Blackbushe Memories (Merged)

[ATR42300]

I am trying to find someone who was involved or a member of Blackbushe Aero Club especially around the early 1960s. From what I know so far it was originally formed in the mid 1950s by Don “Pathfinder” Bennett

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I worked in ATC at Blackbushe in the mid-60s for a while before being very, very unceremoniously sacked by Bennett! At that time the Blackbushe Aero Club had an Auster and the CFI (and only member of staff I recall) was one Captain Farley. I believe he was ex-BOAC? Someone told me recently they still saw him occasionally in Camberley although I know nothing else of his whereabout but the Camberley phone book might be the place to start..

[chevvron]

HD - I think you may be referring to Capt John Varley who was working out of 3-Counties Aero Club teaching and examining instructors up until the early 80's when he announced he would not be renewing his medical.
His car was in dock one day in about 1977, and he asked me for a lift home to Frimley; every time I took a turning he suggested, he said 'oh are you going this way? We could have gone (another way) if I'd known'

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Chev.... of course you are right. When I typed my response above I actually typed the right name but I have so little confidence in my memory nowadays that I thought I'd got confused with the Great John Farley so I changed it. In fact whilst I was awake during the small hours I wondered if the Blackbushe guy was "Farleigh". Just don't get old, mate!!

It was almost fun at Blackers in those days and would have been ten thousand million times better if it hadn't been for a certain gent.... Dear God...

I wonder if Hamish Hamilton, Derek Johnson, Ben...?? and Vic Hargreaves are still about?

[chevvron]

Derek Johnson sold his share in 3 - Counties and opened a gliding school in Sebring Florida, which was OK until he hit the hurricane season! Vic was still with 3 - Counties (which became European Flyers) up 'til about 10 years ago; last I heard was when I spoke to him just after he'd had a 'mid air' (no fatalities)
I'm nearly as old as you anyway - you still shooting? I had to give up; high blood pressure meant the target wouldn't hold still!

[Fokkerwokker]

Ah yes.......Captain Varley with the base ball cap and the white leather gloves:eek:

[PPRuNe Pop]

The infamous Doug Arnold had a penchant for cracking people over the head he didn't like you, or to punching them in the face. A good friend of aviation but a lousy friend if he didn't like you.

One of the 3CFC instructors got a belting from him one day many years ago. Use to remember his name but its gone now. It was a wild incident that bought the police in. Quite right too.

PPP

[chevvron]

That was Derek Johnson - you reminded me. It was the '77 Blackbushe Air Festival; I said the clubs could do local flying but not circuits (due to the number of visiting arrivals and the flying display); Derek taxied out with a student, then we noticed a certain yellow Rolls Royce skewed across the taxiway in front of him. Derek came back on RTF a few minutes later and said 'Mr Arnold says he will personally assault anyone trying to take off for training'. as apparently he already had! The story goes that Derek went over to the Roller to find out what the problem was, put his face to the drivers window and the said Douggie gave him one in the face! NB: This is hearsay; I got it from the club receptionist, but a certain person at Bristol may be able to confirm.

[virgo]

I think Frank Horridge (?), who was the chief engineer or similar with Dan Air Engineering at Lasham, was involved with what was to become Three Counties Flying Club. The story was that while in France he picked up a handful of ex-French Air Force SuperCubs that had been used in Algeria very cheaply, air-freighted them home courtesy of Dan Air and got them on the British register. These became the mainstay of the flying club/school and got Frank onto the Board of Management.
I DO know that when I worked for a while at Three Counties maintenance base (a rather grotty, unheated ,corrugated iron, black, hangar but nice people and lots of fun!!!) I had to do a fabric repair on the one remaining SuperCub and while cleaning the good fabric, the old French camouflage appeared under my rag.
The boss there was a great chap called Ned Rutter. Anyone know what became of him ?

[chevvron]

I remember Ned's Shed at Lasham ; ferried aircraft there many times ( once with a nose oleo that had no pressure!). Frank was in partnership with Derek at 3CAC; I think it was Frank who bought Derek's share, then sold out to Tony Holden who renamed it European Flyers.

[Wycombe]

Vic Hargreaves.....it's thanks to him (and his superb instruction/confidence building) that I have a PPL :)

I remember the incident that Chevvron refers to well....was a midair in a 152 with a glider over Farnborough. Remember Vic recounting it oh so calmly to me the following weekend. Having had a look at the aircraft, he was very lucky.

Didn't Blackbushe Aero Club operate a Condor?

[Wunper]

Virgo
My Dad used to take me flying in the Super Cubs from that batch that were retained at Lasham as tugs. I remember when they arrived at Lasham in about 1970 , drab olive , they were then all painted bright yellow.
http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?categoryid=60&pagetype=65&applicationid=1&mode=summary&regmark=ayp*&aircrafttype=cub&dereg=true
Tragically one of them G-AYPN was lost in bad weather near Butser hill killing the pilot and passenger who was (Ex Goon) Michael Bentine's son. I recall the wreck wasn't found until autumn by the NATO standard unfortunate dog walker and the incident received national newspaper coverage.
W

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<would have been ten thousand million times better if it hadn't been for a certain gent.... Dear God...>>

When I wrote that I didn't mean Mr Arnold, but the guy before him. Better not get into that or I'll be in lumber.

Chev.. no, we haven't shot for many years after Ruth started arthritis in her neck. We really miss it. I now have blood pressure and other problems but it's not effecting me outwardly. Wish I still had my 7.62 Musgrave...

You must PM me and tell me who you are - I know the real ID of hardly anyone on these forums.

What about the Blackbushe ground staff? Reg Gregory is no longer with us, I believe. But Mike Sheehy, Stuart Marshall.. Mrs Judd and her lovely daughter? Pat and Mac of the flying club in the caravan....

A few ATCOs used to fly there too - Bill Dacombe Bird and John Ditmus, who I believe later flew Mystere 20s and whome Ii met in Tripoli..

Bren McCartney

[Wycombe]

....not a regular at the 'Bushe these days, but as far as I know Stuart Marshall is still the Airport Manager.

Reg is of course a part of Blackbushe folklore.

[chevvron]

To get back to the original question: there were three clubs at LK in the early'70s:
Three Counties
Aeromart
Blackbushe Aero Club.

BAC as far as I remember had two Condors and a Wassmer Baladou. CFI was a very tall guy Andy something (just can't remember his surname - been racking my brain for days)
Andy had a falling out with Doug Arnold, hence his club premises were down the far (west) end of the airfield from the other two, south of the runway where they now park the fuel trucks.
I believe both Aeromart and BAC threw in the towel when local authority regs required airfields to be classed as light industrial premises rather than recreational facilities; the two clubs were unable to afford the increase in rates which Doug had no choice but to pass on.

[virgo]

Wycombe, yes they did have a Condor - a couple I think ?

I remember one coming to Lasham from Blackbush with " longitudinal instability" problems. It was practically unflyable and the only person prepared to bring it over was the Chief Instructor (name escpes me).

We did all the obvious checks......elevator control run.......trim system.....elevator and trim tab hinges..........then we did it all again to be sure, then we for lack of any better ideas we decided to do a rigging check.
As Ned climbed iinto the cockpit I saw the wing move !

Further investigation revealed that the rear spar attachment bolts to the plywood fuselage former had elongated the holes by about half an inch, giving about 4 inches movement at the wing trailing edge - the first variable incidence wing ! No wonder it was a handful to fly...........but when you're learning you accept this as normal aircraft behaviour and blame yourself for your inadequacies !

Having helped create and accomplish a caa approved repair scheme I was invited - nay SUMMONSED - to accompany the CFI on its test flight.
Although I was totally confident of our repair, I've never been so frightened in my life ........and I've had a few scary moments !

But he declared himself satisfied and away it went.......maybe still flying somewhere ?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Aeromart.... wasn't that the outfit run by Pat & Mac from the caravan?

Anyone know what happened to Dennis Cooper and Lin Elgeti?

[Wunper]

Anyone recall what happened to the cluster of RN Dragonflys that were rotting near the western end of Blackbushe circa '67, '68? I had a ball climbing all over them as a lad and would be interested to know how they got there and where they went. My hunch is they might have been flown in there and then trucked to Staravia at Lasham to be broken up.
W

[Mr_Grubby]

I got my PPL in ‘71 at Blackbush with an outfit called ICL Flying Services.

It was run by a guy called Tim Merritt and operated out of an office in the main terminal building.
A PA-22 was £4:10 shillings an hour and a PA-28 was £7 quid.
The instructors were Hamish Milne, Mike Richardson, Mike Stapp, Graham Smith. Dave Parry. Paul Gliddon. I often wonder what happened to them all.

Great days.


Clint.

[tornadoken]

Wunper.
I was there 3/7/65. these had recently arrived from CU and Fleetlands:
VX597, HR.1
WG670 HR.5
WN499 HR.3, now a plaything at Caernarfon Museum
WP493 HR.5, to GIA Kings C School, Wimbledon, now "G-AJOV" at RAFM Cosford
WP497 HR.5
WP500 HR.5
Later: WG724 HR.5, now NEAM, Usworth
WG751 HR.3, now Chatham Hist. Dockyard Trust

[Talkdownman]

Blackbushe Aero Club. BAC as far as I remember had two Condors and a Wassmer Baladou. CFI was a very tall guy Andy something (just can't remember his surname - been racking my brain for days)
Aldridge
(..........and message lengthened to 10 characters..............)

