Letter in the local "News & Mail" dated 10 October, 2018.
Oct 11, 2018 6:23:15 GMT
exeglkflyer, simond, and 2 more like this
Post by PB on Oct 11, 2018 6:23:15 GMT
The local press ran an article on the Berlin Airlift recently, but failed to mention the involvement of their local Airport. Called for a letter to be written, did anybody see it? Published yesterday..
Letters Page
News & Mail
Stoke Mill
Woking Road
Guildford
Surrey GU1 1QA
Dear Sir/Madam,
News & Mail dated September 26, 2018, carried an informative article describing the huge effort that went into the Berlin Airlift, the operation to overcome the hardship imposed on the people of West Berlin necessitated by the Russian blockade of their city.
Flying to Berlin so soon after the end of World War Two must have stirred the memories of many British and America aircrew whose cargo a couple of years earlier would have been very different to the relief supplies carried in 1948.
As the name Airlift implies, many aircraft were involved, as were a number of British airfields for the loading and despatch of cargo flights to Berlin. One airfield closely involved in the Berlin Airlift lies in the midst of your paper's circulation, Blackbushe Airport in north-east Hampshire. Blackbushe was not referred to in the, "a little flight relief" article, had it been included I'm sure many of your paper's readers would have been surprised and intrigued as to Blackbushe's role in this extraordinary and historic event...
From war's end Blackbushe increasingly became home to the British independent airline industry, while cosseted and state owned BEA and BOAC were based at Heathrow Airport. The post war British independent airlines faced a tough journey as the Government offered little encouragement being fully behind its own airline brands. Suitable airfields with long hard runways providing convenient access to the capital were another need for any independent airline that valued its chances of success in a difficult market. Blackbushe transferred from its RAF status to that of a new civil airport for London in 1946, this proving to be the answer to our independent airlines' need for a new safe home.
BEA needed additional capacity when faced with the Berlin Airlift, numerous independent airlines benefitted by being put on contract to carry a share of the large amount of food and supplies needed by the people of West Berlin. Blackbushe based Westminster Airways, Airwork, and Silver City found the rates of pay on offer for work on the Airlift very beneficial. Dakotas, Halifax bombers converted to tankers, and the ponderous Bristol Freighter were among the types that regularly flew from Blackbushe in support of West Berlin's hard pressed occupants. The Bristol Freighters were slow but had the ability to carry large consignments not suitable for the narrower bodied participants. Westminster Airways flew 776 Berlin Airlift sorties from Blackbushe, Airwork flew 74 with outsize cargo on the Freighters, while Silver City flew 213 similar cargo sorties.
The Berlin blockade ended in August, 1949, pretty much a year after it commenced. But, during that time Blackbushe's resident airlines earned valuable cash to support their subsequent operations and growth.
Until 1960, when the Government closed Blackbushe having placed their money in Gatwick's development, the Airport was busy not only with its numerous resident airlines, it was also the only US Navy land base in the United Kingdom, plus it served as a vital alternate airfield when Heathrow was below limits due to fog. Diverted flights included numerous BEA and BOAC arrivals, our two state airlines (now British Airways) who also made much use of Blackbushe for their crew training requirements.
Although with a runway now shortened by local council 'activity' in the 1960s, Blackbushe remains an active general aviation facility. An asset to the locality that will bring employment and support of the local economy once Common Land issues have been settled, and a much needed infrastructure established.
Blackbushe served us during the war, she served Germany during the Berlin Airlift, one of her resident airlines, Eagle Airways, rescued many during the Hungarian uprising in 1956, her 76 year history is unique and complex. It must be hoped that common sense now meets the Common Land question eye to eye and Blackbushe continues to serve aviation and the locality for many years to come.
Yours faithfully,
Peter Brown
