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Post by rj on Dec 9, 2016 10:36:15 GMT
Some new photos, have had these a while but have lost contact with their source so could not use them in the book. No harm sharing them on here. ZS-DGN Avro York of Creed Air Transport sometime in 1955-56, note the rear towing. It was written off in 1962 while in TMA service. HB-EPI Miles Whitley Straight seen clearing customs 22/7/1956 VT-DIO Vickers Viscount of Indian Airlines on one of many training flights during August 57. It was w/o in India 1963 CF-HMQ mosquito of Spartan Air Services passed through 15/4/58 routing Rome-Blackbushe-Prestwick. Spartan had a large Mosquito fleet that roamed the word on surveys in the 50's. Amazingly this is preserved in Edmonton, but not in the scheme sadly. Rob
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Post by rj on Dec 10, 2016 14:55:58 GMT
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Post by rj on Dec 12, 2016 10:31:32 GMT
Some more photos from the archive on this grey, drizzley winters day. In the 1947-60 period Blackbushe was a convenient point at which to clear customs for aircraft on delivery. With the British aircraft industry churning out new, and refurbished aircraft to the new air forces of the world. The paperwork for export was significant and aircraft often night stopped here. The ferry pilots often came from local companies like Britavia and Airwork. Pakistan Received both the Tempest and, later Fury, from Hawkers in the late 40's. Here is a rare shot of Tempest A138 at a soggy Blackbushe in 1948 at the start of it's delivery flight. L982 was a Hawker Fury delivered through Blackbushe in January 1954 Israel received a number of ex Royal navy Mosquito's during 1955. Some of these sat at Blackbushe for several weeks being prepared for delivery 4X-3186 was ex TW238 and was at Blackbushe from the end of November 1954 to January 1955 de Havilland Doves on delivery were also a regular sight. Here is Ceylon Air Force example CS404 seen on 4-/5/11/57. This aircraft survives in the Sri Lankan Air Force museum.
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Post by rj on Dec 14, 2016 10:26:37 GMT
Further from the depths of the archives we have... VL249 Vickers Valetta, this was the prototype and served with the based 622 squadron and was later purchased by Eagle for spares use and broken up in 1959 WT960 Douglas Skyraider AEW1 from 849sqn FAA, Farnborough week 1955.This aircraft was scraped in 1961 after 8 years of service. WL729 Boulton Paul Sea Balliol seen 5/9/57 from Culdrose station flight. This aircraft was delivered in 1954 and scraped in 63. Note the FIDO pipeline in the foreground. Photo probably taken from Dugells Lane where it skirted around the end of runway 26? Oxford PH543 was based with Airwork 1955-56 but I have never found out why.
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Post by rj on Dec 15, 2016 9:00:57 GMT
Some more from the depths of history. From the days that Blackbushe served as Londons second airport and was one of the most interesting airports in the country. 142 NC702, many of these French built Siebel 204s served post war along with a hotch-potch of former German products. Here is No142 on 5/9/58. The aircraft was operated by the CEV, the French equivalent of the RAE. Also from just across the channel was French Navy SNCASE Languedoc No55 visiting 5/9/54. The Languedoc served initially with Air France but by the mid 50's most were with the French Military. A long range visitor was Argentinean Air Force Douglas C-54 T-45, it arrived on 29/12/55 and stayed for a month or so. It was here as mother ship for the Argentinean Vikings that were being refurbished by Eagles and accompanied them on their delivery. Finally a rare shot of a Fairchild C-123 at Blackbushe, here 53-0587 arrives on 7/6/57. The C-123 were only based in France, and only for a few years, this one was from 376th Troop Carrier squadron at Dreux.
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Post by PB on Dec 15, 2016 10:17:22 GMT
Oh wow Rob!!! You're not only adding quantity to the Forum, you're also adding Quality..with a capital Q
Really shows what a superb, unique, unbeatable location Blackbushe was for anybody with the slightest interest in aviation. No wonder some of us still miss her 'golden years'......
Through the photos that you and our numerous other contributors have added, our Forum has gained the historic 'muscle' I only dreamed of when launching the One-stop in January nearly two years ago.
To you, and all our contributors, a huge and heartfelt "Thank You!!"
Peter B
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Post by rj on Dec 16, 2016 11:55:27 GMT
Always happy to share PB, sadly all before my time. With the exception of Prestwick Blackbushe was probably the most interesting UK airport of the 50's, such variety of civil and military and easy access. In the 50's the independents were given contracts to move troops around the remaining UK overseas garrisons. It save the tax payer a good deal of money and kept the independents going. The aircraft frequently operated away from the UK for long periods on routes like Malta-Cyprus-Suez canal zone. The aircraft oftern took up temporary RAF markings, and the crews RAF uniforms. Photos of these aircraft are pretty rare, however I have a couple... XF619 Dakota was Silver City's G-AMYX and is pictured some time in 1953 XE280 was the former G-AMRA during 1952 Talking of Daks KN645 was Monty's personal Dak and was a regular visitors throughout the 1950, seen here parked on the 01 threshold more next week
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Post by PB on Dec 16, 2016 21:20:06 GMT
Can't wait Rob, more priceless pictures. Thank you a million times over!
Be good to see a Dakota back on the airfield, be even better to see concrete works laying new surfaces as in the photo above. I've got at least one Dakota coming in July, subject to serviceability and the usual escape clauses...
Peter
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Post by rj on Dec 19, 2016 13:31:25 GMT
Time for some miscellaneous military from the 50's One of the rarest aircraft to ever visit was the Dutch navy martin Mariner in 1957. These aircraft were stationed in the Dutch Caribbean and only visited 'home' for maintenance. So this visit was a bit of a shock for all that witnessed it. The Supermarine Attacker had a single export order, from the pakistan Air Force. Here R4031 awaits delivery at Blackbushe in 1951 HI-30 Beech D18S of the Dominican Embassy Paris seen during a maintenance visit in 1957
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Post by rj on Dec 21, 2016 14:34:14 GMT
Today we have some images from the US Navy. The USN had a base at Blackbushe from 1954-60 and it's FASRON200 squadron operated a mix of R4D,R5D, R4Y and SNB. In vivil language DC-3,DC-4, Convair 440 and Beech 18. It also played host to many visiting aircraft. Three times a week a R5D visited on it's round Europe tour of USN bases and the R6D and R7V(DC-6 and Conni) jept a link to the US. Lockheed Neptunes frequently transited between the US and temporary duty in The Mediterranean. Most interesting were the Martin Mercators on their spying missions tracking Soviet ships in the Baltic from 55-58. 64084 Consolidated PBY5A of the US naval Attache Athens, seen sometime in 1954. 122209 Martin P4M-1Q of US Naval Squadron VQ-2 parked outside the Navy's hangar c 1955. Bizarrely the Mercators crews stayed at the Ely Pub as there weer no visiting crew accommodations. Image going from the comfoft of a English pub to the front line of the cold war in a few hours! 122207 seen around the same time The North American AJ-2 Savage was no looker! Designed to be the USN's first carrierborne nuclear bomber it came up short in many areas. Their time afloat was short and most were converted into recon, or tanker duties. The weer sporadic Blackbushe visitors, normally turning up in Squadron strength. Here is 122597 from squadron VAH-5 normally attached to the USS Coral Sea and based at Sandford, Florida, pictured 7/8/56. more savages next time....
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