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Post by PB on Apr 30, 2017 6:09:43 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 30/04/17Looking back, as one does most days for POTD, airborne recall of preparations for one of our past events. Three Counties Aero Club's answer to formation displays! Not quite as dynamic as jet powered smoke exuding military competition with state money pouring through their combustion chambers, but it was fun as we perfected the art of Piper planes under perfect piloting!! Forgotten formation, in readiness for the 1968 Three Counties Air Show..The airfield shows the scars of devastation following its rapid early 1960's destruction by the Government and local influences. The A30 London-Southampton trunk road's ruler straight transit through the airfield is hard to miss. Probably gives a clue as the US military plans for a 10,000ft runway had they gone ahead with their plans for a strategic bomber base on this very site! Blackbushe 'south', to the right of the A30, although all its taxiways had already been demolished, still shows its taxiways and where runway 01/19 crossed the A30... In the distance the taxiway that lead from Blackbushe south to north crossing the A30 is clear to see, the scene where traffic was often stopped for a passing York, or Hermes, or..... Just behind our rear wing strut and behind our lead Comanche is the saddest sight. To the left of the A30 on Blackbushe 'east', now under local authority ownership, the east end of the airfield is clearly suffering from the wishes of the airfield's hostile forces as our main runway's east end, taxiways and the once very large apron, are all undergoing their final destruction. This deliberate disfigurement of an airfield that is clearly an asset was met with astonishment by BBC TV whose company we enjoyed yesterday. Apart from previewing the airfield's plans for 'Blackbushe75' in July yesterday, the opportunity of pointing out some of the sights - and the story - offered by Blackbushe 'east' was not missed! PB
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Post by PB on May 1, 2017 5:15:17 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 01/05/17Mayday....Happily it's just May Day, the 1st of May, nothing more serious... Two months from today, July 1st and the winter's nerve wrenching efforts will be proven, or otherwise, as the 75th events hopefully fall into place. Time will tell, but at least there are still two months left to polish things to perfection. Perfection? Well as near as we can get to it... Today is already spoken for as 75th tasks are spread around me, but before that a quick and easy stroll back to the black & white days... Farnborough Week, 1956. The Royal Artillery Aero Club's Auster arrived on three of the airshow days - with the fun of prop swinging before you could leave again!Prop swinging in the sixties...Big Maurice in action!!Another legend from the sixties. Maurice Gosling, like some others, who dedicated years of weekends to Blackbushe. Not seen him for decades now, although we did bump into each other in Slough long ago.. Those rough and rugged days in the sixties were tough and uncomfortable, but the spirit and camaraderie among this fine body who collectively wished for a better future at Blackbushe was legend. In many ways they were some of the happiest I can recall! Blackbushe of today still has an awful long way to go before it can truly be called an all bells and whistles airport. The plans are there, but the wheels of authority have no knowledge of the word "urgency".. The photo shows Maurice in mid swing, something I thought was near to suicide. Until I was checked out and did my first, brakes on, throttle set, contact!!! I preferred the one arm technique where the right arm took the load. Leaning forward on the prop with both arms, as in the first photo, seemed a bit fatalistic - and I don't like the sight of blood, especially mine!! It really was not that scary providing your shoulder did not dislocate at a vital moment! The clockwise engines were easy enough to swing into life, implicit trust had to be placed on the person in the cockpit and chocks were 100% part of the kit. The engines in the more modern aircraft, Pipers etc had to rotate their props anti-clockwise which involved standing behind the prop to the right of the aircraft's nose and 'pushing down' on the prop with a subsequent potential guillotine action as your head went down awaiting the arrival of the next propeller blade. Only if the battery was flat though. I tried to start the Three Counties Comanche 250 early one morning..now that WAS scary! It didn't start, and we stayed on the ground. The props on such aircraft were sharp and the engines higher compression than the Austers, Tiger Moths and the such like.. Ice on the apron always made it the more interesting, as did oily surfaces, but it's now 2017 and all my bits are still in the right places...nowadays prop swinging is not something one needs to indulge in so often. Farnborough Week, 1962/63..By this time we had cleared much of the debris left by the Blackbushe demolition crews. Certainly