PHOTO of the DAY...

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
30/05/24


A DC-8 landing at Blackbushe?




..or maybe just departing?




Just spending some time participating in the 1977 Blackbushe Air Festival...much to the amazement of the assembled crowds!! Inbound from Greece, en route to Gatwick.



Why the DC-8 today? It's the type's birthday having first flown on this day in 1958..

Visitors to Blackbushe today won't see any DC-8s but they will see the ongoing work locating new light fittings and signage, installation work at the substation and primary power feeds.

The old airfield has had an amazing past, but ahead lies an amazing future - the lighting being just one step toward the new Blackbushe we've hoped for for so many years...

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
31/05/24

May finished on a cloud of distractions here at POTD world...sorry we failed to publish, just one of those days

Should be back in business from 1st June....



Your end of May photo!


PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
01/06/24

June 2024 has dawned! What a month, it has much in store...the start of meteorological summer - the Sun at its height - glorious summer days to look forward to?

D Day 80th and Blackbushe will light her beacon at 2115 in salute to the crews and personnel here at RAF Hartford Bridge on that so decisive day.

The Air Day is on 15th - all tickets sold out! If you delayed buying one t'is too late now. A fantastic day is in the offing with some rare flying machines on show along with the car show, many exhibitors, Memorial Flight Fly-past, and a huge choice of eating opportunities. I look forward to seeing lots of familiar faces come the day...

At the Blackbushe Heritage Trust hangar a warm welcome will await with a chance to see the restoration project's progress and perhaps volunteer to join the Team!!

On a more sombre note your scribe has numerous confirmed medical appointments that are the results of months of waiting (almost two years in one case) and more recent trauma. I look forward to better times as a result!!

Moving on, tomorrow's 'POTD' continues to relate life at RAF Hartford Bridge in the days leading up to D Day. The next two Sundays 'POTD' will carry some pre D Day memories followed by an account of D Day itself on D Day. I must say writing accounts of just a few who were present and operational on the day brings home the emotions and circumstances that took place on the very airfield where today we see a very different picture and operations are very much peaceful in their nature.

Here's another example of peaceful operations...




The Short SD360 during one of the Farnborough Weeks when visitors focused on Blackbushe.


The Short 360 made its first flight on this day in 1981...

Wishing you a good day..
PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
02/06/24

With the 80th Anniversary of D Day just a few days away we continue with our weekly journey back to 1944 as we look at life at RAF Hartford Bridge in those days where such a decisive military campaign was about to unleashed and gauge something of how it felt 'being there'.

From Stuart Marshall's gathering of wartime recollections...

As the invasion loomed, the Squadron Bostons were being fitted with smoke-laying canisters in the bomb bays. Each was approximately eight feet long and was connected to four pipes which hung down below the aircraft. At the appropriate time the smoke was dispensed from the canisters via these pipes. Very shortly after having the equipment fitted 342 Squadron were in the air practicing laying the smoke at tree-top height over the Isle of Wight.


There was a feeling of excitement and anticipation all over the camp as personnel began to realise that all the hectic activity indicated that the invasion was getting very close. The ground crews were working continuously day and night to ensure that all the aircraft were 100% serviceable and ready to go when the big day arrived As an extra security measure the A30 was now closed 24 hours a day. In anticipation of possible D Day requirements 226 were out practicing night flying on the 4th. In fact so urgent was it that they started the detail at 1600 hrs when it was still daylight!

On 5th F/O Jack Chinell, Mid Upper Gunner, arrived at Liverpool from his native Canada aboard the French ship 'Louis Pasteur' after a very rough crossing with the ship at times listing through 25 to 30 degrees. Having left Canada in January 1944 and following a stay in Bournemouth, where he remembered doing very little apart from gun maintenance and anti-aircraft duties, he was posted to 13 OTU at RAF Finmere, in Buckinghamshire. Here he undertook a conversion course onto the B25 Mitchell, which was a 'real kite' compared to the Ventura on which he had trained. It had good flying characteristics and was well built. Having completed the course he was posted to RAF Hartford Bridge, where he and the rest of the crew (Tom Harvey, Pilot, Lloyd Bruce, Navigator, and Gord Hammell, Wireless operator/Air Gunner) arrived at Camberley railway station at about 4pm on June 5th. He told Stuart Marshall while he was compiling the Wartime Years - Hartford Bridge , "I can remember Jimmy Betts , who was in charge of our group, being quite upset because someone on the airfield had forgotten all about us and Jimmy had to phone to get transport to come and pick us up. As we later found out they were too busy and for a very good reason.

