An age gone by

[pax britanica]

Living near Camberley means I am lucky enough to get to see a great variety of aircraft -very low into Blackbushe and Farnborough, mid levels in and out of LHR and lots of high level stuff.
However today had a great surprise in store about 4 30, when the source of a very unusual but distinctively 'heavyish' aviation piston noise turned out to be a very low level Junkers Ju52 making a very slow and low progress from NW to SE just below the cloud base.
Any ideas where it was headed , it had a German registration clearly visible as it was so low giving a great view of its odd 'semi detached' flaps and elevators.
PB

[angels]

Just saw it. Was coming here to post about it having put this on TRABB.

"A JU-52 has just flown over my house.

It was going east but did a 180 near the Thames Barrier and came back west down the Thames. Low. 1000 feet max. Weather here dreich.

Wonder why it's here? Did Google, but nothing obvious immediately.

What a great sight, glad I went out when I heard it!"

Certainly a unique sound. First '52 I've seen in the air. I'm wondering if it's something to do with the anniversary of the Blitz starting. At this time in 1940 the Battle of Britain was at it's height and I guess it was around now the navigational error that led to London being bombed occurred.

That of course led to Berlin being bombed and Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe start bombing London rather than the aerodromes. Saved us that did. But I'm not sure of the exact dates so this is mere conjecture!

[trident3A]

Just seen it lumbering along over North London, what a beauty!

[ifonly]

HB-HOT went into White Waltham this evening

[angels]

Yep, it's advertising suitcases and she's the real thing, built in 1939.

RIMOWA JU52 - YouTube

Really pleased to have seen her!

Edited to add the first official day of the Blitz was September 7, so I was wrong about that.

[treadigraph]

My God, in the lamented old days,= it would have been one of Doug Arnold's CASAs... A proper Ju52 in the London area and I'm down in God's own country - Cornwall!

[aviate1138]

I was on the M25 heading south abeam Denham when I saw the Ju 52 approach heading westwards.

Had a good look but saw no parachutes..........

Made my day. :)

[LAS1997]

The JU52 flew very low over my house in Woking around 1645 heading towards Ockham; I could not see the registration; but what an amazing sight against the grey low cloud at the time. I expected German paratroopers to jump out! My 80 year old neighbour was standing outside with me to witness it and his mind went back to 1940 and the threat of invasion!

[SpringHeeledJack]

Was there a practice flyby this morning around 6am by chance ? A friend living on the Thames said they heard a 'rattling propellor sound' several times, distinct from the normal sound of LHR arrivals.



SHJ

[pax britanica]

LAS1997
You are right aboutt he low cloud, normally its has the opposite effect but it somehow made this sighting so much more dramatic- perhaps the fact it was flying over Sandhurst Academy helped a bit too- but no parachutists disguised as nuns and no Capt. Mainwaring shaking his swagger stick in impotent anger.
Be along time before anything equally surprising comes along I think

[angels]

Ho ho! Just seen it again, 20 minutes ago.

It was flying down the west side of Greenwich peninsular, obviously following the river as it banked right over the Blackwall Tunnel approach (where I was). It was being followed by a small chopper which looked like it was filming it.

The weather here is rubbish with low cloud and gusts of wind up to 20-25 mph. I would say it was at 1,000 feet or so again (tops) -- a bit bumpy up there I would imagine. It must take some flying!

My daughter saw it first and was thrilled when I said it was one of only eight in the world.

Shame I couldn't hear it, but you can't have everything!

[Jarvy]

It was at Oshkosh last year having flown across the atlantic and was then flown back! It served all its life in Switzerland and its owned by the guy that owns the luggage company whose luggage was inspired by the design of the JU 52

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

The JU-52 is currently parked at White Waltham and is expected to depart on Sunday. Ultra-friendly people at White Waltham; no problem taking pics.

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a610/brendan_mccartney/Aircraft/HBHOT_zps370230fa.jpg

[pax britanica]

HD
Thanks for posting such a nice pic which if you don't mind I will copy and save in my little electronic scrap book
PB

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

PB... Of course. Help yourself.

[Basil]

Thanks for the headsup. Must go down and have a look - sad old git! ;)

[AN2 Driver]

its owned by the guy that owns the luggage company whose luggage was inspired by the design of the JU 52

Not quite.

HB-HOT and 3 others are owned by JU-Air at Dübendorf Airfield near Zürich. They are the only BMW powered original JU52-3M's in the world. The original 3 of them (HB-HOT/HOS/HOP) were delivered from the Dessau factory to Switzerland's Airforce during the outset of WW2 and stayed active with the airforce until the 1980ties when they were retired. The Swiss public decided they wanted to keep them all flying and helped founding Ju-Air, who has been running them since. A 4th airplane was eventually ackquired from Germany. They are all 4 still flying in original condition, immaculately maintained by the folks at Dübendorf to better than new standards.

The current paint of HB-HOT had to do with the sponsor of the trip to the US last year, which was a huge success. I reckon he still keeps sponsoring this wonderful airplane but he does NOT own it.

I've had the privilege to fly on her as well as two others as passenger a few times and it is simply a pure delight to experience this iconic aircraft.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Thanks AN2 Driver. Very interesting.