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Post by graham on Jul 19, 2015 10:35:07 GMT
Cracking photos Peter, glad to hear that you all had a successful day as well.
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Post by peterbrown on Jul 26, 2015 6:11:07 GMT
Sunday strikes again, time for another sample from "Photo of the Day" over on the 'One-stop Forum' dedicated to Blackbushe. The past few days have been dedicated to the British built heavy metal that once frequented the Blackbushe scene. We've covered the York, Viscount, Britannia, Beverley and the Comet. Below is the Viscount coverage, while today I'll be working on another example of Blackbushe's heavy past for today's edition of "Photo of the Day"... Not sure what at the mo! "Photo of the Day" 20/07/15Ahh yes, following on from yesterday's POTD and remarks pertaining to the beautiful Viscount, today's POTD is strictly Viscount. Viscount at Blackbushe, of course. Being of a certain age, I recall this new shape in the skies of Farnborough with it's seemingly high aspect ratio wing, pencil slim engine nacelles and a truly unique sound. Blackbushe played a significant role in the Viscount story largely because of its location within a few minutes flying time of the Vickers works in Surrey where many a Viscount was born. Early trials were conducted in the hands of the RAF when prototype G-AHRF became VX211 for a period of time.. VX211 at Blackbushe during trials in her military finery
BEA Viscounts often diverted to Blackbushe when Heathrow was below limits. Otherwise, BEA Viscounts were a routine sight amid the Blackbushe traffic on crew training details. Poor old BEA, they managed to write off two Viscounts at Blackbushe on consecutive days while on training sorties. Luckily no injuries sustained so far as the occupants were concerned... Another fog diversion.. Central African Airways VP-YNBCuriously I was to fly in this very aircraft many years later when in the colours of Air Rhodesia. At the time it never occurred that this self same aeroplane had flown from the real Blackbushe. The convenience of Blackbushe with regard to Viscount manufacture was regularly displayed as customers took delivery of their gleaming new Vickers' machines.. Customer crew training was a regular event. ...you get the picture?Some were home based.... While others simply came to die.... Apologies to Eric for making him cry in his Corn FlakesG-ATDR flew into Blackbushe during the Arnold era to be broken up. A sad day. A Viscount gate guard would have been nice...Sadly the Viscount and the 'real' Blackbushe belong to another and long gone era. The Viscount story has reached its end, but hopefully the Blackbushe story may yet have a few more chapters waiting to be written??? The Viscount Viscount Network provides useful facts and milestones from the life of the Viscount... vickersviscount.net/Index/VickersViscount001History.aspxPB
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Post by graham on Jul 26, 2015 7:57:58 GMT
What a fabulous collection of Viscount photos there Peter and I still recall the whistle of those engines at many a Saturday spent at Heathrow on the QB overlooking the BEA Viscounts, Vanguards and Argosy stands. Some rare birds there too, Colombian, Uruguayan, etc. The Viscount to me was always a lovely looking aircraft at a time when most prop-driven craft were way more utilitarian in their looks. As always, many thanks for sharing your collection with us here.
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 2, 2015 5:47:33 GMT
The past week has been full of drama at Blackbushe and we've hit the global news headlines..Photo of the Day continued its view of multi engined aircraft that featured in the airport's history..the Avro Tudor being a significant player... "Photo of the Day" 29/07/15Considering the austerity we faced after the second world war the British aircraft industry faced the future with courage and optimism. Transport designs were growing on drawing boards across the land, despite the surfeit of 'pre-owned' aeroplanes that came onto the market once the Nazi flag had been lowered. Stirlings and Halifax aircraft found use in the post war cargo world and they added to the inventory of heavy multi engined types to have operated from Blackbushe in the process. But... AVRO had provided the military market with the Lancaster and its successor the Lincoln, but peace dictated a need for something somewhat more suitable for the new passenger carrying market that was envisaged..This need was filled from AVRO's perspective with a new passenger airliner, the Tudor. The first pressurised airliner, using a new circular fuselage design the Tudor MkI hoped to take great chunks out of the prospective commercial market while adding to the Blackbushe's heavy multi engined types. I'm having doubts as to whether the Tudor can be called beautiful in the way that later British commercial aircraft were as seen on POTD over the past few days. A huge single fin and rudder gave the aircraft an ungainly look, but that's just my view point. The Tudor was a British key to the door of peace time commercial air transport, both from cargo and passenger perspectives. The Americans were also turning keys destined for far greater things, the Tudor never achieved the success its designers had hoped for due to its technical limitations and more advanced designs from over the Atlantic. Names such as AVM Bennett and Freddie Laker bought into the Tudor. The AVM with Airflight and Laker with Air Charter. The Tudor I was heavy and unstable, but a significant number were ordered by the government (Ministry of Supply) for BOAC. This in the face of competition from the USA in the form of C-54's and the Constellation - both of which were better performers. The Tudor's instability ailment was sent to RAE Farnborough who fashioned a fix with a new tailplane and the big fin/rudder down the back. The knife in the Tudor's back must have been when the BOAC order was cancelled? The great Roy Chadwick who gave us the Lancaster to name but one of his designs was killed in a Tudor crash which did not help the type's popularity. However, despite the advent of tricycle u/c types from the USA the Tudor soldiered on in its tail dragger configuration and did useful work with the likes of Bennett and Laker in the form of the long nosed Tudor MKIV. Tudor MK IV G-AGRY at Blackbushe in the hands of Freddie Laker's Air Charter. 1952..