"When we did finally arrive there was much confusion and we finally got settled into our nissen hut, which didn't impress me much. We then found the mess hall and food and later that night we managed to liberate some wood and got the pot-bellied stove stoked up for some much needed heat. We were only allowed a bag of coke every two weeks or so and as a result soon became expert at foraging for fuel of all types. We soon discovered that a few rounds in the mess helped to take the chill off the evening.








Today, another Spitfire arrives at Blackbushe to continue the series of Spitfire experience flights. While back in 1944 the bomber squadrons had daunting tasks flying from here to keep the enemy surface movements in check, or at least restricted, it was the Spitfires of 322 Dutch Squadron and the Mosquitoes of264 Squadron whose job it was to keep the skies of southern England clear of Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft. It must have been very frustrating for the German recce aircrews as they were forced to turn-back when the Hartford Bridge Spitfires appeared! Never would there have been so much to spy on as in the spring of 1944.

On 6th June POTD will deal with events at Hartford Bridge on that day in 1944...

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
03/06/24



Another magnificent day of Spitfire flights at Blackbushe yesterday! The skies were blue, it was warm, the Spitfire was home where she belongs in the boundless blue where so many have been before.. Thanks to Paul Phillips for his photo from the chase aircraft..




Vapour trails, the signature of humanity reaching for the skies. Theory spreaders claim they're 'chem trails' and we're all being sprayed from above by some form of governmental programme to control us!! As we know they're simply the product of water vapour in transit from a hot engine to a cold outside that lingers according to the climatic conditions, bit like breathing out on a cold morning...



Business jets tend to get mention in matters of the environment, they too leave their silver webs across the skies. A recent AvWeb report brings details of how work is progressing toward lessening the impact of business jet trails across the heavens....

"Boeing-owned flight-planning company ForeFlight announced this week it has entered a collaboration with climate and clean-energy group Breakthrough Energy (BE) to develop and produce “advanced tools” to enable business aviation operators to avoid producing contrails. The overall goal is to reduce the harmful environmental effects of the artificially generated clouds.

ForeFlight said, according to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), contrails are responsible for approximately 35% of aviation’s global warming footprint. ForeFlight and BE are working on software tools that can analyze weather forecasts, satellite imagery and other related data to model atmospheric conditions that induce contrails. The product will enable business aviation operators, such as Europe’s Luxaviation, to avoid the vulnerable air masses and lessen the environmental impact of the contrails.

ForeFlight Chief Technology Officer Henrik Hansen said, “Dispatchers at Luxaviation and elsewhere using ForeFlight already have access to our most powerful flight planning tools to help pilots avoid turbulence, icing and storms. So, the seemingly next step is surfacing areas where contrails could be created. As the research continues to evolve, we’re excited to explore new and innovative ways to integrate the models and data produced by Breakthrough Energy.”

ForeFlight and BE estimate that slightly redirecting as few as 5% of flights could eliminate most contrail-related warming. While redirecting flights could increase fuel use, the data show that the net effect would be a significant reduction in warming. Matteo Mirolo, head of Contrails Policy and Strategy at BE, said, “Working with ForeFlight is an important step to reaching more aviation operators around the world. We look forward to continuing to find ways to put this useful information in front of pilots and to meaningfully mitigate warming contrails.”


Thanks to AvWeb for the above.

Meanwhile we trudge our way to a General Election timed to coincide with Independence Day in the USA. It's notable, on the subject of business jets, that the leader of the current opposition travels to Scotland to lecture on carbon reduction and making Britain a clean energy superpower whilst arriving by business jet. What's good for the goose is good for the gander as they say..

Enough, I must away to yet another medical appointment....

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
04/06/24

Some days you wish you'd managed to sleep a bit more, today's one of them!! The PC from whence POTD emerges each day has increasingly refused to link to the internet, a rather fundamental part of computer operations... Seemingly an ethernet cable has a bad connection and after a bit of high tech wiggling we seem to have resumed normal service. One tends to have to fight off the urge to panic when the box of tricks refuses to come out to play and you stare at a screen that tells you you have no internet connection - and one's non-tech grey cells seemingly have lost the will to live..