[Talkdownman]

I got my PPL in ‘71 at Blackbush with an outfit called ICL Flying Services.
It was run by a guy called Tim Merritt and operated out of an office in the main terminal building.
A PA-22 was £4:10 shillings an hour and a PA-28 was £7 quid.
The instructors were Hamish Milne, Mike Richardson, Mike Stapp, Graham Smith. Dave Parry. Paul Gliddon. I often wonder what happened to them all.
Great days.
Clint.
I remember meeting you there but ISTR ICL then operated from a portacbin on the east side of 14/32..............?

[bean]

Can any of you remember why Blackbushe closed to the larger airliners in the late fifties?
Was it competition from the newly reopened Gatwick?
I've seen loads of pictured of Vikings Hermes etc. Theres even a commercially available DVD with about a thirty second clip in colour of the same types in 1957.

[treadigraph]

I remember seeing pics of Globemasters and the like there in the 50s... happy days I should imagine!

Mike Stapp - I know the name, was he a regular on one of the Flying magazines?

I was there during Farnborough week in 1980. We were standing at the end of the runway (26?) by the fence. Jeff Hawke took one of Doug Arnold's Ju-52s for a stagger around the circuit (having first uprooted it I should imagine - it hadn't moved in two or three years). I think he reached the aeroplane's ceiling at about 500'. His approach cleared the fence - about chest height on me - by about... well, the wheel was just about on a level with my face! Well, that's how I remember it anyway!

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

bean.. I can't speak with any authority, even having worked there in the 60s and having lived close by for 24 years. I guess there was a feeling at the time that Heathrow was better equipped in every way so there was no need for Blackbushe. Also, I do vaguely recall someone mentioning severe fog problems at Blackers.. It wouldn't matter nowadays and I've never noticed it to be any worse than, for example, at Heathrow..

It's an interesting place (and far better now than the tip where I worked). There are several public footpaths across runways, although I guess they have been closed off somehow. When I worked there in the mid 60s a local gent insisted on riding his horse across the airfield every morning to preserve the right of way! This behaviour used to cause the then SATCO to have frequent convulsions..

[Talkdownman]

The ancient 'Drovers' route' right-of-way still exists. Look out for the westbound gate in the southeast corner of the apron. Obtain the key from the office when you wish to drive your cattle to market. Expect to be escorted in the interest of safety!

[atb1943]

Interesting thread indeed.

Wasn't one of the r.o.w.'s over the Reading end not named, officially or otherwise, for Hollie Birkett, owner of Auster G-APKL and founder of the Austin 7 club?
Stuart Marshall is still there, he and I were anoraks in the fifties and sixties. I remember AVM giving us kids talks about his exploits in the clubroom, the bar on the corner of the building. Enthralling stuff, no matter what he was like as a bloke. He gave us a Proctor to play with, expected us to restore it, all it got was a coat of silver paint! Airport Manager was one Bill....? Later went down to the West Country I believe.

In the days when it was still open, we used to congregate up on the carpark. I recall one Farnborough week, 1957 I believe, watching a Seahawk doing its stuff, but above us? It had in fact broken away from its Farnborough formation and had made for Blackbushe as designated diversion. It flew a perfect loop, but something was amiss, the pilot had ejected! The loop would have ended in our carpark, but fate caused it to twist at the last minute, and it plunged into the ground not far from the Silver City hangar on the south side of the A30. Bob Ruffle took a photo of it with its nose a yard away from the ground, which was suitably published in the press. I recall rushing across the road, oblivious to the traffic, and dodging various bits of burning wreckage to get to the pilot, who had hurt himself on landing, but not too badly. Broken ankle I think. The black S-55 picked him up and whisked him off.

Excitement over.

One of our crowd, Baz Harris, fellow Fernebergian, had a huge marine telescope that only he could use with any success. He would read off the Lufthansa L-1649s rumbling across Green 1 to New York! Perhaps that lead to LH's deleting underwing registrations - very un-European!

We had formed the Blackbushe Branch of Air Britain in 1958, I was member no. 19. BARG or Blackbushe Aviation Research Group was born on 1 Jan 63. Kingpin of the group was Arthur Pearcy, who had worked in ATC, with wife Audrey, until they re-positioned to Llanbedr. Arthur was the expert on things Douglas, particularly the DC-3/C-47. I have his personal copy of the book The Dakota, with all sorts of well-wishings in the early pages...'and thank you for returning No. 24 squadron's operational diary....Arthur and Audrey were guests of honour at our 21st Anniversary get-together in 1979. The booklet produced for the occasion contains a potted history of Blackbushe, if anyone is interested in a copy. Please PM me.

cheers

atb:ok:

[Talkdownman]

JSM tells me that he has been writing a book about the 'Bushe. He may well be interested in anecdotes, PM me if you have anything that you would like passed on to him. He retires in October. Maybe he will get around to finishing it then!
I have a number of BARG foolscap newsletters in my loft.........I will dig them out if of interest.
Arthur worked at Bedford Thurleigh and, I believe, the RAE too, but before my time in N1 Building.
Mike Stapp checked me out on a Pup in '73..........
And, Aaah. The Lufty Connies on 131.2...............
Anybody else have a 'Johnson's Radio (Worcester) one-valve airband receiver'? (Before all the Gauers and Shorrocks!). It was thirty nine shillings and sixpence. Then you had to build it.....

[atb1943]

TDM

...I have a number of BARG foolscap newsletters in my loft.

I contributed the paper in the early sixties...well, FUDC did!

Not much that JSM doesn't know that I might...he will also recall careering into the fence at Greenham on his motorbike. Remember the F-101s from Laon on detachment?

Oh but I digress.

Were you at the Raven in 1979??

BB 1 Sept 59

2 Rapides, MJK, KJS
4 VH-34 Choctaws Pres Eisenhower to Regent's Park (believe he had had a round of golf at Fleet golf club).

3 Victors
3 Vulcans
6 Javelins all overhead

typical of the Bushe!
cheers
atb:)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Airport Manager was one Bill....?

Bill Freeman... nice bloke... took me on as a "Trainee Controller" at £10 for a 50-hour week, as laid down by the AVM.

Talkdownman... My first a/c radio was the Johnsons' super-regen. I got it working, only to find that it smahed every telly down our road!! Initially it would not tun lower than about 126mc/s but by messing the with that fat coil arrangement I got it to go down to about 118. Great fun and i must still have it somewhere.

[BB954]

I see on this thread that there has been no mention of the "Monarch Aero Club" which was around in the late 60's and early 70's. I soloed there in April '69 in a C150, G-ASLB courtesy of the late Wing Commander George Barrett who was the CFI and, as I remember, the only instructor. I recall that the club was located in a small office upstairs in the main terminal building conveniently close to the bar when flying was finished for the day! Any ex Monarch members out there?

[Mr_Grubby]

BB954

I was a member of the Monarch Aero Club in early 1970. My first ever flight in a light aircraft was in G-ASLB. It inspired me to go on and get my PPL with ICL Flying Services. The pilot was a guy called Alan Fowles. He is now a 747 captain and we still keep in touch. I remember George Barrett. Nice old boy. The bar. It was run by a woman called Joyce. Permanent fixture in the bar was Dennis and Sheila Herd. Dennis was a Laker B707 captain and flew a Terrier G-ARZT out of Blackbushe. They were both killed when it crashed in Kent later on. Timmy, their son, aged about six survived.
The pic was taken early 1970.

Clint.
http://www.btinternet.com/~simon.gurry/Dadsphotos/G-ASLBsmall.JPG

[ATR42300]

Many thanks to all who have contributes to this thread. As I sdatated in an email to heathrow Director I am trying to find out the service history of Wg Cmr Ken Gray who I believe was the club Secretary from its formation until his tragic death driving one of Bennetts Fairthorpe Electron cars.

Any information would be much appreciated

[chevvron]

Fairthorpe - another name to be remembered. They used to inhabit a blister hangar on a bit of Denham chopped off by the public road at the east end of the airfield.

HD - how can you say the 'bushe suffered from fog - they had FIDO (and the channels are still there I think)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Chevvron.. Sorry... I didn't mean to personally imply that the 'bushe suffered fog... it's in my mind that someone told me that many moons ago. There was no fog when I worked there - the extremely hot breath of the AVM wouldn't permit it!

[greenviewpark]

I remember Ned's Shed at Lasham ; ferried aircraft there many times ( once with a nose oleo that had no pressure!). Frank was in partnership with Derek at 3CAC; I think it was Frank who bought Derek's share, then sold out to Tony Holden who renamed it European Flyers.
Did you ever fly any Proctors?

Dusty

[chevvron]

Sorry Proctors a bit before my time. It was C150/152 types, although 3CAC still had Cubs and Pups when I first joined.

[greenviewpark]

....not a regular at the 'Bushe these days, but as far as I know Stuart Marshall is still the Airport Manager.

Reg is of course a part of Blackbushe folklore.

Anyone out there remember the Proctors at Blackbushe? it would be great to see a few pics. from the family album.

Dusty

[straightfeed]

I was a member of BAC about 1968. Learnt to fly in an Auster JIN G-AJIS and a Fairtravel Linnet.

