dec 10, 2016 5:35:46 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 10/12/16At exactly 09.30 this morning it'll be a whole week since parting company with a certain large tooth. "It'll be sore for a couple of days", is what I was promised.......Yeah right, the editorial team from POTD have never experienced such persistent flaming agony; only one thing to do - disappear down the memory lane route that will stir some feel good moments and forget the monster of the mouth.. Back to a distant day back in 1957 or '58 or '59. Back to the ditch aside the A30, the divider betwixt London-Southampton trunk road and Blackbushe Airport. In those days the "M3" of the day ran directly through the Airport, pretty good planning, and it's still there today. It was getting mighty congested before the M3 opened, hard to imagine what it would be like without the M3 nowadays? The ditch. The place to while away summer holiday days. The place to get close to a treasure trove of aircraft types - especially during Farnborough Week - the place where gorse bushes could sometimes reach where you wished they hadn't. The ditch where the views were rich. Fresh flowers, and Viking G-APAT for company as seen from the nicest ditch you could wish for.. The Airport Police would have words if you tried to cross it.Dear old "PAT". Seen here in her Eagle colours. She transferred to Orion in 1959,obviously leaving for good by 1960. "PAT" was such a regular sight either at Blackbushe or back home in Berkshire where we lived under the wonderful Blackbushe circuit, PAT would often overfly with her Dunlops hungry for an imminent return to their Hampshire home. My minds eye can still see the regular Vikings flying over home and I think the sound of their Bristol Hercules is still to be heard in my mind's ear? If only we'd had digital cameras back then to capture an age that today is increasingly lost in the relentless passage of time. That's it. Back to the Pain Of The Day... Have a great Saturday! PB
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Post by PB on Dec 11, 2016 6:27:35 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 11/12/16It's Sunday. 05.00. Trying to get the grey cell into thinking mode, but not happening quite as fast as I'd like. The way most mornings are, but this one seems a little more stubborn... Maybe a rapid transit through the airfield's life will serve today? War. 1942-1945.London's second airport. 1945-1960.Blackbushe, the United States Navy's only UK land base until 1960.Plenty of military movements, large and small..Destruction. 1960.Nightmare, locally sponsored. 1962/3Wilderness. Majority of Blackbushe saved by AVM "Pathfinder" Bennett without whose action/purchase there would be no Blackbushe today. 1960-1972.Doug Arnold bought the airfield and brought his Warbirds of Great Britain with him. Built hangars and rebuilt Spitfires. 1972-1986.Blackbushe had hangars once again, and some interesting new residents!Bought by British Car Auctions in 1986, the airfield was given a facelift, a new Control Tower and the terminal completely refurbished.Sunday Market. Love it - or hate it... Started in the 80's by Doug Arnold, closed a couple of years ago by BCA..Today, Blackbushe is the home of Blink, Europe's largest jet air taxi company or Wijet as the company evolving from a recent merger is known. The Airport is owned by a consortium armed with exciting plans for the future..That's the roughest history of Blackbushe ever, but it paints a picture. I think pain killers have numbed the thinking processes today.. From POTD, see you tomorrow, have a great day!! PB
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