Anyway, here we are... POTD continues to surprise me as the number of visits we receive daily continues to increase, up to 746,000 today, last month the busiest on record with 11,251 visits. Proves just one thing and that is that Blackbushe holds a significant level of interest, fascination, and support. Support based on our shared hopes for the future knowing the potential for an airport located where Blackbushe is, the benefits it will bring to the local economy and employment, and a new home for General Aviation operators who will appreciate the easy access to Blackbushe by surface, long clear approaches and environmental benefits.




A year since the last Blackbushe Air Day, now less than two weeks to the next one. The faithful Anson will be back weather and tech permitting along with many other aircraft that will form our static exhibition 2024..



All Air Day tickets are now sold, no admissions to non-ticket holders, further proof of how popular Blackbushe is - and has become. Evidence, were it needed, was the Blackbushe car park last weekend when another Spitfire flying day took place. Apparently the car park was full once again..the pull of the Spitfire is ageless, and it's great that Blackbushe is now on the Spitfire 'circuit'..

Running very late today due tech delays, but onwards and upwards! Another medical appointment this afternoon! Hopefully one that will line me up with an ENT surgeon for repairs to my defunct and painful nose thanks to tripping and smashing it against a concrete object back in February...Losing your ability to smell anything can have its advantages!!

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
05/06/24

One's thoughts turn to 1944 this morning and the frantic activity that would have been seen here at RAF Hartford Bridge and many others airfields around the country. It's hard to imagine the incredible effort made by the allies that started tonight and made tomorrow - 6th June - a day that will for ever stand out from the history books as the epitome of courage, daring, and determination to bring both freedom and peace to Europe where both were under intense threat from the dark forces of Nazism.

This link www.dday-overlord.com/en/d-day/air-operations/chronology gives an impression of how many gliders and troop carriers made their way across the Channel as 6th June came around.

Tomorrow's 'POTD' will deal exclusively with the day at RAF Hartford Bridge. At 21.15 beacons will be lit across the land tomorrow evening in a salute to the heroes of D Day 1944. Blackbushe will be joining them as we remember the aircrews who flew from here to play their vital parts in the execution of D Day, and those who failed to return from their sorties that day.

Going back in time before aerial warfare on the levels of WW2 was even dreamed of the aeroplane had a gentle introduction to life on this planet. If we go back to today's date in 1909 the first monoplane flight of over one hour was made by Englishman Hubert Latham in the Antoinette IV for one hour, seven minutes, 37 seconds. At that time nobody would have believed how the aeroplane would transform our lives in both war and peace. Imagine the concept of 300 passengers being flown across the Atlantic to arrive in the USA around 7 hours later..35,000 feet and how fast?? You gotta be joking!!



From the days when aeroplanes ascended from grassy fields the concept of future airports would have been hard to grasp no doubt?




Here's one called 'Blackbushe' built just 33 years after Latham's flight... Happily 115 years after Latham's flight this airfield is still in operation albeit missing a few bits.




..and here I am a little more recently!





PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
06/06/24

Today, 6th June, is a day out of all our days that must stand out as being different to all the rest. 6th June 1944, D Day, the day when the evils of Nazi tyranny were put on the run, a day with horrendous losses of life as our soldiers, sailors, and airmen took the flag of freedom across into Europe and showed Hitler and his henchmen their time was running out.

80 years ago - today. At RAF Hartford Bridge it was also a day like no other, and today we remember something of what it would have been like were you to witness the scenes on our precious airfield 80 years ago today...



D Day 6 JUNE 1944

Memories direct from D Day at RAF Hartford Bridge. Thoughts from F/O Jack Chinell who had arrived from Canada the day before on 5 June.


"Early the next morning at between 4am and 5am we were awakened by the floor vibrating from the sound of aircraft engines.. Staggering outside, we saw aircraft of all types as far as the eye could see and in all directions. Dakotas and bombers towing gliders and flights of fighters went roaring overhead from tree-top level to high altitude".

"Our own field was sending up Bostons and Mitchells which were taking off too. We noticed that each aircraft has black and white stripes painted on the fuselage and on the top of and undersides of the wings. None of this was in evidence when we first arrived the day before. At great altitude and continuing throughout the day, huge armadas of heavy bombers droned overhead. This was it, the long-awaited invasion had begun and we were going to be a part of it!"