G-AGRY was originally delivered new to AVM Bennett's Blackbushe based Airflight in 1948. (Airflight was subsequently renamed Fairflight). G-AGRY was at Blackbushe under the name of Air Charter in 1952 having been acquired by the Freddie Laker concern. G-AGRY joins AVM Bennett's airline at Blackbushe. 1948.
AVM Bennett was, of course, not only famous for his wartime achievements in the 'Pathfinder' force, he also saved Blackbushe from extinction in 1960 when he purchased 360 acres of the site following the govenment's decision to cease all flying here. Blackbushe lies in the background wearing a very post-war look..Tudor II, G-AGRH of British South American Airways at Blackbushe on crew training detail with AVM Bennett in 1947. Also seen at Blackbushe in 1958 in the hands of Air Charter. Heavy engineering at Blackbushe...during the Tudor periodThe 'office' ..Blackbushe based Tudor of FairflightFlight Engineers 'office' Freight or passengers? The versatile Tudor.Back of the bus with modified tailplane and rudder to improve stabilityOur old friend Merlin in one of his many guisesDeparting Blackbushe's runway 08 with four Merlins and a Tudor at your service.....and the Tudor back in quiet mode..She was big, she had four mighty engines, she might not have been over beautiful, but she was a part of Blackbushe and together with the likes of Bennett and Laker, they forged the pathway toward our modern day air travel that is simply taken for granted. We've much to thank the 'post-war pioneers' for. PB
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 2, 2015 5:54:52 GMT
..and if you'll excuse me, here's a second one from last week. Featured another AVRO creation, with a comment from myself as to the runway length at Blackbushe following this week's accident. "Photo of the Day" 01/08/15The season of mists and mellow fruitfulness comes a step closer, August arrives and POTD continues with its look at the big, beautiful British multi-engined aeroplanes that were once a part of the Blackbushe scene. The Viscount, York, Britannia, Hermes, Tudor, Marathon and the little Heron have passed through the POTD window so far, but there remain one or two other contenders.. During World War Two Blackbushe served as a key military air base during which many an aeroplane turned to its welcoming runways when in trouble. The Lancaster was no exception. With it's four engines, and beautiful - but chilling - appearance, the 'Lanc' certainly qualifies for inclusion in the Blackbushe British built 'multis'... Not only in wartime did the Lancaster feature at Blackbushe, the type was based here operated by Eagle on behalf of the Ministry of Supply in full RAF traditional Lancaster decor. The Lancaster appeared in the 1960's a few years after the government decided to scrap Blackbushe. The government folly had failed and both Blackbushe and the Lancaster enjoyed a brief reuniting long after they were both supposedly killed off by the men from the ministry. The 'Blackbushe' Lancaster NX739 undergoes some TLC in Eagle's hangar on Blackbushe 'south'NX739Note the Eagle motif beneath the DV windowEvery picture tells a story was never truer?From 1954 to 1957 NX739 was a feature and resident of Blackbushe. Often she would be parked near the A30 on the Airport's south side. Although very young at the time, the outstanding and meaningful shape of the roadside Lanc is clearly etched on my memory. Warbirds of Great Britain RCAF Lancaster at Blackbushe. Neither arrival or departure were by air.Doug Arnold's Lancaster shown above was the latest Lancaster to grace Blackbushe even if it was in pieces, but will it be the last? The RAF Memorial Flight have given Blackbushe the occasional momentary fly by..Neil Williams and the last Lancaster landing at Blackbushe with G-ASXXThe Lancaster returns. G-ASXX occupies a commanding chunk of the remaining Blackbushe apron.Doug Arnold surveys G-ASXX with cheque book at the ready?G-ASXX, or "Just Jane" as she is today. Alive and taxiing at East Kirkby. Looking back at the Lancaster's appearances at Blackbushe between the war's end and the 1960 closure there were quite a few...here are some. April 1948, PB284 Lancaster X from RAE Farnborough due Farnborough being closed, numerous visits from Lancasters of the RAF's School of Maritime Reconnaissance were made during the fifties, September '59 TW669 a Lancaster PR9 for air to air photo shoot with Westland Wyvern, August '51 Lancaster delivery to Egyptian Air Force, December '51 B-040 and B-042 for delivery to Argentine Air Force. We must never forget the 75,000 young RAF aircrew who gave their all for our today, many of them whilst flying the Avro Lancaster. So we close the POTD pages for today in a sombre mood reflecting not only on the Lancaster and her brave crews, but also on what happened at Blackbushe yesterday. Curiously only yesterday POTD remarked on how a large amount of the original apron was destroyed thanks to local influences financed by local sources. At the same time an equally destructive attack was made when the main runway was reduced in length as a result of local 'pressure', it's demise being a part of the total demolition launched on the eastern end of Blackbushe by parties alien to the continuation of flying from the south-east's finest airport. Sadly, parties opposed to Blackbushe and flying scattered nails on the runways that were the property of AVM Bennett, runways that could not be excavated were thus sabotaged. Fair land exchanges were offered that would have enabled an equal amount of Airport land to be exchanged for use by the area's residents and their dogs, while the runway would have retained its length - and safety. The airport and its users would have benefitted from the extra safety that the intact runway would have provided while not increasing additional environmental concerns.. Unfortunately the last day of July, 2015, witnessed an accident that would most likely not have happened if the Airport owners' had had their land exchange proposals accepted by those who long ago insisted in turning the east end of Blackbushe into a wilderness. PB
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Post by billsamuels on Aug 2, 2015 7:06:26 GMT
Morning Pierre,
Your magical use of the English language is to be marveled at... Much appreciate your time and energy to post my friend.
