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Post by PB on Nov 9, 2017 8:52:41 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
09/11/17Going back to days when the Vikings took over Blackbushe..Vickers Vikings, that is. A visit to Brooklands Museum brings you face to face with a survivor of the Viking era, G-AGRU. A varied history to tell as did many Vikings, GRU being just one of the many that once frequented our Blackbushe runways. The records to hand show that G-AGRU flew from Blackbushe during 1958 and 1959 in the hands of Hunting-Clan. The only photo I have been able to locate from the vaults is this one...not G-AGRU, but it's what she looked like back then...  Viking days, a Hunting Clan Viking makes her way across a wet Blackbushe, the US Navy hangar providing a backdrop..  G-AGRU today. A Viking that is still loved... Sorry it's cut off - you'll have to go to Brooklands to read the rest... Ahh the Viking, ugly but beautiful in her way. Around thirty once lived at the aerodrome known as Blackbushe..She sounded sweet too... PB
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Post by PB on Nov 10, 2017 10:09:37 GMT
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Post by PB on Nov 11, 2017 7:05:08 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
11/11/17The Eleventh of November. The one day in the year when with all humility we remember the sacrifices made to secure our today and its freedom. Blackbushe's origins were a direct result of the 1939 war, and this year we marked as best we could the 75 years of her operation. Deep in her roots, unseen, almost forgotten, lie the names of many airmen who flew from these runways, in many cases never to return as war's need demanded the ultimate of sacrifices. Today's Blackbushe conveys little of the three thousand strong airbase that evolved during WW2, it's hard to visualise the self contained military community that thrived here, the spirit, celebration, grief, determination and courage that all went into the mix that made Blackbushe a fighting machine. Today we can but be grateful, and perhaps give just a minute's gratitude.... The photos below capture something of those days..  One of many resident Bostons. 88 Squadron. 16 Squadron pilots, and one of their PR Spitfires. Another mission... Blackbushe ready for war..  D-Day. Smoke screens for the English Channel. Pre mission briefing at Blackbushe, RAF Hartford Bridge as it was at the time. RAF Hartford Bridge Personnel given pre D-Day address..
 Blackbushe's wartime fuel dump.. Home based B-25's on target Safe home.We shall remember them.PB
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Post by PB on Nov 12, 2017 7:11:21 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
12/11/17Yesterday we remembered the heroic past of Blackbushe/RAF Hartford Bridge, and the cost involved. In July we celebrated the airfield's 75th birthday for a wider recall of the broad history enjoyed by Blackbushe. Sadly my efforts to acquire a WW2 aeroplane to represent the airfield's bomber operations at the 75th were thwarted. However, we were honoured by the attendance of one particular aircraft, a Spitfire of 16 Squadron, the photo recce squadron that served here in the 1940's and responsible for much of the aerial photography that lead to the success of D-Day.  An actual 16 Squadron Spitfire wearing 16 Squadron colours represented one of Blackbushe's historic tenants at this year's 75th Anniversary celebrations.Although this year's 16 Squadron representative did not join them until the squadron had moved to Belgium later in the war, it fully represented the blue painted Spitfires that flew many high altitude PR sorties from here. Long range fuel tanks, unarmed, they would roam far and wide bringing back essential evidence of enemy movements. The heroes of Hartford Bridge were many... PB
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Post by PB on Nov 13, 2017 8:59:52 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
13/11/17From a young and tender age some of us have had an ongoing focus on Blackbushe, a focus that seems sharp enough if your eyes have been on the scope for many years. Recollections of the 1950's are still easy to muster, as are images on an airfield where the common land scrub, and currently advancing forest were unknown. Comments on various social media sites over the weekend have made it very clear that many, perhaps most, have no clear recollection of Blackbushe's more glorious past or false inaccurate theories are provided as to what really happened on 'our' runways. The photo below will no doubt be a surprise to many as it confirms the type of traffic, civil and military, that made Blackbushe one of the country's most interesting - and valuable - airfields.  United States Navy "Warning Star" long range airborne early warning aircraft. Military version of the beautiful Constellation airliner... The last Connie in Blackbushe sky..Breitling's Constellation gave us an emotional flypast en route to Farnborough Air Show - 2014.Super Connie, a sound that once belonged to Blackbushe.. PB
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Post by PB on Nov 14, 2017 9:27:58 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
14/11/17November, the month when in 1942 RAF Hartford Bridge, aka Blackbushe, was officially opened. Happily Blackbushe is still with us as an airfield, an airfield with aspirations to flourish in the service of aviation that will also benefit the local economy, employment, and if permitted play a role that integrates her more with local community activity - Blackbushe is an absolute asset whichever way you look at her! To mark the airfield's 75th birthday I wrote a short synopsis of her lifespan for 'GA Buyer Europe' a leading aviation trade magazine.  As the 75th anniversary year moves toward its end let's hope it proves to be the year when logic prevailed over Blackbushe. For 57 long years Blackbushe has survived under private ownership following the government decision to abandon what was a very fine airport. During all of those 57 years the various owners of Blackbushe have put forward their case for limited improvements to faciliate a necessary aviation facility - hangars, maintenance, restaurant, and suitable office accomodation. For 57 years such enhancements have been thwarted by ancient and what in the 21st Century are ananchronistic rights, supported by planning authorities who lacked the necessary courage*. The current plans for Blackbushe entail only a small part of the airfield, much of the 'common' coverted by some will remain untouched 'as is'.. Surely this must be the time when all parties can come together and agree to allow Blackbushe Airport to serve the wishes of all involved? The Airport is literally one of our largest local assets - Blackbushe needs to be recognised for the aviation asset she is, not sit here on the great Hartford Bridge plateau under a question mark and better known as somewhere to get a cheap 'pre-owned' vehicle... None of us are getting any younger, I know I'd be very happy to see Blackbushe get what she needs before my time comes...like many, I've waited a long time - too long! PB * tempted to use a more expressive word.