Bennett owned the club and supplied the Linnet thru this company Fairtravel who built it. We used an office in the terminal building on the ground floor
CFI was Oscar Elliott. Nice guy.
Towards the end of my training Oscar left the club and went upstairs to join the Crowthorne School of Flying. I followed him and did my GFT on a brand new Bolkow Junior. The school was run by two bods who owned a garage in Crowthorne.
One of the owners went off to look at a twin at Elstree and perished in hilfield lake(?) with water in the fuel of one donk.
I remember flying to Biggin to get some more keys for the Bolkows as the keys went down with the twin.
The School folded soon afterwards and I moved on.

Great fun flying the Auster on X countries. No radio and swing the prop (on your own in those days).

[Fokkerwokker]

Was Don Andrews an instructor in 'them thar parts'?

Anyone know where he ended up?

Would like to catch up with him if poss

FW

[Pronto]

Mr Grubby mentioned a Tim Merritt. I met a chap of that name running a club at Cranfield in 1989. Converted my SLMG PPL to a full Group A with his club. He had an Auster which was forever being broken. I got the impression he was ex-AAC.

The same guy perhaps?

His club - Kestrel I think it was called - has gone now.

P

[straightfeed]

Dont remember Don Andrews I'm afraid.
Remember Doug Arnold tearing out of his hangar ina twin, miss me in the Auster and get airbourne in any way that he fancied!
Do have lots of childhood memories of the Bushe though.
My old man worked for Airwork in the 50's. Remember a fabric winged Viking in beautiful nick owned by the Guinness family. My dad flew asa flying spanner on the Vikings and then as a F/E on the Hermes.
Independant Airlines that became "Blue Air" overnight when one of their planes went in. A Hermes that hit the trees at the western end (bit vague that one as I was very young).
Used to go with the crews up to Heathrow and fly back with them bringing back the odd Viking that diverted there. Seemed to remember being allowed to raise the U/C out of LHR.
Remember the Seahawk hitting the concrete outside Silver City's hangar on the North side.

Airwork became BUA and disappeared. The US Navy arrived with a brand new hangar.
Enough already-happy daze

[mikeandjean.smith@nt]

chevvron

Aeromart went bust due to bad ownwership when same was transfered over from the days of Mike Jack

[mikeandjean.smith@nt]

Can any of you remember why Blackbushe closed to the larger airliners in the late fifties?
Was it competition from the newly reopened Gatwick?
I've seen loads of pictured of Vikings Hermes etc. Theres even a commercially available DVD with about a thirty second clip in colour of the same types in 1957.

As above my thoughts was that Blackbushe closed so that Gatwick didn't turn into a WHITE ELEPHANT, I also believe at the time most of the operators moved to Lydd or Manston rather than go to Gatwick

[tornadoken]

ATC encroaching on expanding LHR. Dan went to LGW. Britavia merged into BUA. Eagle, Hunting Clan to LHR. USNavy to W.Malling, then Mildenhall. Lydd was never other than Silver City Freighters. Manston, nothing till Invicta Vikings.

[Mypyrex]

As a new member I've just been reading an old thread about Blackbushe Aero Club etc.

I spent a lot of time at Blackbushe between the late sixties and circa 1980 when I had to cease flying due to domestic pressures. I flew with several of the clubs including BAC, Aeromart and Three Counties.

Names that come to mind are most of those on the earlier thread plus Graham Smith(ex BOAC) Steve Potter(ran the Gaucho Flying Group) Frank Herridge, Dick Kingsmill, Mike Graham(originated Aeromart)

I also used to fly for the parachutists(Red Devils)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Hi Mypyrex. I believe this subject has been discussed elsewhere, but my search attempts didn't bring results!

I worked at Blackbushe under AVM Bennett as a "trainee air traffic controller" around 1965-66 until he ferociously sacked me for refusing to weed the runway! Bill Freeman was the Manager, Denis Cooper the SATCO with Lin Elgeti, Pat Curtis and me working in the "tower". Reg Gregory and Mike Sheehy worked in "Ground Control". The McCarthy's ran an aero club from a caravan... Capt Varley flew the Blackbushe Aero Club Auster.. 3 Counties was run by Derek Johnston with Hamish Hamilton, Ben Cartwright (?) and Vic ? (with a gammy leg). I remember Frank Herridge.. and Doug Arnold!

What days, eh?

Brendan McCartney

[Mypyrex]

Hi Brendan,

As you say what days. I got my PPL circa 1968 on a Tiger Moth - think it was blue. I'll have to dig my log book out and see what the reg was. I was thinking about Reg Gregory this morning and I remembered flying back from Alderney once and I'd just passed 50 North and tuned to London FIR just in time to hear London say to somebody(obviously going into Blackbushe) "Call Reg. now on 122.3" Me and my mate had a good laugh about that to think that he had that sort of fame - or notoriety!

I see you were at West Drayton. Did you know anyone in London Airways name of Mike Blackband?

Best wishes

Mike Hobby

[TimS]

I read the previous thread with fond memories - and with this one felt the need to add my tuppence.

I think I was about 6 when I flew for the first time in Auster G-APCY (I was bloody terrified) flown by my Dad who was then an F/O with British Eagle and one of the founders of the 'Airlines Flying Club' which had the Auster and a magnificent Hornet Moth.

Other memories of Blackbush ....

Teaching myself to gallop on the horse belonging to AVM Bennet's daughter (it used to live on airfield and my training involved galloping freely around the airfield).

Hunting around much of the unused 'terminal' building.

Fetching (or at least getting under the feet of those big people who were fetching) the the Rapides that were littered around the airfield aftera stormy night.

'Helping' to pack the parachutes - anyone who let a 6-8 year old do that was certifiably mad !

Getting my toungue stuck in a coke bottle and having my head covered by a bar cloth (some bloody protection that was) as various responsible adults gathered round and tried to smash the thing off !!

An airshow (details are vague)

Brgds

Tim

[PPRuNe Pop]

There ya go guys.

I have merged the latest thread with the original.

Enjoy!


PPP

[GrumpyOldFart]

I remember countless times as a kid in the family car, stopped forever, waiting for those huuuuuge airliners (!) to be towed back and forth across the A30.

Can anyone post any photos of the 'big' stuff from the late 50s? I need another nostalgia implant.

[Mr_Grubby]

A couple of not very inspiring pictures of Blackbushe taken in 1970.


http://www.btinternet.com/~simon.gurry/Dadsphotos/Eglks1.JPG
Taken from the main terminal building from the office of ICL Flying Services.

http://www.btinternet.com/~simon.gurry/Dadsphotos/Eglks.jpg
Landing on runway 01.

Clint.

[Mark22]

I had regularly seen the Lancaster parked and maintained by Airwork during the early and mid 1950's on holiday trips down to the West Country.
Later on a spotting trip I noted this Lincoln, seeming to perform the same function, circa 1957/8. They uncovered it, towed it across the road, and off it went.
PeterA

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/Mark12/Album%203/LincolnBlackbushe03-001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v634/Mark12/Album%203/Lincoln-02-002.jpg

[Talkdownman]

........and Vic ? (with a gammy leg). I remember Frank Herridge.. and Doug Arnold!Hargreaves. And don't you mean Horridge?

[Talkdownman]

Did you know anyone in London Airways name of Mike Blackband?I worked with Mike at LATCC. Can't remember which watch though.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

The other guy I knew at 3 Counties was Ben Simons, not Cartwright (I'm thinking of Bonanza!!!). Wonder what ever happened to them all?

I didn't know Mike Blackband as I managed to avoid LATCC until the last few years. Back in '66 Bill Dacombe-Bird and John Ditmas flew from Balckbushe and they were both London Airways men as far as I know. John went into serious flying and I met him out in Tripoli in the late '60s when he was flying biz jest for McAlpines.

I also remember Mrs Judd and her daughter who ran the canteen. On the subject of horses, there was a gentleman who took delight in exercising his rights to ride a horse across the runway, much to the extreme consternation of the SATCO Denis Cooper!!

[Mypyrex]

I knew Bill Dacombe-Bird briefly at Denham circa 1967 before I got my PPL. We met at an outfit called the Biplane Club run by Tony Cheshire. Also met Mike Stapp there and later at Blackbushe. I think he went to Australia.

Also remember Mrs Judd at the cafe.

[Mark22]

Mypyrex

Mike Stapp. I wonder if that would be the tall gangly guy I went to school with in Harrow in the mid 1950's.

PeterA

[TimS]

A few more memories filtering through my age and JD addled brain ....

Airline's Flying Club -Johnny Tice or Tyce (British Eagle,as was my dad and I think they were the two main committee members in forming it). A vet who was a keen member but died crashing an Auster when he flew deteriorating weather (coming back from Jersey I think).

I think Dick Emery did some flying there - or was it his son ?

Its all coming back slowly !

TimS

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

Dick Emery certainly did some flying! The previously mentioned Hamish Hamilton used to regale us with the time when Mr Emery crashed his Tiger Moth at a Wisley Garden Party, fortunately walking away unscathed!

Capt J D (Ginger Tom) Varley went on to be CFI at the Airways Flying Club at Booker, with Hamish as his deputy. For complicated reasons, which I can't rightly remember, Capt Varley then returned to Blackbushe, where he remained until his eventual retirement from flying as an Instructors' Panel Examiner. (In May 1971, in an unguarded moment, he let me loose on the unsuspecting public as an AFI.)