All the best.
Bill
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Post by graham on Aug 2, 2015 7:37:13 GMT
Thank you Peter, such wonderful story telling as ever. I learn more from your weekly posts here than I could from any book. The thoughts of all AFA members go to the people killed in yesterday's accident.
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 2, 2015 10:18:23 GMT
Sincere thanks to Bill and Graham for their glowing comments. Bill, your words almost caused a tear to spring forth, Graham my pleasure, I do it from a love of an old airfield and a driving sense to preserve her memory and push hard toward her recognition as a future asset to the benefit of us all.. Who knows?
You may like to spend a minute on today's POTD...Not aeroplanes in particular, just a walk on an old aerodrome. Do drop in, it took me ages!!!
Pete B
PS Extended congrats to you guys for such a magnificent contribution to the aviation scene. Priceless!! (must be time to share a coffee again soon guys?)
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Post by graham on Aug 2, 2015 17:18:54 GMT
Any time you like Peter, the Bushe is just an hour or so's drive for me and I must say, I haven't dropped by for a couple of months.
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 9, 2015 5:42:34 GMT
The week's are getting shorter. Must be, it gets dark earlier? Anyway, another week is in the bag and I've picked two days from last week's "POTD".... There's this one which is based on my regular walk about... followed by a much shorter but relevant look at Blackbushe from above.. "Photo of the Day" 02/08/15Sorry that POTD arrived late today, it's taken literally hours of photo flicking and I'm taking the rest of the day off!!
After a week of Blackbushe hitting the global press for reasons we all know, POTD is taking a day off from looking back at the multi-engined past instead we're taking a walk and looking at the ever changing landscape that once was London's second airport. Just a matter of minutes before the 'event' that concluded in BCA's car park last week I completed my 2.5 mile Blackbushe walk on the Airport's abandoned acres. The walk is multi-purpose. First to keep the red stuff flowing through my heart's metal tube a bit longer, and second and far more important is the chance to commune with memories of the past and observe with heart breaking sadness how the airfield is rapidly becoming lost under nature's onset. Walking alone on the old airfield always makes me feel uneasy when passing others walkers. Most people using the deserted acres of Blackbushe are either taking the dog for a walk, cycling in pairs or taking the kids for some exercise. I just pray they don't think this guy with the airline baseball cap wandering around on his own is some kind of pervert. Sadly, the Yateley Common part of disused Blackbushe has had its share of such cases. I do not have a dog, my kids are at work, and I have not ridden a bike for several decades so participation in the standard use of deserted Blackbushe for me is limited to pacing in my size elevens and looking terribly interested in the flora and fauna... So, why don't we embark on a walk together right now and take a look at Blackbushe through our eyes of today, while seeing some of the sights through the eyes of yesteryear.. First we set up, "Map my Walk" the app I use to monitor such missions. Average speed, probably one mile every sixteen minutes but stopping to take in the view, take photos, or simply reflect always brings down the average speed. First stop, we've made it onto the great public facility, Yateley Common, and stop for a breather... Today, after the extension was destroyed by the County Council and BCA had restored what was theirsand yesterday... The Terminal in 1956 before the extension was addedthe old apron just ain't the sameIt's hard to put the past behind you on these walks... Having crossed the apron via the magical Vigo Lane track, we look back on an apron that has supported kings, queens, presidents and world famous celebrity..Yes, it's changed, but the history is locked in for ever..sadly that history is in the minds of ever fewer numbers, hopefully POTD will play a small part in retaining it?Now and again nature lends her hand at changing the sceneryNo fires this week, not at this end of Blackbushe at least, but walking through the large amounts of broom that occupy the old airfield one is entertained by the endless seed pod popping as they spray their DNA in all directions in hopes of further hiding the decaying aerodrome. snap, crackle, and pop nature's way...Nature provides various weapons on the disused acres, one of the more worrying being the zig zagged marked adder who will sink his fangs into passing legs if he feels it necessary. On Blackbushe they are common encounters (sorry about the pun), but if you keep moving, walk 'noisily' and don't antagonise them you might come through alive.. Best avoided if you can! Not a romantic picture maybe, but evidence that our work in 1960 to replace runway drainage has been left to decayMany days were spent as the AVM, Gordon Wilmer - and me when on school hols - replaced all the runway drainage covers that had been smashed by the government's demolition teams. Smashed, filled with rubble and left in that state. A total disgrace, and now they are totally abandoned. The AVM made metal molds to fit the drains. Having dug out the rubble the new concrete covers fashioned from the molds were lowered into place. That was done for every drain on every runway, no idea how many but it was a massive undertaking. How sad! Others were away on holiday during the long school summer break, I made concrete drain covers. Makes you wonder? However, the passing years are showing some fruits today... A lonesome apple tree shows the signs of early ripening on olde Blackbushe, the result of some long forgotten picnic?While out on the east end of Blackbushe, so obviously used by dogs, one finds this remote piece of FIDO's infrastructure amid the tangle.. Another bit of Blackbushe that defeated the demolition man, a scrap of FIDO from whence raged fog beating fire storms long ago..Another