In fact all the previous day on the 5th, although they didn't know about it, preparations for the invasion had been proceeding at a furious pace. On the ground there was feverish activity, aircraft crew had got to the state where they were double checking things they had already checked, such was their keenness to ensure that everything was ready. The first indications that things were underway was when G/Capt MacDonald called the entire base together and speaking to a hushed audience said: "Gentlemen, from this moment Hartford Bridge is on standby. You are confined to quarters." The invasion of Europe was about to begin.

Les Walker, Air Gunner with 88 Squadron, recalled events...." The airfield was placed on a 24-hour standby and we had to report our whereabouts to our superiors and the airfield was cut off from the outside world. We were not permitted to contact anyone off the airfield

On a number of our recent flights we had seen many unidentified structures and formations including the Mulberry Harbour, various and numerous types of landing craft and huge convoys of vehicles for miles and miles. Late evening on the 5th had seen the smoke cylinders installed in the aircraft and white stripes painted on the aircraft fuselage and wings. All the messes were closed at 1800 and the atmosphere at this time was electric. This was enhanced by the continual noise of a vast stream of glider-towing aircraft as they passed overhead.

D DAY had arrived.

We'll continue with the activity that would have been seen and heard on the airfield on this historic day.

Once G/Capt MacDonald had put the station on standby the scene changed dramatically with terrific activity taking place all over the airfield. It appeared that everyone was getting in each others way. There were armourers bombing-up aircraft and fitting smoke canisters to others and fitters checking over engines as final minor airframe problems were being rectified. Crews were undertaking their own last-minute checks. Bomb trolleys, crew transport vehicles, tankers delivering fuel, ammunition being delivered and personnel all over the place, often very keyed-up, made up a scene of frantic preparation and movement across the airfield. Add to this the painting of so many aircraft markings, which was being done at very short notice by most of the station personnel, sometimes in a somewhat haphazard manner, and we can envisage a scene of extreme activity.

While all this was going on at the airfield 264 Squadron were busy throughout the period patrolling between St Pierre and St Martin, watching for enemy aircraft. They were also operating on D Day itself when eight of their aircraft patrolled the Cherbourg area but no enemy aircraft were to be seen.

It was the intention that 88 Squadron would lay smoke in support of the Navy Second Cruiser Squadron, while 342 Squadron would undertake the same task in support of the American invasion fleet which lay off the Cotentin Peninsular. The Bostons wee manned by a crew of three instead of the usual four as the aircraft were flying at such low level that a lower gunner would serve no purpose. Masks had to be worn at all times as the smoke would seep into the aircraft and was highly poisonous. 342 Squadron were airborne at 0500hrs and flew at wave-top height, weaving their way between vast convoys of ships. On reaching their allocated area, runs were made at four-minute intervals to maintain the smoke cover. They were flying so low that the fire from both sides was passing overhead their aircraft and in addition they were also being fired at by enemy coastal anti-aircraft batteries. One of the aircraft losses was a 342 Squadron machine, being Boston BZ213 (J), which was hit by flak and crashed in the Channel, with the loss of Sgt Boissieux and his crew of Sgt Henson and Sgt Canut. P/O Boyle also failed to return from smoke-laying and are presumed to have crashed into the Channel.

Air Gunner Les Walker with 88 Squadron recalled, "Our orders were to lay smoke for the invading naval forces along the Normandy coast. The force included battle ships HMS Ramilles, Warspite and Rodney. We took off at 04.30hrs in pairs led by W/Cdr Paddy Maher, our CO, and proceeded at 500ft to cross the coast at Selsey Bill and then turned onto course over the sea in the direction of the French coast. We had been briefed to lay smoke from the mouth of the River Orm to Bayeux, starting at 05.00hrs. Attempts were made to contact HMS Ramillies to advise them by radio that the squadron was ready to commence the smoke-laying operations, but no response was ever received. As we approached the ship at below deck level they opened up with their guns at us but luckily we were not hit and continued on past the other battle ships, being relieved to receive a more friendly response from them. I recall that we made smoke and passed over a monitor ship with a very large gun on it that was firing at the shore batteries, which were by now very close. We could hear the noise from the gun as it fired from inside our aircraft.

While flying over the beaches we realised that we were taking part in an historic event, not only because of our own involvement but because we could see the vast armada that stretched from the English coast right across the channel. It was made up of every type of marine vessel you can imagine belching black smoke from their funnels. The activity on the actual beach head was fantastic and as we were flying so low it was difficult to absorb all the activity that was taking place at the speed we were travelling. We learned later that the powers-that-be had estimated that their would be a 75% loss rate of the 24 aircraft taking part from the two squadrons. We think we got away lightly as only three aircraft were lost on this hazardous operation.