Graham Smith, sometime BOAC Boeing 707 first officer and proprietor of the ... 'Steam Chicken Line' wasn't it? An Aztec with a feathered paint scheme IIRC. :ooh:

[treadigraph]

Hamish Hamilton used to regale us with the time when Mr Emery crashed his Tiger Moth at a Wisley Garden Party, fortunately walking away unscathed

This occasion was further enlivened by the Tiger Club's infamous G-ACDC also being deposited in a tattered heap (yet again) on the airfield after some crazy flying went awry!

As mentioned in the original thread, I am sure Mike Stapp had something to do with a UK flying mag in the 1970s - Flight rings a bell for some reason: Gainesy do you remember him?

[Talkdownman]

I recall that Mike Stapp flew from Denham in '73. ISTR flying Pups with him. G-AXNO rings a bell.

[possel]

<snip>

Graham Smith, sometime BOAC Boeing 707 first officer and proprietor of the ... 'Steam Chicken Line' wasn't it? An Aztec with a feathered paint scheme IIRC. :ooh:

I remember seeing a Beagle 206 at LGW with "Steam Chicken Line" on the side. G-ATZO possibly? About 1970?

And as for Blackbushe, I can still recall all those lovely old airliners one February afternoon in 1960 - Vikings, Herons, Doves, 170s and more (I was only 8!)

[folkyphil]

Mike Blackband...ATCA on "A" Watch LATCC until he moved to Farnborough (circa 1990...?). I think he moved up to Birmingham thereafter, but cannot confirm this...

[chevvron]

It was Frank HORRIDGE not Herridge; he co-owned 3CAC with Derek Johnson until Derek sold him his share and went to start Sebring Soaring Centre in Florida, coming back to England during summer 'cos the weather in Florida was too extreme for gliding, something he hadn't taken account of!
CFI when I was a member was Laurie Adlington who was an ex ETPS instructor; the instructor with the gammy leg was Vic Hargreaves who I think actually had a full time job at MVEE Longcross. Vic unfortunately had a mid-air with a glider over Farnborough one saturday or sunday afternoon (about '94 I think); the glider was written off and the pilot took to his parachute but Vic managed to get back to 'Bushe and no-one was injured.
Derek J was an avid golfer and used to play with several TV stars eg Jimmy Tarbuck, Dickie Henderson and Eric Sykes. He told me once that during a round with Eric Sykes, Eric turned to him and said 'I remember I nearly killed you once'!! Apparently, Derek had been teaching him to fly in a Tiger at Blackbushe and he over rotated at the flare prior to landing, ending up nearly vertical before Derek took over and recovered it!

[Farnboroughrob]

Hi guys found this long dead thread as have some information of interest. Im currently writing a book on Blackbushe and a lot of your memories are very interesting, particually on the 50's, I would like to hear some more if anybody has them.
A couple of you asked why it was closed in 1960? I have a copy of the official letter explaining the closure. Firstly bear in mind in 1953 it was decided to develop Gatwick as London's second airport and retain Blackbushe for a secondary role. Up till then the land was still under wartime requsition so steps were put in place to compulsary purchase the land, this was still in progress in July 59. The shock decision to close the airport was justified as
1. decrease in traffic following Airworks move to Gatwick and Britavia passing their Hermes over to Silver City at Manston. Also British Eagle finally gaining permission to use LHR
2. the annual loss of £200,000, made worse by the above.
3. heavy investment (£2-3 mil)to bring the airport up to standards so that it could be used by fully loaded Britannias, 707's etc.
4 ATC conflictions with LHR and Farnborough
5 poor surface transport, no rail connection.
6 it was decided that the third airport should be to the east of London

So on May 31st 1960 the airport closed and apart from the terminal and US Navy hangar everything else was to be removed and returned to common land.

[snowchild]

I am not a Pilot, but I worked ATC and ground control for about a year in 69 at BlackBushe. My direct boss was the now legendery Reggie. I was hired by Capt Varley, and Bennett was the owner at that time, and I did do a stint under Doug Arnold, a rather foul man as I recall him. I really did not like him at all.

Reading all the comments on this thread .. oh my .. the memories came flooding back, so many names that I had totally forgotten .... Tim Merritt, Mike Richardson .. I think he survived the crash in the Piper that went down in the maintenence field they had set up some distance from the bushe .. my memory is not what it was but I was on ATC that day and I remember well the weather was bad, but he insisted on going, came out of the clouds and straight into the ground as I recall.

We did a breakfast patrol together once .. what fun it was!

One day on duty early morning, nothing on the circuit, I took a call from a passing spitfire pilot out of boscombe down that requested a low level fly by. I gave him permission without asking Farley and all hell broke loose .. Farley all but threw me out of the tower, grabbed the microphone and demanded the pilot land and pay him landing fees!!!

Long time ago now .. as someone said before .. very good days.

Thankyou all for a wonderful read :)

[chevvron]

Old Reg had a 'relief' called Alec (Giles?).
Doug Arnold who when you saw him, you would think the word 'slob' had been invented for him, had one good point; he had an absolutely gourgeous daughter.
JSM was airport manager, and I believe he worked for DA when Fairoaks was under his ownership. Stuart had a 'falling out' with DA in about '77 and I heard DA saying to one of his cronies in the cafe 'who'd ya think is the new deputy airport manager at Fairoaks - Stuart!' He then had a succession of airport managers until he sold the airport, one being one of his sons. JSM returned to Blackbushe as Airport Manager when BCA bought it, with Phil Cardew being Airport Director.
When DA bought Blackbushe ('73?), Peter Cadbury was also interested. Peter (ex wartime test pilot and part of the chocolate company family) operated a small charter firm called 'Air Pegasus' based at Cruchfield Manor near Maidenhead. Peter told me he arrived with his cheque book in his hand only to meet DA coming out of the door having done a deal with AVM Bennet. Peter subsequently bought Preston House at Preston Candover, south of Basingstoke, and installed a 1200m main grass runway with edge lights, threshold lights and AoA indicators, plus an unlit runway of about 600m at right angles, all of which were ripped out when John Sainsbury (of the supermarket family) bought Preston House. I wonder what Blackbushe would be like now had Cadbury been a few minutes earlier.
When the YTS scheme started, DA saw it as a way of getting cheap labour, and as old Reg's health was none too good, he employed a young lad called Paul for Reg to train as a FISO. About the same time, a receptionist at 3CAC (Anne) expressed an interest in training as a FISO having already passed the written exam. DA obviously couldn't believe his luck and Anne was duly trained and validated. She then had the audacity to suggest to DA that she might be paid for FISOing; he replied something like 'why should I pay you when you're getting all this experience at my expense?' Paul was 'laid off' for a while when Reg's health improved, but was subsequently re-employed when BCA took over as Reg had a nasty fall down the tower steps. Anne departed to Fairoaks to become a FISO and Deputy Airport Manager due to JSMs return to Blackbushe as manager.
Apologies if some of the above is not in the correct time sequence; if so please correct me.

[Mark22]

Even after all these years, as the former owner of a number of Spitfire and Seafire projects, people still assume that I am Doug Arnold's son. Not so.

He had sons David and Peter and to further confuse his daughter has the same name as my wife.

PeterA - Spitfire Historian.

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

I did quite a lot of freelance flying for Air Pegasus at Preston Candover from mid-1975 into early 1976. My two mounts were the Aztecs G-BBHF and G-BBRJ - the latter one being a very slick turbo job. The electrically operated hangar - sorry, 'Grain Shed' - doors slid open to reveal the fleet: the aforementioned two Aztecs (although 'HF went and came back during my time) the Cessna 421B, a JetRanger, and ... a Pitts S1!

If returning to Preston Candover after dark, the procedure was to telephone Peter Cadbury's rather delectable - but obviously well out of my league - sec/pa, with the ETA. She would drive up the hill from her tied cottage on the estate, and switch the lights on. Yep, it was impressive when the whole caboodle came on. The grass runway was billiard table smooth, too.

Post-flight silver service tea and scones in the big house showed how the other half live!

Deputy airport manager Anne married another Blackbushe/Fairoaks/Blackbushe personality, Trevor Jones, of Airswift MkII, which morfed into the present-day Manhattan Jet Charter at Farnborough.

[chevvron]

In my early days at Farnborough, I moaned about the AR1 radar video map being out of date, so inevitably I was tasked with redesigning it. I ensured that Preston Candover was marked on it so we could give Peter and Maurice and any others their position in relation to it. We also had Christine's phone number (yes she was a smasher) so when the aircraft came on frequency we could ring her and ask for the lights which were operated from a large switch outside the hangar. One evening both Peter and Maurice were inbound together in IMC so it was a case of ensuring they didn't get too close to each other. There were various other aircraft including an Islander and a C340 at various times.

Trevor Jones was CFI at Aeromart when the government moved the goalposts and made airfields light industrial premises rather than recreational. The resulting increase in rates caused the owner of Aeromart to close the flying club. Trevor then got 'employed' by a chap who had started a software firm in Fleet, and they first operated a Tobago followed by a Partenavia P68. This latter had been owned by DA (or so I'm told) but he had found the door too narrow to get in and out (big bloke was DA). Next came a '421 followed by Kingairs, then the move to Farnborough with Premier Jets. Anne married Trevor during her Fairoaks days, then became involved with running Airswift/Manhattan back at the 'bushe and left Fairoaks. Both have been personal friends of mine for many years.