exotic sight!!On the end of 07 where the Yateley Common destruction of Blackbushe ended lies this large intact manhole cover. Evidence of the complex infrastructure that once lay beneath Blackbushe. As we continue our walk onto the now abandoned acres of Blackbushe, runway 14/32 that looked almost cared for last year, now shows the return of nature. A wild buddleia occupies a chance crack in the runway. He'll add further to the destruction going on every day..The intersection of runways 14/32 and 01/19 as seen today.....and "yesterday" where we parked the Italian Air Force during one of our better Farnborough Weeks..Alongside an old runway today.. A summer's day 2015..and on another day, lost in the mists of time, our aircrews lived and died as they flew from this hallowed turfA sobering thought as you walk on these places in summer silence. The central triangle of Blackbushe formed the HQ for our 1977 Blackbushe Air Festival.. See how it's changed?It's all a bit of a blur now! No chance of running airshows or using the north side again?My fitness regime involves a convoluted progression around assorted disused runways, a link between runways being the northern taxiway. This is still in good condition although trees, brambles and assorted tangled things are all doing their best to overpower what was the site of great aviation things. The disconcerting thing about here was the fact that my walk coincided with ants who were occupied in their summer mating flights, thousands of them. Now this is not only the aim of those on package flights to Majorca apparently, the Blackbushe wild life were getting in on the act fr anticley. Unfortunately, the white polo shirt I was wearing was giving out the wrong signals. More akin to a whirling dervish than a walker on the old aerodrome the flailing arms, swearing and conversion from walking to err sort of running threw off those who apparently saw me as a large queen (ant). Heaven forbid.. Runway 14/32 awaited in silent sanctity where I only met a very friendly canine whose very attractive blonde owner had to make successive demands for her latter day FIDO to stop looking at me rather like the ants had done a few minutes earlier. Really! An empty 14/32 on 31 July, 2015...empty bar the plants and trees doing their demolition best....and a few years back when Roger Russell and I waved our bats around and parked a multitude on 14/32 for Farnborough Week. So much of the past is missing...On returning to today and civilisation in the Airport Terminal one walks by what's left of the southern taxiway on Yateley Common.. The southern taxiway from the apron leading to the hold for 32 and then onward to 26 hold today...See how it's changed?The BCA complex and it's spreading in 2015...While standing on 01/19 I took the above rather fuzzy shot of how BCA are spreading their cars since the Sunday Market closed. A few minutes after taking the photo the Bin Laden family arrived, and the rest is now known across the world. 31st July, 2015. Indeed a day for thought.... PB AND then there's this one which has relevance to recent events... "Photo of the Day" 04/08/15POTD staff still under pressure from outside sources where time is very much at a premium. Tomorrow we'll hopefully continue the 'magnificent multi engined machines of Blackbushe', but today a very quick but fun game. It's called, "Come to your own Conclusion". Anyone can play. PB
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Post by graham on Aug 9, 2015 6:35:23 GMT
Many thanks as always Peter, so interesting and thought provoking. I had the pleasure of reading the "walk around Blackbushe" on your forum last week so it is indeed so kind of you to reproduce it here for the benefit of all AFA members. One question if I may? - what was FIDO? I do recall reading about it on the other place some time ago so perhaps you would be kind enough to explain what is was if there's anyone else who, like me, can't recall what it was for?
It's also interesting ( from my viewpoint at least) that on the photo immediately above, what was "Blackbushe South" has remained almost free from trees and shrubs; is there a specific reason why this is?
Many thanks
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 9, 2015 10:57:19 GMT
Hi Graham My pleasure, as always! To answer your question re FIDO..it was the system installed on very few airfields and first made the news guiding WW2 bombers back to base in fog. Basically a strip either side of the runway through which you pump petrol. You then set it on fire and land aeroplanes hopefully between each strip of fire. Blackbushe used it in peacetime. Best thing is to read Stuart's (flyboy) FIDO story taken directly from the 'one-stop' forum.. blackbusheairport.proboards.com/thread/87/fog-dispersal-systemThe aerial photo shows the Blackbushe of today. As you say, "Blackbushe south" stands out being nicely clear of forest, it also shows how the main runway ends abruptly with an earth bank and a car park. From that we can draw our conclusions following recent tragic events. Blackbushe south. The area was cleared of trees and most foliage some while ago. No idea why, but it was great to see a bit of old Blackbushe emerge into daylight having become horribly overgrown. It looks so much better, but sadly the hangars and the Hermes, Vikings etc are long gone. Could still be a useful part of a future Blackbushe.....I wish the north side of Blackbushe would be cleared as it daily grows into a jungle as described in my submission to AFA today. Such a waste. It was somewhat ironic that on the day we had the official unveiling of the "Airlines of Blackbushe Airport" sign they decided to burn large numbers of the trees that had been fallen over on Blackbushe south.. The smoke combined so nicely with the rain and strong wind that blew directly from the south. Perhaps the smoke was symbolic, reflecting as it disappeared the way the airlines of Blackbushe had also vanished. Will give you some dates for a Bushe meet-up soonest... Peter
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Post by graham on Aug 9, 2015 14:54:34 GMT
Many thanks Peter, I will certainly read Stuart's piece.