around the immediate Terminal Building area. We had a few aircraft coming in for Farnborough Week, Doves, Anson, Aztecs..and in an effort to show the world that Blackbushe was NOT dead the AVM decided to wheel a couple of aircraft out the the road frontage to prove that despite all, Blackbushe lived! I recall myself swelling with pride as we pushed the aeroplanes into position. Flying machines were once again parked near the A30, the airfield lives!! We had a windsock too! The Blackbushe apron shortly before two thirds of it were broken up by local friends...seen from EKCO's Anson, my first flight in the type! Possibly the last too... Another distant memory from the 60's. Len Webb's G-AMZO, one of our earliest 'new residents', and lucky enough to have a nissen hut hangar down in the forest - now BCA terrotory.The above taken early sixties. The Terminal was in excellent condition having had a stay of execution from the demolition mobs. The Airport signage still in place from greater days, all windows intact! I loved sitting in the passenger lounge. No airliners out on the apron, the building silent, just the ghosts in my head as I visualised the life and activity that had recently been swept away with the Airport's closure. Sadly, I took no photos in there. It seemed the building had been spared. Didn't reckon on the behaviour of local authority who claimed the east end of the Terminal, blocked it off, neglected and misused it until its demolition was called for on safety grounds. Poor old Blackbushe... The councils could have taken a generous amount of money from the owners of Blackbushe to take over the entire Terminal. BUT, they chose another path, the path of neglect and apathy, and we lost another bit of Blackbushe... I've just depressed myself, better get on with the positive stuff toward a better Blackbushe on 1st and 2nd of July. Enjoy Bank Holiday Monday!! PB
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Post by PB on May 2, 2017 5:21:05 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 02/05/17Another busy day, spin offs from the Press Preview Day on Saturday with BBC Radio Berkshire live in a couple of hours and BBC TV South's 'South Today' this evening. Just hope the old airfield appreciates what we're doing for her birthday, I get the feeling that she does...?? Put Joe Campbell from BBC South on the other end of the camera when we took him for a spin in the Army Scout on Saturday!Joe captures the "Ultimate" Pitts and the very latest from Cirrus Aircraft, the SR22T, for today's TV coverage. Both aircraft being on show in July.Blackbushe today..well, last week, but she still looks good despite losing much of her past size.BCA's take over of the old Sunday Market looks like a car park at Heathrow! Just used cars and vans though.. PB
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Post by PB on May 3, 2017 6:15:54 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 03/05/17Another day has dawned, the usual head scratch to find some kind of theme to POTD.. How about this?? Blackbushe 1940'sBlackbushe 1950'sBlackbushe 1960'sBlackbushe 1970'sBlackbushe 1980'sBlackbushe 1990's..and so the years rolled by, the 2000's dawned and now we're nearly 75 years down the road from when the wonders of flight first landed at RAF Hartford Bridge.. PB
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Post by PB on May 4, 2017 5:57:22 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 04/05/17One of the pleasures resulting from working on an airfield's 75th birthday is the contact established with people who have recall of days long gone. By that I refer to the pre 1960 era when Blackbushe was truly a major airport. ATC, passengers, airline personnel, all have come forth, our TV coverage following the Press Preview generating further links to the distant days.. A young lady, just nine at the time, flew to Iraq from Blackbushe via an Airwork Viking. Below is an extract from her letter received as a result of TV coverage. I saw on Southern News last night about the special days celebrating 75 years at Blackbushe and it reminded me of my first flying adventure. I thought you may like to know that I flew from Blackbushe on my first ever flight in 1949 age 9. It was on a Viking aircraft, chartered from Airwork by the Iraq Petroleum Company and we were flying to Kirkuk, Iraq, a journey which took three days as we stopped overnight in Nice, Malta, Tripoli. Not long after we took off one of the engines stopped and we had to land at Paris and wait for a new engine to be flown out. I remember we stopped overnight in Malta and also Nice and I think we landed at El Adam to refuel. Quite a journey for a 9 year old.Some experience indeed, especially if you're only nine!! Our thanks to Bridget for relaying memories of flying before the jet age took over... Just for the record, one of the Airwork Vikings at Blackbushe...PB