[draglift]

I've just stumbled across this thread and read it all with great interest.

I remember Blackbushe well from the 70's. I remember seeing a Britten Norman Islander flying along at about 200 feet at right angles to R/W 26 rocking its wings. I was told it was Doug Arnold. (No he wasn't on finals for the 2nd now closed runway.)

A spitfire once did a low beat up and a resident of Yately phoned up to complain. Doug Arnold took the call and shouted down the phone "You ought to be f***ing grateful we had spitfires in the war to protect people like you." The resident ended up apologising for taking up his time! In some ways you have to admire the bulldog spirit.

Instructors at the time I was there were Trevor Jones, Oliver Dobson, ? Evans, Richard Offord, Ben Brown, Alf Naudi to name but a few. John Varley had a beautiful daughter who I think was engaged to a Dan Air copilot when I met her. Reg in the tower was quite intimidating. A solo student from another airfield had made a right mess of his circuit join and after landing Reg grounded him and said he could not fly out solo. His flying club flew an instructor in. I hate to think what the final cost of the poor student's x country was. In the Cessna 150 without headphones it was not easy to hear through the speaker. Aircraft I flew were GBEXS, GBDOW, GBCTV.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Roger ? in the tower. Sadly he was killed when he was a passenger in the Douglas Invader A26 which tried a slow roll at the Biggin Hill Airshow 1980.

The 3 Counties CFI Laurie Adlington reported a UFO to Farnborough. He said a small object like a steel ball formated only a few feet away from him, first on one side and then the other. He had it in sight for several minutes and was rocking the wings and climbing up and down to observe if this thing followed him which it did. He made a running commentary to Farnborough Radar as it was happening. Later people started making jokes about it and he wasn't the sort of person who was into jokes and he stopped talking about it. I heard this about third hand from one of the Three Counties instructors so I do not know how accurate it is. Does anyone know anything more about that incident?

[treadigraph]

I don't think anyone has mentioned Roger ? in the tower

Roger Russell - he was a friend of friend and worked for Dan-Air at Concorde House. My mate was supposed to get a ride in the Invader, though whether on that day or not I don't recall.

[Talkdownman]

The nostalgic like to see names. From my time at the 'Bushe since '75 (both as tower 'operator' and FI) here are few more I can remember...off the top of my head in no particular order:

Paul Brown, Chris Burch, Pat Doggett, Chris Beale, Mark Parsons, Addie, Russell, Don, Tommy Thompson, Peter Nielson, Simon Bowles, Marcus Lowery, John Packer, Jim Ramage, Lesley Camin, Ian Sanderson, Barry Sheehan, Elly Messer, Nick Glover, Pete Coombs, Ian Cockram, John Harrison, Dave Easthill, Kevin Long, Mark Hill, Steve Langford, Andrew Whittle, Martin Bradley, Nigel Diedrich, Bob Kent, Will Smith, Margaret Oates, Dermot Downey, Jez Davies, Gordon Kerr, Gary Gates, Andy Woodall, Mike Davies, Gary Manchester, Ian Sumner, Jim Day, Brian Hamilton, Peter Neck, Dave Hooker, Barbara Reed, Sarah Lloyd, Claire Boniface, Matthew Perry, Alistair Warren, Bob Rickwood, Phil Austin, Ken Harpur, Mike Bagshaw, Dave Summers, Dominic Howard-Jones, Melanie Doubleday, Ken Coke, Boris, Dan....

Interesting times. I still have contact with a few. Those names might trigger a few memories...

[Georgeablelovehowindia]

John Varley's daughter, Sarah-Jane, became an actress and had a part in the BBC TV drama cum soap opera 'Howard's Way.'

It's interesting to speculate that one person Doug Arnold might be disinclined to swing a punch at is John Varley. In his RAF days, JDV had been the flyweight boxing champion, and by all accounts could take care of himself in a 'bundle.'

:)

[chevvron]

In the late '70s, I got a phone call from Reg at work telling me his 'new tower' was being towed onto site. I went over to see it and sure enough, there was a steel framework - control tower shaped - on the grass next to the refuellers caravan. Course DA hadn't asked for planning permission and the local council told him to remove it which, surprisingly, he did. DA didn't normally take any notice of council edicts, the taxiway between the apron and 25 threshold being one of his triumphs. The council told him to remove that too but he never did.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<Richard Offord>>

Flew Tridents I beleiev at one time for BEA.

[chevvron]

Got married to a stewardess, moved from nice quiet Frimley to a house about 1nm final for 25 (now 24) at Farnborough, and she became an instant NIMBY.

Peter Coombs; worked at AIB.
One day Laurie Adlington asked me to ferry an aircraft to Neds Shed at Lasham for maintenance, and Peter would come and pick me up in another 150. When I arrived at Lasham, they were auto and aerotowing off runway 09, so I landed on the grass downwind of the launch point and taxied in. Got out of the aircraft, handed over the keys then went to wait for Peter. Stood there looking at 09 final approach, and heard an engine behind me. It was Peter who had landed on runway 27, opposite direction to the gliding operation!! How he got away with it I don't know, as some of the gliding instructors got very stroppy if you didn't comply with the glider circuit pattern.

[Old Photo.Fanatic]

Memories of a Non Flying bod
I was posted to Odiham in the early Sixties, used to hitch-hike to Suffolk for weekends with my family.
Remember seeing all the older Prop. types on the ramp, never gave it a second glance. But now as an avid aviation Photographer how I look back and regret not stopping off and taking more notice.

Later in the 70s I worked/lived in Bracknell and used to visit Blackbush to photograph what might be about.
Remember getting permission to Photograph Hayden Baileys T-33 Black Knight.
Plus, after hours, risked the wrath of DA by photographing all the ex Spanish
DC-3s and He 111s.
Very wary as a few days earlier DA had thrown a friend of mine off the Airfield through/over the hedge onto the verge of the main A30 road!!!!

One memorable ocasion for me was one Sunny Jan 1st, Airfield covered in snow.
Public holiday, so risked it and spent a glorious time photographing in Virgin snow all the ex Spanish Aircraft and three ex Morrocan T-28s.
Plus if my memory is correct a line-up of five B-25s which had been brought together for a film. (Can not remember the film but I think it was filmed at Bovingdon Airfield)

Other memories of Airshows at Blackbush, one in particular was the summer of 1976, grass tinder dry, Airfield grass caught fire by marker Flare for some parachutists. I was in middle of Airfield Press/photo area, have photos of frantic attempts by fire crew trying to put out fire, DA running around with Fire hose trying to help!!!!
One memory of the show was the one and only Niel Williams flew multiple types during the display, what a treat and glad to say I was there to see it.

OPF

[Mechta]

My earliest memory of Blackbushe was going up there as a very junior member of a local aviation society on the promise of a flight from Doug Arnold. Anyway he turned up in his RR Silver Shadow, jumped into an Islander and roared off without any warm up, and there went our hopes for a flight.

I think this was the time when the five B-25 Mitchells were there, as one of our club members, Don Collett, who ran an aviation bookshop in Farnham had a very soft spot for them and Blackbushe, having flown them from there in the war. I think the Spanish Heinkel 111s and Junkers 52 were there to. I thinks the B-25s were there for filming 'Hanover Street'.

Later on I recall going on trips to Blackbushe market and invariably seeing the yellow Condor doing circuits and bumps.

My only flight from Blackbushe was in the RAE Chieftain one year when Farnborough was closed to non-airshow traffic. Businessmen were flying in in their suits, and we (a trials team) were in jeans & t-shirts climbing into our very shiny mount for the trip to West Freugh (known as Wet Through).

In the early 50s, Mechta Senior went to look at a Dart Flittermouse that was decaying in one of the Blackbushe hangars, but decided it was a bit too far gone. He later bought a propellerless Aeronca 100 for £75, also from Blackbushe, lashed the wings to the fuselage sides and towed it back to RAE Farnborough behind his Austin Seven. All went well getting into the Fleet end of RAE, but he got stopped by the RAE Police as he was taking it out South Gate to the Staff Mess by the Farnborough Road, where he stayed. The policeman said he couldn't just take an aeroplane out of RAE, he had to have a permit...

[chevvron]

The film was indeed Hanover Street (Harrison Ford? and Lesley Anne Down, that slapper from the original Upstairs Downstairs) but the aircraft also starred in a documentary 'B25 Mitchells do fly in IMC' about their ferry flight across the pond.

[chevvron]

Much later DA acquired a Comet 4 when Dan Air retired them. It landed easily on 26 (I was in the tower with Alec and got some good piccys which unfortunately I've lost track of) and intially was parked next to 3CAC right by the A30, later being moved next to the terminal building. By the time DA sold the airport, it had disappeared presumably broken up - DA was originally a scrap merchant after all.

[Wycombe]

Have posted earlier in this thread, but your more recent posts Chevvron and Talkdownman have brought back lots more memories - I remember and flew with many of the names in your Boxing Day post TDM from when I was a member at European Flyers in the early/mid '90's.

The owner/pilot social community was also very strong in those days, so when I wasn't flying myself, there were lots of those guys who's aeroplanes I also got to fly in.

In earlier times, I remember the Comet being towed to the northside and broken-up. Also remember it being used in a Madness video ("Wings of a Dove") in the early '80s' when it was parked next to the Terminal. Sadly I wasn't present when it arrived, would be great if you could dig out those pics Chevvron.