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 16, 2015 7:41:52 GMT
Hello again.. Another week logged during which I finished my look at the big British multi engined aircraft that once operated from Blackbushe Airport. To the magnificent "Aviation for All" forum all the way from her Blackbushe sister forum we take a look at the Hastings, once a regular shape and sound at EGLK.. "Photo of the Day" 09/08/15Looking at the big, British and bootiful at Blackbushe over the past decades comes another large multi today. Once again we turn to the factories of Handley Page for an aeroplane that was simply bursting with character and military magnificence. The name conjures up visions of perhaps a Victorian sea side escape, or Hercule Poirots erstwhile assistant.. Hastings!! Coming to the end of the tail dragger format whereby passengers had an uphill climb to their seat, the Hastings to me always portrayed an air of power and beauty linked to an era that was slipping slowly into the past. Blackbushe handled many a Hastings in her day, partly due to the nearby Army nerve centre at Aldershot, routine visits including Farnborough Week, and in particular movements for home based Airwork. Airwork conducted a lot of work at Blackbushe involved with their military contracts upgrading RAF aircraft. TG622 of RAF Coastal Command, Farnborough Week, '59. Parked on the grass - thanks to Blackbushe's strength courtesy of the natural gravel bed upon which she is builtTG513 of 242 OCU also Farnborough '59Hastings MET 1 TG517 ex 202Sqn awaits conversion with Airwork, Blackbushe, for conversion to Hastings T5TG616 of 114 Sqn. prob one of the last Hastings movements at Blackbushe - she was here on 12 May, 1960.June, 1957. WD497 from 114Sqn, RAF ColerneThe Hastings and Blackbushe were regular partners through the fifties, but all good things come to an end. Some of us still remember the days well..... Thanks to 'Flyboy' for today's photographs that serve well to remind us of Blackbushe's long gone days when big multi engined aircraft were just a part of the daily diet. PB
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Post by graham on Aug 16, 2015 8:16:19 GMT
As always many thanks to you for the "words" Peter and to Stuart for the "visuals", much appreciated.
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 23, 2015 5:41:42 GMT
Here we are again..Sunday's snippet from POTD..
"Photo of the Day" 21/08/15Crawling into the early morning light today brought about the usual question..What can we do on POTD that hasn't been done before?? The answer becomes less obvious by the day. Once I've descended into the gloom of the vaults in search of notions something usually hits me, if not an idea more likely one of the many blood sucking bats employed to guard the cobweb lined dungeon wherein so many Blackbushe memories are stored...Who said running a daily POTD would be easy? Well, the bats were flying and if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Today we find ourselves trundling round the Blackbushe circuit during one of countless such exercises that witnessed the airfield's rapid demise under the hands of local 'influences' whereby local purses found themselves paying for a massive runway and taxiway demolition programme in an area we shall call, "East of Vigo Lane". "East of Vigo Lane", what an interesting book that would make... Blackbushe Airport, late sixties..Really unable to put an accurate date on the above. Many years went around when nothing much changed once the anti-Blackbushe lobby had dug up the east end..Not the best angle to view the east end but you can follow the line whereupon all to the east is dug up, to the west the airfield remains less damaged. The photo is looking south-east to assist with orientation. The distant main apron is two thirds destroyed as indicated by its sandy colour, you can follow the destruction line to where 08/26 and 14/32 intersect. Both those superb runways are reduced to rubble to the east. If you still have the heart, you can follow the trail of destruction to the northern taxiway adjacent to the US Navy hangar. More reduced to rubble areas...Amazingly, remains of the destruction operation are still lying on the 'common' over fifty years later.. Did anybody ask questions as to why?? In the foreground on 'airport land' we see the squiggle of the Blackbushe Go-kart track down in 'the valley', while on the nearest taxiway it looks as if perhaps the Caravan Club are having one of their rallies? Blackbushe 'south' after its removalBlackbushe to the south of the A30 was also excavated, being part of the Calthorpe Estate it was returned to its pre-war status. The infrastructure is still visible from the air today, helped considerably by the big tree clearance exercise a couple of years ago. This work was not carried under the same banner as that carried out east of Vigo Lane, but nonetheless it was very sad to see the Eagle, and Britavia/Silver City hangars disappear at lightening speed. Early seventies..??Dates again area problem, but looking at how the scrub is growing on the area east of Vigo Lane the runways must have been dug up for a while. The area withing the Islander's 'square' again shows how much apron was destroyed needlessly by local 'influences'..you can see where runway 19 crossed the A30, and looking at the far eastern taxiway you can see where airliners were once towed across the A30. I still find looking at what was 'old' Blackbushe somewhat akin to looking at the grave of a lost friend. Hard to explain, but that's how it is. And finally... From the north, looking south..This view shows Vigo Lane tracking across the Airport, meeting the runway intersection, slicing through the main apron, and tragically, also the main Terminal Building. The large percentage of the apron lost is more clearly seen, and as we all know, the elected powers permitted the Terminal to rot rather than exchange it for a very sensible land exchange - and money.... Well, that was Friday at POTD..the vaults having yielded memories of ancient flights and the odorous activity 'east of Vigo Lane'.... PB
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Post by graham on Aug 23, 2015 7:14:27 GMT
Thanks as always Peter for your thought provoking Sunday post and photos. How much length was sliced from the main runway when the bulldozers moved in?