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Post by PB on Nov 15, 2017 7:52:39 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
15/11/17As Sir David Attenborough might say, "It's truly remarkable what you may find on the wide open spaces of an aerodrome...". Take for example the airfield that once served London, found on the extraordinary topography of the Hartford Bridge Flats, it has proved to be the source of ancient relics, evidence of some forgotten tribal community as recently acquired artefacts tend to prove...  Tribal dances; evidence suggests that these celebrated some kind of calendar event. Archaeologists examine a recent find, decorated foods were obviously popular in the past - possibly to mark a significant occasion?.. A sign of more modern times. The RAF occupy Hartford Bridge once again, this time to demonstrate results of government funding cutbacks as the Typhoon replacement is put through its paces..
 Finally, an historic view of long departed occupants who once occupied Hartford Bridge Flats - the airfield that borders three counties, but who is the well preserved anthropogenic, possibly sacrificial, remnant in the foreground? Have a nice day.... PB
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Post by PB on Nov 16, 2017 8:16:36 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
16/11/17Recent reports indicate that the "Red Sea" may have got a little nearer to home...shadows from the Cold War become a little clearer courtesy of Putin's Navy as Russian submarine activity around the United Kingdom's coast has increased by a factor of ten over the past six years. Numbers similar to those tracked during the Cold War..Our senior military commanders tell us that we, the UK, are, "close to breaking" so far as our military strength is concerned - we have had to call in Canadian and US aircraft to assist with tracking suspected Russian submarine activity in our waters. One cannot help reflect on the sorry sight a few years back as our latest Nimrod variants were broken up before they had even felt the wind beneath their wings. Ivan must have been smiling.. The Cold War. A nail biting time as nuclear oblivion was a real possibility. Blackbushe played her part, in particular the United State's Navy's only UK land base that happened to be at Blackbushe. In the 1950's the magnificent Lockheed Neptunes based at Blackbushe might just be useful today - their duty was to fly long patrols tracking Soviet submarine movements. At the time it was little known that Blackbushe was playing a role in the nuclear game as her resident military force went about its work... Not sure what thanks the US Navy got for their efforts in pin pointing the Red subs, but It's worth recalling that they were negotiating expanding their Blackbushe base with the same government on whose other hand Blackbushe was being prepared for closure. The US Navy were not best pleased on findimg they would have to move out, but continued flying here right up until the day the Airport closed in May, 1960. Blackbushe's "sub hunters"..     Just a few of the many Neptunes that operated from Blackbushe playing their part in protecting the peace.. Thanks US Navy!! PB Comment from Rocky14 blackbusheairport.proboards.com/post/8145
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Post by PB on Nov 17, 2017 7:27:55 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
17/11/17Yesterday's 'Photo of the Day' recalled the United State's Navy's tenancy of Blackbushe Airport and the role they played in keeping an 'eagle eye' on the potential threat of the Soviet subs that moved as they wished while keeping their red 'eagle eyes' on us. The word "eagle" is, as we all know, one that strictly pertains to Blackbushe Airport as it was here that Eagle Airways were born and grew into one of this country's largest and most successful independent airlines. They were certainly amid the bravest of operators riding the waves of opposition from government and British state run airlines. The strength and determination of Harold Bamberg, Chairman and Founder of Eagle demonstrated what can be done when driven by passion, and you set your mind firmly to scoring the toughest of goals. Sadly today the only tangible evidence of Eagle Airway's occupancy of the airfield is on the "Airlines of Blackbushe Airport" sign located near the Terminal Building. Other than that you should visit the Eagle Archive www.britisheagle.net/History-Eagle-Airways.htm for the full account of Eagle's life story. The sign was officially unveiled on a wet and windy October day by non other than Harold Bamberg, there really was nobody better qualified for the job!  Eagle Airways, for ever synonymous with Blackbushe Airport. Mike Biddulph to the left, Harold Bamberg to the right as we edured all that a British October morning could throw at us!Eternal gratitude goes to Mike Biddulph whose company, "Prestige Signs", created and sponsored our salute to Blackbushe's golden days..