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Post by PB on May 5, 2017 5:25:05 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 05/05/17Nostalgia is a funny beast, but the older you get the more firmly it wraps the past around you. I suppose it's a human facet finding what happened a few years past to be packaged in nostalgia, the more years you live the more there is to wrap, or something like that? Hardly profound thinking, but it's true in the case of Blackbushe.. For example, Farnborough Week at Blackbushe in the late 70's, early 80's. What seemed like spiffing fun then is today found packaged in nostalgia. For a few days we would recapture the cross runways to park our generous crop of Farnborough visitors as the late Roger Russell and I would park that marvellous stream of inbounds further and further down runway 14/32 until sometimes we had to park on both sides of what is today a tragically disused runway. Magical mornings now looked back on with considerable nostalgia..As if the above is not cocooned in enough nostalgia... Now that's where nostalgia is at least double wrapped!! Blackbushe in her true glory.I think the older you get the more aware you are of how "today" may be tomorrow's nostalgia, always in hope of 'tomorrow' of course. Just hope that our efforts to celebrate Blackbushe's "75th" in July result in some recalled nostalgia, and maybe will be looked back on with some nostalgia in years to come?? Currently my digestive system is looking back on food with nostalgia - so, bye for now!! PB
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Post by PB on May 6, 2017 4:49:34 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 06/05/17Saturday. In the days when one worked for a living on a 'full time' basis Saturday was looked upon as a bit of a stress reliever. The things that caused 'stress' during the working week were put to one side so as they could just quietly occupy the cerebral region without being directly involved for a few hours. Now that 'one' is retired Saturday no longer counts, it's a seven day week and judging by the time almost a 24hour day! That's what you get if you're daft enough to get involved in show business, show business at Blackbushe! Last Saturday we entertained the media for Press Preview Day, were on television and radio, and have been in the press. Until the 75th is over I don't see much respite, the whole thing has to be brought together and made to work, while my pursuit of new aircraft is relentless - gained one more this week! Not having a bottomless bank account we have got to the point where sponsorship of aircraft is coming into play. There are a couple of aircraft relevant to Blackbushe's past that I'm desperate to have in the static park, but....£££. If you know of potential sponsors, or would like to see your company name blasted across our website as a sponsor...Do get in touch!!! I've got aeroplanes for you!! So what about a photo then? It's supposed to be POTD here? The morning's foray into the POTD vaults has once again yielded her contents, looks like the theme is twins...at least by 5am it's getting light so we're saving on candles - until descending into the vaults... So, twins at Blackbushe, just a few, that have been on the hallowed Blackbushe tarmac since the Government and certain elements of the local population decreed 'no more flying at Blackbushe - EVER'.... John Player ..Team Lotus, Colin Chapman..The late and much loved Graham Hill's AztecHome based Beagle, The Steam Chicken Line!This 1950's resident came home for a look at the 'old place'..A few changes awaited.The Grimes Flying Laboratory Beech C-45 brought back a shape made familiar by Blackbushe's once resident United States Navy.Skyvans popped in on the odd occasion. Ideas could vary as to where to put the engines..or whether to use propellers or those other things..Most of the above would have been photographed in the 70's, or even the late 60's, no matter when - they all go to prove that neither the Government or vociferous local persuasion managed to kill one of the finest airfields in the south east!! Have a peaceful Saturday.. PB
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Post by PB on May 7, 2017 6:33:56 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 07/05/17Blackbushe may have a long way to go before she could claim to be a comprehensive airfield with full facilities and a more diverse traffic flow. Happily there are plans toward that end, but looking across her acres on this chill grey May morning a warm and fuzzy feeling comes from the fact that we are still able to celebrate her 75th Anniversary in a few weeks time. A celebration despite the 57 years that have elapsed since the Government said, "Attack" and blitzed Blackbushe almost off the map. Almost, but not quite! Since 1942 the aeroplane has, apart from a few months in 1960, had a constant presence on what remains one of the most valuable and potential stuffed assets to aviation in the south east of England. It may only be 06.00 but I certainly feel better for saying that! I hope our Forum followers have nodded in agreement? Back to the business in hand, which at this point is "Photo of the Day"... Yesterday we took a moment to look at a few of the twins that have graced Blackbushe since the Government tried a hatchet job on Blackbushe. We must surely thank our lucky stars that Blackbushe