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 23, 2015 9:53:50 GMT
Graham,
The day the bulldozers moved in, Blackbushe had a 6,000ft runway. By the time they moved out our runway was 4,200ft in length. The best part of 2,000ft was mercilessly removed.
If the local 'powers that be' had negotiated and accepted various generous offers of land exchanges from Blackbushe's owner at the time they would not now have the lives of those lost due to the short runway on their consciences..
Per ardua ad astra, as they say...
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 30, 2015 5:02:18 GMT
August Bank Holiday.. soon be Christmas - again! Hopefully the daily photos will continue over on the 'one-stop' forum..here's this week's extract.
"Photo of the Day" 27/08/15Staying with the sixties, the early half of the sixties, another Sunday morning shot from the days when an aeroplane was a rare commodity at Blackbushe Airport... Blackbushe had shrunk, so had the size of her visitors in the 60's. A ghost from her previous life looks on from the distant 'common' land..sadly never to host another aeroplane.The Tiger Club did us proud over many weekends in the far forgotten sixties. Ron Palmer in particular would make the journey from Fairoaks, a Tiger Club base at the time, to Blackbushe for a chat and a cuppa. The Turbulent. Minute in size, but it was the age of the Mini (cars, skirts...), and the Turbulent seemed to suit all sizes of pilot, much as the Mini would absorb all sizes of driver. Having spent much time building powered model aeroplanes, this small device from Druine across the Channel was to all intents a blown-up model. But, from my schoolboy days - as they were back then - this little machine was pure magic. It felt like a model as your school boy hands caressed her doped fabric, but the vast difference was with a cockpit that offered dials, gauges and a control stick that transformed this small machine into an 'aeroplane'! The Tiger Club boys would sometimes arrive in company as two or three Turbulents joined our silent Sunday circuit. Made a change from the voluntary duties that our small band of 'Blackbushe people' were engaged in most Sundays. Blackbushe suddenly became an aerodrome as the little VW engines putt puttered their way to the apron. 'Blackbushe people' would gather round the newly arrived aviators almost as if they had performed some Bleriot like accomplishment rather than a short flight across the firing ranges from Fairoaks. The little VW engines clink clinked as they cooled, the machines they powered once more showing the world (well, users of the A30) that Blackbushe still had life in her aeronautical arteries.. Many weekends passed where no aircraft would be seen at Blackbushe, we lived in hopes that maybe, "next weekend?" somebody might 'come in'... But those weekends when a flying machine swooped in to join us were magnificent, and our labours in helping the AVM with the clearing-up job, decorating the new Blackbushe Aero Club offices, or just moving government strewn rubble proved they had a purpose as we hoped for bigger things in the future. PB
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Post by graham on Aug 30, 2015 7:24:33 GMT
Thanks as ever Peter. Another question if I may? How long did the USN hangar remain intact following Blackbushe's closure? It all looks to be in one piece in your photo above.
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Post by peterbrown on Aug 30, 2015 9:14:49 GMT
Hi Graham.. Good question, as always! Sitting here with the brain in Sunday mode, ie even less functional than usual, an exact answer has escaped me! The US hangar remained a part of the Blackbushe scene into the seventies. A very frustrating part of the scene with such a huge hangar so near - yet so far. AVM Bennett made efforts to acquire it but these were unsuccessful, the thought of aeroplanes returning to that part of the airfield was too much for the pro common land fraternity.
The hangar was used by Clarke Equipment and then All Wheel Drive for the assembly of mega earth moving vehicles. The hangar was vacated for reasons that I wish I could muster, but it was left empty. Local "enterprises" decided to help themselves to the structure on a bit by bit basis until it was deemed too dangerous and had to be demolished. Sorry I cannot give you exact dates at the moment, but you get the picture that the mighty hangar survived for quite some years after the airfield was closed by the government.
Just another part of the endlessly frustrating saga that prevents Blackbushe from being the airfield it could/should be....
P
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Post by graham on Aug 30, 2015 10:12:14 GMT
Thanks very much Peter, no precise date needed, just a general idea as you have provided...;0)
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Post by peterbrown on Sept 6, 2015 5:47:59 GMT
Another serving from the Blackbushe forum.....