 The 1950's were indeed the 'glory days' as the press put it. Hopefully our sign will long convey the message.... The increasingly famous photo from the "Eagle days" courtesy of the Eagle Archive... One of the Eagle's flies home, the mighty Eagle DC-6 and one time Blackbushe resident, today languishes elsewhere awaiting her fate...Seen here landing at Blackbushe in 2008 to collect Harold Bamberg! G-APSA, the last flying vestige of Eagle Airways, the Eagle Master as the Eagle DC-6 fleet was known, is no longer flying. Her value as a possible gate guard at Blackbushe has been 'discussed'...  The Power and the Glory... We were thrilled to have Harold Bamberg as a guest of honour at this year's 75th Anniversary of Blackbushe Airport. Seen here flanked by some of the Hungarian refugees flown to Blackbushe by Eagle Airways via some twelve Red Cross 1950's mercy flights for which Eagle made no charge.. Eagle, thanks to Harold Bamberg also flew several more such flights from Linz on the Austrian/Hungarian border.  The Eagle's lair; Eagle's engineering base that once occupied the far south-western corner of the airport south of the A30 trunk road that runs through the airfield. A sad and lonesome time.. Eagle's long term 'run about' Miles Gemini G-AJKS, made a nostalgic return home to a deserted Blackbushe in the early 1960's.Eagle's delightful Gemini lived at Blackbushe for many years, a regular amid the big boys from 1955 to 1959. At the time, very early 1960's, the airfield was under the ownership of AVM "Pathfinder" Bennett, the above photo taken when Eagle's Gemini revisited her old home. Blackbushe, tragically now a vast deserted area, the only surviving buildings from her old home being the Terminal and the distant US Navy hangar where the Neptunes of yesterday's POTD - and many other US military heavies operated. The apron on which the Gemini is resting was soon excavated by local parties as was the rest of Blackbushe's east end, a sad and very costly exercise the debris of which still remains decades later as a tribute to those who wished an end to aviation whatever their motives. PB
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Post by PB on Nov 18, 2017 8:49:31 GMT
"Photo of the Day"
18/11/17Crew training. Without it we would have no airlines to whizz about on, and once upon a time crew training did not have the benefit of flight simulators. The only way was 'up' not so many years ago, up in the air, with all the cost and 'risk' that flying training in 'reality' offered.. Blackbushe played a significant role in the pre flight simulator era as our state airlines of the day, BEA and BOAC, found the runway length and proximity of Blackbushe to their Heathrow base ideal in terms of time and cost to bash the Blackbushe circuit and hopefully produce suitably experienced cockpit crews for the future.  BOAC DC-7 crew training at Blackbushe..
 BOAC's "Whispering Giant", the beautiful Britannia putting new crews through their paces.. BEA's Viscount logged many training movements at Blackbushe. Unfortunately BEA wrote off two Viscounts on successive days on Blackbushe's runways whilst crew training. No physical injuries.  Another training incident, a touch low on the approach, a BEA Viking having a rather bad day. A sick BEA Elizabethan following a very heavy training "arrival" on Blackbushe tarmac. Eventually taken to Heathrow for BEA to patch her up.. Home based Eagle had this training 'moment' with a Viking that departed the Blackbushe taxiway.. One of the resident Eagle DC-6's on crosswind training descends on Blackbushe's 08 runway.
 Home based Airwork's operations involved crew training, one of their Viscounts about to land at Blackbushe.Today life is very different, and even humble folk whose days are largely 'home based' can enjoy the most superb home flight simulation, the standards, quality, demands, and realism of which have soared to ever greater heights of recent. Meanwhile in the real world Blackbushe has a very large focus on private pilot training, and in the almost 60 years since the airfield fell into private ownership there have have been many thousands of training flights without serious incident. Meanwhile I may well get some 757 time later today..but not from Blackbushe. Or maybe a few circuits in the PA-28 at Blackbushe? The sky's the limit and you don't even have to leave the comfort of home. PB
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