has prevailed throughout the years since the ministerial axe failed to chop down Blackbushe..and talking of lucky stars AND twins there is only one twin aeroplane that from an astrological point of view has starred at Blackbushe either side of the 1960 government hatchet job.. The Gemini!! Star sign of the twins, and one of the best looking twins to have graced Blackbushe either side of the attempted closure in 1960!The above is Shell Petroleum's Blackbushe based Gemini parked outside one of the Airwork hangars. G-AKDB, DB being the initials of one of the more famous Shell employees who flew this Miles beauty from Blackbushe. The name was Bader, an inspiration to those unfortunate enough to suffer the injuries he did. So, a few more twins, twins from the treasured years prior to 1960.. Over 30 Vikings were based at Blackbushe, workhorse of the independent airlines...The Neptune. Totally part of the Blackbushe scene thanks to the US Navy's only UK land base - at Blackbushe!Another British design seen at BB either side of 1960..This is Airwork's example, and the type comes back in July for pleasure flying!Another type coming back in July, the dear old Dakota - another prolific and iconic twin - an everyday sight pre 1960, happily the days of her being seen at Blackbushe are not over.No chance of seeing this pre 1960 sight again at Blackbushe, but I've got a 'static' Bristol Hercules engine coming in July - so you'll be able to hear a distant sound of Blackbushe past..Finally today, HM the Queen and recent retiree Prince Philip depart Blackbushe aboard another twin, a Valetta of the Queen's Flight...That's it, time's up... Have a sunny Sunday! PB
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Post by PB on May 8, 2017 5:59:24 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 08/05/15The last Viscount, well the last Viscount to fly into and out of Blackbushe... G-AOCB first flew in May, 1956. During her busy life CB was owned/operated by Compania Cubana de Aviacion, Eagle Airways (Bermuda) Ltd., Cunard Eagle Airways Ltd., British Eagle International Airlines, and Invicta Airways Ltd.. Her association with Blackbushe was pretty limited, arriving in March, 1969, for some film sequences for London Weekend Television's "Gold Robbers"... Crew training as many Viscount customers took delivery of their new aircraft often took place at Blackbushe, but I have no indication as to whether this particular aircraft followed that course. Cubana Viscounts were noted at Blackbushe in 1958/59. Her brief time at Blackbushe in 1969 involved the cunning disguise of her operator's name for filming purposes, thus Invicta became Victa for a short while... Movie star, with the expanse of Blackbushe still wide open.. It's sadly turning into a forest now. The USA Navy hangar in the distance just forward of the Viscount's nose.One other Viscount was to arrive at Blackbushe. Eagle's G-ATDR flew in, 1970ish, but she did not fly out again having been fed to the scrap dealers who dutifully ripped her apart. Not a nice way for an Eagle aeroplane to end her career - especially at Blackbushe, like a carcass on the plains of Africa that had fed the vultures. But that's life... PB
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Post by PB on May 9, 2017 5:58:40 GMT
"Photo of the Day" 09/05/17The challenge of a new "theme" to POTD intensifies as the days tick by, and any sameness or even repetition might have to be excused - there's only so much you can say about an aerodrome. Even one with the rich past we try to capture here of a morning.. The "75th" would seem to be creeping ever closer. There is much to be done, surely it can't be THAT near?? One important aspect of any self respecting air show/event is pleasure flying, and over the years it hasn't been neglected.... September 1946, pleasure flying by Miles Aerovan, the RAF's Blackbushe Battle of Britain Air Display. I had nothing to do with this one, at eight months old I wasn't allowed an office..Photo taken at a later date.Three Counties Aero Club Show,1960's, our beautiful Prentice, "Pretty Louise" G-AOPL. If ever I loved an aeroplane it was her, and great for pleasure flying - the one engined Lancaster!1977, Blackbushe Air Festival. British Air Ferries Herald flew plenty of pleasure flying sorties, I was determined to have an airliner operating commercially with passengers at Blackbushe again, if only for a couple of days![/i1992, Blackbushe's 50th. G-OPLC came all the way from Farnborough to provide executive style pleasure flights...she had a busy day.2016, The Blackbushe Air Day, Scillonia Airways added grace to pleasure flying, and they will do again in a few short weeks from now....You have a choice, as with last year, resident Phoenix Helicopters will be providing rotary pleasure flights - the Blackbushe75 website has the details and you can book in advance! Demand is high!! Not sure when pleasure flying will be back after this year, not sure if I'll be quite so involved in future? But, there is a sneaky little idea trying to germinate for 2018. Oh no surely not??? PB
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