"Photo of the Day" 01/09/15September. Another year moves into the autumn of its days, but before the bite of winter September offers sunlit memories of days long past at Blackbushe. Farnborough Week used to be every September, and while Farnborough created her own unique memories of the British aircraft industry (it used to be British aircraft and equipment only...), Blackbushe provided the visitors' aeroplanes the perfect and most convenient point of arrival.. All shapes and sizes flocked to Blackbushe for Farnborough WeekArrivals were not always strictly textbook...The A30 offered extraordinary opportunities to get close up and quite personal with Farnborough visitorsUSAF Hercules 60529 of 322 Air Division USAF arrived early September, 1958.This one's departing Farnborough, but on 6th September, 1955, Blackbushe became the only airport in the world to receive a visit from the serving Prime Minister aboard an Avro Vulcan..XA890 in fact. Prime Minister Eden became yet another PM to use Blackbushe.Some just couldn't stopPrincess Flying Boat makes a sweep of Blackbushe. Long before the US Navy hangar was built..Many years later, in private hands, the Airport the nation abandoned continued to serve Farnborough visitors..But in the September's of World War Two, Blackbushe witnessed an altogether different aspect...September, the month of memories..Blackbushe in her 73rd September has much to remember. PB
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Post by peterbrown on Sept 27, 2015 7:34:48 GMT
G'morning, another small slice from the Blackbushe forum... "Photo of the Day" 26/09/15What has happened to time? I must have entered some kind of time warp, in what seems like two minutes another week has flown out of the calendar and into 'the past'...Exactly a week ago I was at dear old Duxford surrounded by more Spitfires than you'd need to swat a bunch of angry 109's - it must be that too many weeks have flown into the past and now time is almost non-existent with question marks floating around as to what I might have been doing in the twilight zones between weekends? Probably something to do with Blackbushe..certainly involving aviation in some form. If time goes much faster I'll soon be reporting from the future, and so far as Blackbushe is concerned that might be quite interesting? Anyway, returning to the past, and a classic shape from the British aircraft industry designed to sting Adolf's tail... Heard the buzz, a Mosquito in December?Yes it's 22nd December, 1958. Not a seasonal time for the Mosquito, but this one's property of a Royal Air Force Fighter Command Communications Squadron. Mosquito T3 TV959 going about its business. Talking of Duxford, this very aeroplane joined the Imperial War Museum collection, but moved south to New Zealand where she is now. Paul Allen's Flying Heritage Collection intend to put TV959 back into the sky..As you know, Paul Allen was the co-founder of Microsoft alongside some guy called Gates. During the last war there were numerous Mosquito squadrons based at Blackbushe...but thanks to Doug Arnold's Warbirds of Great Britain the unique shape and sound made one last appearance. The last Mosquito to be seen at Blackbushe? ..the Arnold Mosquito was sold to Kermit Weeks in the USA, since when the sound and unique shape of this wonderful aeroplane has been lost to the land of its birth. PB
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Post by graham on Sept 27, 2015 16:53:08 GMT
Thanks so much Peter, yet another iconic aircraft we rarely see these days.
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Post by peterbrown on Sept 27, 2015 21:53:57 GMT
My pleasure Graham..The past week marked one of those days that can change your life, perhaps I could mark it on here too? My "Photo of the Day" contribution from 21st September. "Photo of the Day" 21/09/15With the Anniversary of the Battle of Britain very much on our minds, today marks a bleak occasion during the 1980 Battle of Britain events. It was on this day, 21st September, that my dearest friend Roger Russell was lost when the Invader crashed during the Biggin Hill 'Battle of Britain' air display. Roger...His heart and soul had found their place at Blackbushe, probably in part due to my brain washing, he was without doubt my most stalwart supporter when help was needed preparing for events at Blackbushe. I had the honour of being his first passenger after qualifying for his PPL, and for the years that I knew him our friendship was one of the best. This morning in 1980 we were preparing to go to Biggin in one of the Blackbushe based B-25's. Roger and I had flown with Don Bullock on a number of occasions in the B-17 and today he was flying the Invader at Biggin...Sadly, the B-25 refused to start, or rather the starboard engine refused to splutter into life. When it did our taxi to 26 was stopped when the nosewheel tyre burst. At this point I decided we'd never get to Biggin on time, and as my wife and I were due to have lunch with friends in Hatfield I felt compelled to leave Blackbushe and said 'cheerio' to Roger as he sat in the boot of a Ford Granada acting as a human tow hook for the airport's trolly acc - to pump some life into the Mitchell. Hope still existed that they'd get the 25 airworthy.. I felt bad about not attending the lunch invite and joined my wife and very young son for the trip to Hertfordshire. The B-25 did get going, they made Biggin Hill and Roger joined Don Bullock in the Invader. I drove to Hatfield, and what difference that made. On returning home that evening, the phone rang. It was Roger's Mum asking if he was with me. That phone call was without doubt the most harrowing phone call I have ever been a part of. Roger now rests in the cemetery just off Cricket Hill, in line with the approach to Blackbushe's main runway. He's never far away from Blackbushe, or my thoughts.... PB
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Post by peterbrown on Oct 4, 2015 6:45:56 GMT