My other contributions for now refer back to your post Chevvron re. the young guy that Reg trained as a FISO, his name was Paul Kremer IIRC.

Also, anyone else remember when a Concorde came to do some circuits/low-approaches - it was soon after the new Auction Centre was built and it was done for some publicity shots to be taken, also IIRC.

[chevvron]

Yes Paul (I wasn't going to give his full name but you've done it) was another who moved back and forth between Blackbushe and Fairoaks. He started on YTS, and when DA no longer got money for him, was dispensed with, but not for long because shortly after BCA bought the airport, poor old Reg fell down the stairs and was sent on sick leave so Paul was re-employed. Then he moved to Fairoaks until he decided to join a certain charter company now based at Farnborough as their Ops guy.

[Wycombe]

Apologies, didn't intend to be indiscreet, lots of other names being mentioned in full :confused:

Anyway, having spent many years lurking (and even aviating!) from the 'Bushe, it's good to see the place looking increasingly smart these days - they even have a garage for the fire trucks now and a tanker that can refuel bizjets properly!

Seems like every time I pass by on the A30 (about all I do these days, on an infrequent basis :(), there is some different bizjet/prop or other sat on the main apron, in addition to the ever-present "Blinks".

[chevvron]

Draglift mentioned Laurie's UFO sighting. Farnborough radar (me in fact) were watching him when he had this encounter, but he didn't mention it on the RTF. He phoned me after he landed, knowing I was a member of BUFORA, and told me about it; as far as I was aware I didn't see any other radar contact near to him. He later gave me a sketch of the object. He'd been flying with a Sandhurst Cadet at the tiime, so it was a case of two trained observers seeing something unusual. I reported it to MOD via the usual channels, and also to an RAE boffin who I'd read had been associated with UFO Investigations for MOD. The opinion of the boffin was that it was just a balloon to which someone had added 'aerials' (but why bother?)
I later invited Laurie to a meeting of the local group SIGAP (Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena) but he declined as he'd had so much p1ss taking about it he just wanted to forget it.
At some time, I had a phone call from an amateur scientist living in the village of Mortimer, about 10miles north west of Blackushe, claiming it was his invention which had been seen. Apparently he had invented a sort of linear induction cannon (of the sort recently re-invented by the USA) and claimed he had fired a metal projectile shortly before the time of Laurie's encounter.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<Also, anyone else remember when a Concorde came to do some circuits/low-approaches - it was soon after the new Auction Centre was built and it was done for some publicity shots to be taken, also IIRC.>>

I was on watch at Heathrow that day and hot-footed it to Blackbushe when I got home. Nobody would believe it but it happened! My understanding was that the Captain did it for personal reasons, nothing to do with BCA..... but I could be wrong.

Chevvron... Small world, T, I was a researcher for BUFORA many moons ago. I packed it in when the lunatic brigade got involved... you know, the cranks with the light bulbs in cocoa tins on Box Hill supposedly attracting UFOs!!!

[chevvron]

Know what you mean. My particular bugbear was Jenny Randles attitude to the Bentwaters incident; aviation things which you and I would take as normal were sensationalised.

[Wycombe]

My understanding was that the Captain did it for personal reasons, nothing to do with BCA..... but I could be wrong.

May well have been the case HD, but I remember there was a helicopter taking air-to-air shots of it as it carried out it's antics.

I've seen one photo (may still be hanging up either in the 'Bushe Cafe or the Terminal Building, I forget exactly where) taken from an aerial spot south of the A30 showing the Concorde in the go-around with the BCA HQ in the background.

[Brit312]

I can remember the event, but I cannot recall the reason other than the Captain was a Blackbushe local and I believe had promised someone at Blackbushe that he would do it.

I remember there were quite a number of noise complaints from the Yateley area and on the other side of the airport I had to persuade the local publican from also complaining as he thought his old and delicate pub was going to be damaged when a Concorde under full power roared over head

[chevvron]

At the Blackbushe Air Festival of 1977, I and another Farnborough Controller (now at Bristol) volunteered to help with the ATC. We were in the tower on the saturday when the hatch opened and a gentleman popped his head through, introducing himself as a BOAC(BA?) captain. He said he was taking a '747 up on airtest the following day, and would we like him to do a flypast before he went back to Heathrow. We considered it for maybe 2 microseconds before saying yes please, then told Peter Brown, the festival organiser.
That is how Blackbushe can lay claim to having the first ever '747 participating in a flying display (in addition to a DC8 and a CL44). Mind you it was very difficult explaining to London Military radar that sorry we couldn't accept a radar handover on the 747 as we didn't have radar!

[Wycombe]

....yes, definitely one of the regrets of my times around The 'Bushe was that I was forced to miss this event. I was only 12 and my parents insisted on me being present at a family event in Yateley.

I clearly remember standing in the garden at said event being able to hear the heavy jets flying around and not able to see a thing :(

Don't suppose you have any pics Chevrron?

[chevvron]

For reasons I can't remember, I didn't take my camera with me. I'm surprised you didn't at least see the CL44 from Yately on the saturday as he was very low over there being flown by Don Bullock, who as he was flying the B17 next day, flew the same display in the CL44. I think he was postioning empty to Lasham for maintenance.
The DC8 was also saturday only and was on a freight run with 8 tons of grapes from Italy; apparently when he landed (Gatwick I think) he had 8 tons of wine instead!!

[brakedwell]

The DC8 was also saturday only and was on a freight run with 8 tons of grapes from Italy; apparently when he landed (Gatwick I think) he had 8 tons of wine instead!!

I just happen to have a picture of that DC8 at Blackbushe, which was given to me when I flew them in IAS.


http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/sedgwickjames/aviation/DC8GBDHA.jpg

[thorekib]

I know this post is quite old so maybe nobody reads it anymore. Anywhy I am searching for someone that knew Mr Doug W. Arnold in the early 70s

He was in Norway in 1967 and bought a small ship, this ship he took over to England and I am searching for the fate of this ship.

Thore Kibsgaard
[email protected]
Phone: +47 90610016

[chevvron]

As he was originally a scrap dealer, maybe he bought it for its scrap value.

[brakedwell]

Are there any ships anchored at Blackbushe?

[chevvron]

Silly boy, he didn't buy Blackbushe until about '73; there's definitely not one on the river that passes south of Fairoaks though. (Don't know when he bought Fairoaks or how long he owned it)

[treadigraph]

Thorekib, if the ship in question was over 100 gross tons, a friend of mine may be able to find out what happened to her, if you can let me have her name.

Treadders

[Mark22]

Doug Arnold's backround post WWII was boats, surplus, agregates etc,

I think he may be your man.

PeterA

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

<<he didn't buy Blackbushe until about '73>>

Was it that late? I was unceremoniously and hysterically sacked by the previous owner in 1966 and thought Arnold bought the place not long after that?

[chevvron]

You've got me wondering now. I got the impression it was only a year or two before I arrived at Farnborough which was '74. Can anyone elucidate? We have a copy of a magazine article at Fairoaks in which he's given as the owner there, so that'll give a clue

[Mark22]

He was still operating from in a shed inside one of the hangars at Leavesden in June 1973 when he acquired Spitfire SL721 from the US.

I have a log entry flying Booker to Blackbushe with Ray Hanna to see him in 7 May 1974.

So there is your time frame.

PeterA

[chevvron]

EGLK Blackbushe Pilots (http://www.eglk.com) says DA bought the 'Bushe in '1973' with no more accurate date given and I'm sure he owned Fairoaks immediately prior to this. That would not stop him from basing an aircraft at Leavesden if there was a reason eg the availablity of maintenance facilities under cover.
ref Fairoaks, The Synergy Gateway (http://www.flysynergy.com) says the RAF/MOD disposed of the airfield in 1967 and Doug bought it at public auction for £152,000. It then says 'new owners in 1972..........' (presumably Alan Mann Group)

[Mark22]

DA was operating out of Leavesden with a temporary office in the shed in the hangar following his sale of Fairoaks and prior to moving to Blackbushe.

From memory the company still had the word Fairoaks in its title.

PeterA

[treadigraph]

Fairoaks Aviation Services was the registered owner of some of his aircraft, eg P-51 G-PSID, and P-47 G-BLZW.

[chevvron]

I vaguely recall now he kept that company name all the time he owned Blackbushe.

[benglog]

Hello,

Wonder if anyone on here can help me. I used to work with a chap called Mike Hoby who I knew occasionally flew at Blackbushe. Anyone know of him please?

[Mr_Grubby]

I knew Mike Hoby back in about '70 - 71 at Blackbushe.

Nice bloke. Enjoyed a beer or two !! I have no idea what became of him.

C.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Thanks for the updates (!). I've re-booted my memory box..

To those who endured the gentleman (?) with the gold braid... Some years after I was unceremoniously sacked I returned to live near BB. One day driving down the A30 towards Hartley Wintney, ahead of of us was an old landrover festooned with political stuff and flying the Union Flag. Thinking that only one loony could be driving I pulled alongside... Sure enough, 'twas himself. I wound down the window and hollered "You'll be in a box before me, son!". Oh what utter joy to see his face!! I doubt anyone had ever spoken to him like that before.

[Wycombe]

With the permission of the Forum owner and the main contributor, I'd like to draw your attention to the below thread on another forum.....