On return to base our ground crew of Nobby and Netty told us that we had 60 flak holes in the aircraft. WE had been too busy at the time to notice but we had smelled the cordite, which means that the flak bursts must have been close. Once back at the airfield we had the chance to turn our thoughts to our forces on the ground in France as they fought their way inland. The Germans put up a terrific resistance, having been mislead into believing that the attck would come in the Calais/Boulogne area. It was amazing how the secrecy and deception had fooled the German forces. Only a very few of our forces had known the actual details of the opertion".

Back at the airfield the last Boston home was 88 Squadron machine, BZ214 (T), which limped back into the circuit with only two of its three wheels down. On landing it crashed and caught fire and despite the waiting rescue crews burned fiercely regardless of the liberal use of foam to try and extinguish the flames. The aircraft crew perished, as did a brave soldier who tried to help rescue them. The runway melted in the heat and the burned patch of runway was found to cover a 50-foot-square area. Despite the great sorrow at the losses sustained through the day, the missions flown were considered a great success which had contributed to save many lives among those in the invasion force.

Very early on the morning of D Day an accident at RAF Lasham, which had closed the runway, caused a Mosquito VI aircraft of 305 (Polish) Squadron to divert into Hartford Bridge. The pilot Tony Wilson recalled that there was a continuous string of gliders being towed overhead on their way to he beach heads. On landing and checking in at the control tower, he noticed a glider which had just landed, its tow rope having parted as it passed overhead the airfield. He recalled that on exit from the glider it was very obvious that the troops that had been aboard were very annoyed that they would miss the 'show' and were very ken to be picked up and returned to their base so that they could restart their journey.

The Mitchells of 226 Squadron were also in action later in the day when they took part in bombing road junctions behind the beach heads in support of our invading forces.

Once the landings had been accomplished the role of 264 Squadron changed to patrolling the Normandy beach heads. They wee to continue these patrols continuously for two days and nights with two aircraft over the beaches at all times. Due to very bad weather at the airfield with a 300ft cloud base, the landings were accomplished by use of the FIDO as necessary.

Not all the based crews were, however, directly involved in support of our forces on D Day as described in this unusual story attributed to Navigator JJ Parker who was a member of Grant 'Sut' Sutties crew, flying with 226 Squadron. This crew, which went on to complete a second tour of operations in October 1944, were at this time attached to the top secret 'C' Flight. In his account Jack Parker wrote: "On the night of 5th/6th June my pilot and I were summoned to the Operations Room for briefing. Expecting to be ordered to take off there and then on a support mission for the landings, we were surprised to be told that as far as we were concerned our trip was to be a VHF calibration in our Mitchell, serial number FV900. Our route was to be Hartford Bridge-Point of Ayre-Trevose Head and return to base via Basingstoke. Our operation height was to be 20,000ft. "I prepared the flight plan with some foreboding. The Met were forecasting a cloud base of 1000ft, tops at 20,000ft or above with icing index high (in present days of course this would be nothing - but the year was 1944!). I was to appreciate the time I spent on this flight plan...

"We took off and soon found the weather as bad, if not worse than forecast. Going up through the ever thickening 'clag' we at one stage had ice hurled of the propellers hitting the fuselage. I suggested the possibility of returning to base and George junior, our 18 year old Canadian gunner, expressed the same idea though more forcibly!! Our Aussie skipper 'Sut' was, however, the more press-on type - so on we pressed.

"The VHF was full of static, the Gee box packed up (not uncommon) and we flew by dead reckoning. We were by this time at about 20,000ft, on oxygen and freezing cold (aircraft heating -don't make me laugh). We passed messages as detailed, but no acknowledgement, though fro time to time a broad northern accent came through with 'turret to turret over' which meant nothing to us. We saw no Isle of Man, we turned on ETA and hopefully flew down to Cornwall, where we repeated the process with the same negative results. So we pressed on to Basingstoke.