These weeks just keep getting shorter..here we are again with some thoughts from old Blackbushe.... "Photo of the Day" 03/10/15It's funny how despite being 'retired' for a few years, Saturday dawns and it still feels somehow 'special'.. Perhaps because life is always hectic, and ad hoc work leaps up to keep the business buzz buzzing during the week that the weekend still feels detached from Monday to Friday? But, "Photo of the Day" seems to know no barriers and ploughs on with its seven days a week service. For how long I've no idea... Either when I run out of steam, whatever that might imply, or when I finally find that morning when I sit here at around 06.00 and find there is just no more left to say. No idea now many visits "POTD" gets on a daily basis of late, perhaps that could be my gauge as to when to close the editorial doors for the last time.. Who knows? Starting Saturday with an advert... Last night, being Friday obviously, my significantly better half and I decided to visit "The Ely", Blackbushe's nearest restaurant and hotel. Literally a mile from the Terminal Building. Hadn't been there for ages, but would say that under the new ownership/management the experience was very good. The place was humming with activity, food great, prices reasonable, service also excellent. Sadly driving limited my experience of a rather nice red to the regulation drop in the ocean. Very pleased after previous visits had left me less than impressed under previous operators. I would say that despite the years, one could not help think of the RAF Hartford Bridge air crews who would have sunk the odd pint here during the war, and what their aircraft must have sounded like as they overflew during the years of conflict. If you have not read Flyboy's accounts of WW2 life at Blackbushe you should do so. They are all on this forum. OK, moving along to the day's business..Keeping the military in mind, but during the more peaceful fifties. US Navy Beech SNB-5 51054, plus R4D-8 39109, both home based and operated by Blackbushe based FASRON 200, taking a rest in the US Navy's Blackbushe Airport complex.Another US Navy R4D-8 outside the massive US Navy hangarThe US Navy base at Blackbushe certainly gave the Airport a unique difference to the other 'London' airports. The above photo demonstrates the size of their hangar in relation to 'people' as the US Navy personnel in the photo would indicate.. That's it for now, have a good weekend.. PB
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Post by graham on Oct 6, 2015 8:55:48 GMT
Great shots and historical background as ever Peter. I had seen your tribute to Roger on the old place but reading it again here does nothing to lessen the tragedy of that day and the loss you as his friend, and his family must have felt.
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Post by peterbrown on Oct 11, 2015 7:08:53 GMT
Hello from the "One-stop" forum.. Some memories of old friends! "Photo of the Day" 09/10/15At 06.00 the POTD staff found themselves confronted with, " ". A large blank betwixt port and starboard listening devices. The POTD staff grey cell was instructed to return to Blackbushe deep memory at warp factor ten and see what might get beamed up from the dark beyond. The first signals received indicated a number of large white tails, lined up on Blackbushe 'south' with others on the main apron or in Airwork's complex. Yes, the probe had reached a point in time forgotten by many, unknown to even more, and remembered by a dwindling few. The large white tails belonged to that elegant design from Handley Page, the Hermes! Sadly, not the most popular airliner used by our state carrier BOAC, but a work horse when acquired by the independents who were mainly based at Blackbushe. The Hermes at Blackbushe.... Airwork's G-ALDCBritavia's G-ALDKAirwork's G-ALDOAirwork's G-ALDGBritavia's G-ALDXAirwork's G-AKFPAirwork's G-ALD something..Britavia's G-ALDPBritavia's G-ALDU..and so it goes on. The deep memory extraction process indicates that those large white tails left a lasting impression. What was an everyday sight and sound is no more than a handful of old photos, and a cluster of old memories that lurk in the deep, dark and distant recesses of the grey cell... Google "hermes" and you get Greek gods, parcel deliveries, some kind of naval boat, a French space plane, but the Hermes that carried the names Airwork, Britavia, Skyways, or even BOAC are way down the list. Still, we remember her, or at least some of us do, and from my point of view as one who could but stand and stare from the car park in those far off days...with great affection. How good it would be to beamed up (or is it down) to the fifties and return to that Blackbushe car park from whence so many of today's dreams were born, and Hermes roared?? Would I want to come back? PB
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Post by peterbrown on Oct 11, 2015 7:11:42 GMT
AND..as today is a special day in the life of the Vulcan, here's an extra bit from this morning's "POTD"... "Photo of the Day" 11/10/15"FAREWELL" to our triangular friend... Today is the last day the Avro Vulcan's iconic shape will be seen in the skies of northern Hampshire. Without doubt the world's most outstanding nuclear bomber, AND the only V-Bomber to have landed at Blackbushe carrying our Prime Minister, probably the only V-Bomber to have landed anywhere carrying the PM?? XA890, 6th September, 1955. Sir Anthony Eden. She will route over Farnborough coming up from Dunsfold direction before turning west to overhead Popham via Church Crookham where I will wave from the back garden.. I did ask the Vulcan team if they might consider moving the route a notch to include BB considering her historic involvement there, but no reply... The Vulcan carries a piece of my late father's electronic gizmos in the top of her fin. White Vulcans clearly show this 'what ever it was' in a black housing atop the front of the fin. His contribution to the Vulcan will, I assume, be making it's final flypast of Farnborough in a few hours, never to return. Sad, but life goes on as aeroplanes, like us, come and finally depart... She could have lived longer, but sadly RR could not justify the tooling expense required to keep her engines turning, thus the three sided wonder will soon join the legion of flightless birds. I know I put this photo on here recently, but it shows the Vulcan at Blackbushe when her four Olympus engines feel their throttles nudge forward, and the sky is very much the limit. Blackbushe "Barnstormers" Air Show cc 1972
Sadly she probably won't make Blackbushe airspace today, but I'm sure we would all wish her "Farewell, and Thank You...". She will rest in our hearts for years, never to rattle the roof tops of Yateley again! She did once.... PB
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