Farnborough-aviation-group.co.uk - Blackbushe Pics from the Past (http://farnborough.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=current&action=display&thread=5968)

A veritable photographic feast charting the history of Blackbushe from around 1960 (when it ceased to be London's 2nd Airport) through the AVM Bennett days, the Doug Arnold days and onto around the mid-80's....put aside a few minutes and enjoy.....there are currently 4 long pages worth!

[treadigraph]

Cor, thanks Wycombe, a lot of old friends in those pics!

I was curious about the Beech 18 in the first batch, and found this:

Restored Beech lights up the night sky (http://www.airventure.org/news/2009/090730_grimes.html)

[Plymouthflyer]

It may interest you to know that Phil Cardew, former Airport Director at Blackbushe is now the resident flight examiner at Bodmin Airfield in Cornwall.

[PPRuNe Pop]

A few I have flown and one I owned - Islander AWVY. Great pics to remind us older types what aviation was really like. Many thanks for letting us see them.

It is such pictures that need to be shown and preserved for future aviators, enthusiasts and historians. There must be thousands of unseen pictures that can be pasted here.

I would be perfectly happy to provide threads for the more treasured aeroplanes to be seen and seen again.

That is exactly what this forum is for.

PPP

[Wycombe]

Yes, it is great stuff - I understand there may be more of the same coming soon - will post an update here as and when that happens.

[outhouse]

Hi, just stumbled on this thread, very interesting. Back in 1958 ish, my father moved from Croydon Airport To Blackbush *and moved into one of the Airwork black hangers. Two small company's set up just after the war Olly and Morton Air Services. Also Shell Aviation Services. I remember visiting and enjoying the experience the old smell in the hanger of those days, seeing engineers doing Fabric repairs and wood work, old skills not seen now.*
The chance to fly as a boy in some of the more interesting old aircraft one being Douglas Bader's Miles Gemini.*
All changed as time moved on the two companies faded away, with the closure of BB Shell went to LHR and the executive jet centre started, dad went with them to LHR but remembered his time at BB and never really settled at LHR.*
Still remember the A 30 Closing to allow aircraft to taxi across, the sound of the piston engines running up and the general excitement as a young boy seeing the oldies taking off.*
After over 45 years in the industry I look back on those exiting days spent at BB and the influence it had on my lifetime involvement in aviation.:E

[atb1943]

In 1959 AERAD issued a spiral-bound set of maps and IAPs to participants in The Daily Mail Race July 13th - 23rd, 1959 'Marble Arch - Arc de Triomphe' commemorating Bleriot's cross-channel flight on 15th July 1909. I happen to have a copy, and the then-valid Blackbushe procedures are included. They are possibly the last to have been issued prior to closure of Blackbushe in 1960, and may prove of interest.
The U.S. Navy GCA procedure 'approved for use by BEA' may be of particular interest.
brgds
ATB

http://www.english-for-flyaways.de/albums/userpics/10001/Blackbushe_Procs_1959_1.jpg

http://www.english-for-flyaways.de/albums/userpics/10001/Blackbushe_Procs_1959_2.jpg

http://www.english-for-flyaways.de/albums/userpics/10001/Blackbushe_Procs_1959_3.jpg

[blind pew]

Andy Aldridge - ex shacks - owned BAC - in the mid 70s he had two condors and a Raylle. Trevor Jones, Paddy Carver and myself instructed for him in our spare time.
Paddy was on the Iron duck as I eventually converted onto (I was flying Tridents when I met Andy and his wife Hazel). Paddy went on to CAA flight directorate.
Did My original instructors test with John Varley - proved him wrong as got the Cherokee into a stable spin - after that the test went well.
Tried the same technique on the Condor and executed half of a flick roll - my first ever!
Neil Williams was around but sadly died ferrying a Spanish Heinkel 111 for doug - got caught out by the WAT curves in the Seirra Nevada in Spain.
Doug was known as "The Pig" - I realized it was quite an apt nickname as he narrowly missed taking off the port wing tip when my student was taxying out - the condor was tailwheel and was a bitch to keep straight and see out of on the ground.
I few weeks later Doug had a hissy fit and grounded the club for the day - you couldn't argue with him.
The oil price hike and the three day week put paid to the club but I had many very happy times flying there and the odd frightening experience.
My worst one was during a pre GFT test when we couldn't get out of a spin. Recovered 300ft above cloud tops - base 900ft - on the ground discovered that the rudder throw had been restricted by one of the odd job pilots who had attempted illegally to adjust the brakes - he had been grounded after running out of fuel on the taxiway after returning from Fairoaks!
The student became a friend - he was restoring Porshes at the time - but sdaly he died in a spin 20 yrs later - Bob Chamberlain.
Met a couple of ex students who had fought as mercenaries in Angola as chopper pilots and had been lucky to get out alive.
Then there was John Searle who was developing a flying saucer with a speed of several thousand mph - had some wealthy backers - and there is a biography about him on the net.

[Gulf4uk]

More Pictures of Blackbushe have been added to the Topic (link is Above)
am sure these will be of interest

Tony
farnborough -forums Owner

[ViscountFan]

Much as I hate to argue with a fellow Old Fernebergian, it was Tom Boulter who took the much used photo of the Seahawk crashing. Tom, along with my brother, was working for Silver City at the time. My brother saw what was happening and called out Tom, who always had a camera to hand. Tom later became a professional photographer. I'm trying to get hold of a copy of the photo which I will post on the forum if I can.

[atb1943]

I'd love to see the photo, Viscount Fan. I really wonder if there were not a couple taken, the one I have in mind would have been shot from the terminal car park. I was about to write to Bob to ask for a copy of 'his' photo, and will now reword my request!

Do we know each other I wonder?

brgds
Alan

[flameout2011]

OMG guys, such wonderful memories reading this forum. I only found this forum last night, what a joy!!!! I joined 3CAC on 12.7.73 and went for my my first 'jolly' that very day with a fantastic part time instructor from 3CAC called Peter Watkins in a PA19. Anyone remember him? He got me solo in 5 hours within 5 days. I fondly remember DJ and, of course the famous and fabulous REG in the tower. I didn't know he was no longer with us, God Bless you Reg, he was so kind to me. I'm going to trawl through all the posts and try to answer some of the un-answered questions. I have some old 8mm footage of the Bushe in '73 and me spinning in the Pup taken from the cockpit and also landing the PA19 on my first solo and if anyone is interested, I'll get it converted to a CD.

DA officially took over the place just after I joined 3CAC but I met Wingco Bennett before the official handover was completed. I'll have to dig out my first logbook as a memory jogger for any of you who are interested.

Such wonderful memories guys

Keep it in your pants boys
Kind regards
Flameout

[Gulf4uk]

hi

Stuart Marshall has retired as manager but can be found there nearly
every Day and posts a movement Log every day on my Farnborough -Aviation-group BLACKBUSHE forum (approved link back further in this thread ). The Blackbushe of old Picture thread has got bigger and bigger
All on here are very welcome to view and post comment but You will have
to sign in due to an Idiot section that caused problems .

Tony
farnborough

sign in click blackbushe forums
Farnborough-aviation-group.co.uk - Login (http://farnborough.proboards.com/index.cgi?)

[flameout2011]

Thank you GULF4UK, I remember Stuart so well when he was the SATCO at Fairoaks when I was doing my Instructor Training with Syd Parker, God Bless him too. I used to visit Stuart every day in the tower after my lessons wiv Uncle Syd to fly back to BB in my PA28. Anyone remember Syd Parker, he had 13,000 instructional hours on Moths alone during WW2. I recall when he used to visit the Shell building in the Strand to revalidate his licence he used to take 2 Revelation cases full of his logbooks, and say "Is that enough for you cock?"

Stuart, if you're out there, thank you dear friend, for all you did for me, contact me if you wish. I remember those hot days in mid summer when you were in the tower at Fairoaks and under the finger of DA.

More later guys when I can get into the back of my brain, if there's anything left of it, that is........

Flameout

[flameout2011]

To Draglift

I remember the occasion very well when REG grounded the poor boy, when he made a re-entry and not a landing.

I was in the cafe in the main terminal building at the time with Peter Watkins my instructor after just landing in poor weather after IMC training prior to my PPL. I was enjoying a coffee and a Cornish Pasty with him and we noticed the poor chap at the next table, shaking like a leaf, with a cup of coffee in both hands but not able to drink it as it was going everywhere but not in the chap's mouth. We both went over to him and joined him. Reg came down and scolded him, and Peter my instructor told Reg to go easy on him as he was clearly in shock. Reg turned to Peter and said, "Peter teach him to fly FGS" (For God's Sake). The poor unfortunate had to leave his club aircraft at BB and we drove the poor unfortunate back to London after tying a few on at the pub/hotel just down the road (the name I forget) to settle his nerves, not my instructor, the student. It transpired that the student had been sent on a short X-Country but had become dis-orientated with the clamping weather and decided to dive for earth when he saw an airfield, he didn't even know that he was at BB.
The following day, we picked up a cheerier and more self-assured young man from his home and proceeded to BB where we went straight to the canteen where we had the statutory coffee before flying, and as Peter said "to check that at least the 'unfortunate' could P1 a coffee cup again".