"At long last it seemed suitable to commence our letdown. After what seemed an age we has reached the stage in this letdown when to quote an old joke, 'If this altimeter's right we must be in a ruddy submarine'. The all of a sudden through the clag we saw a fairly large river and a built-up area. Thames, Seine or Rhine? The I shouted..'OK Sut 260 magnetic sharpish'... and directly ahead were Big Ben and the House of Commons. With a near vertical bank (a split-arsed turn was the crudity then in vogue, we arrived at Hartford Bridge, landed and taxied back to dispersal after 4 hours and 30 minutes flying time. Old Sut had flown on instruments for most of that time. He deserved a medal but he didn't get it. VHF off, Petrol off, Switches off... Back in the Mess, to the strains of 'Mairzy doats' clashing with 'Lili Marlene' we consumed our operational bacon and eggs. It was only on reaching our billets that we heard of the D Day landings. There was a sequel in July 1945 when a B25 similar to ours did collide with the Empire State Building in New York. But for Sut's emergency turn we might have made an even more spectacular impact!"





Dwight Eisenhower, Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Forces, during a pre D Day visit to RAF Hartford Bridge. It was at this stage he revealed to those around him the plans for D Day.




RAF Hartford Bridge, the fuel for war...




Mission accomplished....



If you're at Blackbushe today, perhaps a moments thought for the crews who flew from here 80 years ago today - and those who did not return. At 21.15 a beacon will be lit at Blackbushe, as they will be across the land, for us to remember and give thanks for the action that gave us the freedom we currently enjoy.


WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.....

PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
07/06/24

Yesterday marked the 80th Anniversary of D Day, and a truly emotion soaked day it was. The weather was very kind over in Normandy where some of the few who survive were gathered along with heads of state to remember the thousands who gave their all on that day, the beginning of the end of World War Two. Now frail, it was wonderful to see some of the boys who survived D Day back in Normandy, each carrying memories that we will never know.

Hopefully yesterday's POTD conveyed something as to how D Day was experienced at RAF Hartford Bridge? It was quite a long piece, hopefully some had time to read through it?

For those who were at Blackbushe last evening for the D Day quiz at 21.15 all would witness the lighting of the Blackbushe beacon as beacons were lit across the land as a salute to events just 80 years ago. The lighting of the beacon followed Chris Gazzard's summary of events at the airfield on 6 June 1944. A couple of minutes of silent respect for those who gave and risked their all flying from the airfield's historic runways concluded the ceremonial part of the evening.

Standing on the airfield as the sun was going down and staring across the site where so much activity happened 80 years ago one felt the deepest respect for those aircrew whose bombers thundered into the distant skies knowing the chances of returning home were 'marginal'.

Across the airfield work had just finished on the day's runway lighting installation programme, one felt as if we were in a time zone perched between the recalling of days gone by and the installation of the Airport's major new lighting installation that will take her way into the future.. Blackbushe, RAF Hartford Bridge, played a generous hand toward winning our freedom during the last War, it must be hoped that the airfield is soon given the freedom required to restore something of her infrastructure demolished in the early 1960s...




At the going down of the sun, we remembered them.... photo Pete Vickery.



PB

[PB]

"Photo of the Day"
08/06/24

It's 06.30 Saturday morning, and in exactly one week from now I'll be heading for Blackbushe Airport and Air Day 2024!!

Where has the time gone, only 'just now' it was early January and the Air Day was six months away...the longer we're on the slopes of life the faster our descent through time seems to travel. Sounds like something for Einstein to explain? The space-time scenario...

Going back in time to this day 1946, a celebration of the Allied victory in World War II was held in London. A flypast of 300 British aircraft over the city was involved, a flypast that stretched for 60 miles (97 km), led by a Hawker Hurricane that had fought in the Battle of Britain in 1940. A Hurricane flown by one Douglas Bader.

This link leads to the Pathe coverage of the day, but not much regarding the fly-past, it does however instill the spirit that existed as freedom swept across Europe and the world.. www.britishpathe.com/asset/194640/

This time next week some examples of WW2 aviation will hopefully be gathered at Blackbushe for the Air Day, but technical issues and the weather can ride roughshod over the best laid plans! The weather for next weekend. Seemingly a large high pressure system hovers over the Atlantic - but can it push a couple of depressions out of the way in time?

Our Blackbushe events have usually been blessed with fine weather, only the 50th in 1992 was marred by monsoon rains on day one. Second day was perfect...




Our one 50th Spitfire. We lost two due to accidents shortly before our event, but this and the Mustang put on a stirring display. Remember the days when we could put on some display flying?



Tomorrow's 'POTD' continues our recall of events at Blackbushe in 1944 with some accounts of the tasks given to our resident bomber squadrons in the days following D Day.

Wishing you a sunny Saturday..
PB