Peter spoke to REG and told REG that he would accompany and instruct the student back to Booker and that I would collect Peter from Booker by car, which I did. The student is a friend to this day and has never flown again. I used to fly the student several times to Aldernay for his business purposes. Before anyone gets uppity, I did have my PPL then.

I will pay my respects later to my great and wonderful instructor at a later stage. He taught me things at 36 hrs that 500 hr pilots didn't know. Anyone who knew Peter Watkins (Watters) to his friends, was an amazing guy and his ability to teach and transfer information in an understandable manner was beyond reproach. If anyone knew Watters, he had an Auster, and took it to Abu Dhabi, where he was a Physics Teacher in AD under the pyramid scheme to sift the intelligent students there. He flew his Auster back into BB after 2 weeks of flying and fuel stops in '73. He told me that on one occasion on this return whilst flying over Palestine, he was faced with an enormous headwind and was watching the cars on the ground overtaking him, Palestine Radar called him and asked him 'to confirm he was a helicopter'. Peter replied "Negative Sir, just Palestine Wind!"

Anyway Draglift, hope this closes the door on this one, stay safe

As always, lets pray for NO Flameout

[chevvron]

Stuart wasn't ever 'SATCO' Fairoaks but WAS senior FISO/Deputy Airport Manager, this being after he had a 'falling out' with Doug Arnold in about 1977 and was his second 'stint' at Fairoaks. Years later back at Blackbushe (he was headhunted back to be Airport Manager again under Phil Cardew who was Airport Director/Chief Pilot BCA when BCA bought it off DA), his FISO licence had lapsed but CAA said if he passed an Air Ground Radio practical exam, he could use it again so I went over and did the test, (I was and still am an authorised A/G Examiner) and he got the licence back!
I thought the Pups at 3CAC were great. I only flew G-AZCP as the other one had landed in a field in mid 1976 and was never returned to use. People called them 'underpowered' but it's my firm belief it was just switching from a C150 with the same power/weight ratio, the Pup had a smaller wing area and took a bit longer to unstick. In the air there was a world of difference; you had to 'fly' the Pup more but its control response was far superior.
When Tim Steggles checked me out in it, (I was hoping I would get Ellie Messer instead as she always wanted to take me up and show me some unusual attitudes!) he said 'well you took to that easily'.
I remember when it spun, it seemed you were 'over the vertical'!

[Mypyrex]

I knew Mike Hoby back in about '70 - 71 at Blackbushe.

Nice bloke. Enjoyed a beer or two !! I have no idea what became of him.

C.

And I'm still alive and kicking. Living in North Wales. Nearest I get to flying is cattle class in a 737 or whatever:{

Who are YOU Mr_Grubby?:)

[flameout2011]

Nice to know you're still around Mike, I remember you when I was doing my PPL at Blackbushe with Peter Watkins my instructor who introduced me to you. Where in North Wales are you? You were a great inspiration to us all youngun's at the 'Bush'!

Coming from a farming family, what breed is 737 cattle?

All the best

Flameout

[Mypyrex]

I'm in Colwyn Bay. What's your real name?:O

[flameout2011]

Thank you Chevron, I stand corrected! To me in those days, all guys in the tower were SATCO's, ahhhh the enthusiasm of youth !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Pup ID seems to ring a bell but have not found my first log book yet, but I agree, it did spin as though it was over vertical. I've found the 8mm film of me spinning in it which I will get converted to digital if you're interested.

Flameout

[flameout2011]

Its Peter Clarke, do you remember Peter Watkins? He introduced me to you when I had about 30 hours.

Flameout

[Mypyrex]

One of my latest ventures was to climb to 18000feet near Everest in October 2010
http://j.ukc2.com/t/162095.jpg
(Me on the left - Everest behind):D:D:D:D

[Mypyrex]

Its Peter Clarke, do you remember Peter Watkins? He introduced me to you when I had about 30 hours.

Flameout

Can't say I do remember. Old age, memory, etc., :ugh:

[flameout2011]

Haha, I know what you mean! Peter had an Auster which he flew out to Abu Dhabs and brought it back into BB 6 months later, he was a part time instructor at 3CAC.

Very impressive on the 18K feet. That height reminds me of a flight I did from Jersey to Geneva in a Cessna 182. I had to climb to that height to get over some very high cold cumulus to avoid turning into a snowball. I remember it was hard to breathe. Geneva Control were incredibly kind and allowed me to circle twice over the lake to lose height so I could land in a reasonable fashion.

Peter

[chevvron]

The other Pup I mentioned which I never flew was something like G-AWDW. It took off from Blackbushe late one day, and (you remember how you had to ensure the doors were locked by positioning the handle past a mark) both doors popped open, so the pilot put it down in a field. As it was undamaged, the resident Army Air Corps Squadron at Farnborough tried to lift it out intact using a Scout helicopter, but it was just too heavy so had to be dismantled and was never returned to 3CAC service.

[Mypyrex]

But I thought Ppruners might be interested in this:
It's Lukla, in Nepal, into which I flew in a Twin Otter in Oct 2010 on my way to Everest

No. 1 Most Extreme and Dangerous Airport: Lukla Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Nepal - YouTube

It has the reputation of being the most extreme airport in the world. There's no overshoot; you land uphill and take off downhill.

I've got a shot which I took on finals which I'll try to upload later.

[Dave Barnshaw]

:ugh:On the 3rd.of May 1964 I had a 15 min.flight in Prentice G-AOPL,can anyone remember the machine?,a rare bird nowadays.

[chevvron]

Mypyrex:
Courcheval in Switzerland is identical and a lot closer to home.

[Vigne]

I was very interested to read Chevvron's post of 5th Jan about the Pup which came down near Blackbushe, as I happened to be the police officer who received the first report about the incident. At the risk of boring you, I'll tell you the story from a non-aviator's (never lived the dream!) point of view. If nothing else, it will add a little to the rich tapestry of reminiscences in this thread.

The aircraft was a Pup 100, G-AZCP and, as an aside, I see it survived and now
sports a rather smart dark blue and yellow livery:
Photograph of Aircraft G-AZCP (http://www.caa.co.uk/applicationmodules/ginfo/ginfo_photo.aspx?regmark=G-AZCP&imgname=G-AZCP001&imgtype=jpg)

I've also found a photo of it in its livery at the time of the incident:
Aircraft G-AZCP (1970 Beagle B.121 Pup 100 C/N B121-158) Photo by Rosalind Thorne (Photo ID: AC636397) (http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/636397.html)

At that time I was a young bobby stationed at Hartley Wintney and on 23rd June 1976, a pleasant sunny evening, I was looking after the station, which we opened to the public for a couple of hours each morning and evening, when a passing motorist came in to say he'd seen an aircraft flying very low near the M3 motorway and he thought it had come down. He gave me a rough idea of the location so, locking up the station, I set off in my van, letting my Control Room know of the report. No personal radios for us out in the sticks in those days! They told me they'd just received a couple of 999 calls reporting an aircraft low over the motorway.

On the road to Fleet, opposite the entrance to Elvetham Hall (locals will know it) I saw some farm workers in the field and called over, asking if they'd seen an aircraft in trouble. The reply, as if this sort of thing happened to them every day, was "Yeah, it's over there - damn thing nearly took our heads off!" and just carried on working....

Looking through a gap in the trees I could see the aircraft, tail in the air, a couple of hundred yards off the road, in the middle of a field of ripe barley, on rising ground, with a figure standing by the wing.

When I reached it, the pilot, although uninjured, was looking very crestfallen and he explained that the doors had come open in flight and he'd had to make a landing. Unfortunately, despite approaching across some nice flat fields, he touched down on rising ground and ripped off the nosewheel which brought him to a fairly abrupt halt.
Everything was shut down and he was happy that there was no risk of fire.

I'd reported the location to the Control Room and within a short time, the cavalry started to arrive, together with a few inevitable onlookers. Now, up to this point, the only damage to the field was a furrow about 40 yards long leading back along the track of the aircraft's arrival.

Farmers, as many of you will know, are quite sensitive about their crops and Mr. H, the farmer who owned this field, wasn't exactly known locally for his sense of humour. He turned up, striding across the field towards us, at about the same time as the Range Rover crash tender from RAE Farnborough made a grand, two-tone horn-assisted entrance on the other side of the field, leaving a swathe of flattened barley in its wake and depositing silver-suited firemen at the aircraft.

Mr. H turned several shades of puce and attempted to persuade us all to leave with words along the lines of the immortal, "Get orff my land", but to no effect. It was left to me to whisper the magic words 'insurance and compensation' in his ear and he calmed down and stumped off.

Back to the matter in hand and I felt I had to do something in my official capacity, so I asked the pilot, Mr O... for his flying documents. He produced his pilot's licence and I realised, by sheer coincidence, that he was an RAE scientist I'd regularly performed work for when I was an RAE employee some years before! It's a small
world.....

I wasn't content with just his licence, so using the Ways and Means Act, I issued him with a Form HO/RT/1, usually issued for motorists to produce their driving documents (for the youngsters, I think it's called a 'producer' these days.....no sense of decorum any more, sigh), requiring him to produce the Certificate of Airworthiness and evidence of insurance at Yateley Police Station within 5 days.

Sure enough, a couple of days later, I got a phone call from a bemused Station Duty Officer at Yateley telling me, "There's a bloke at the counter with a HORTI, producing documents for an aeroplane. What the hell am I meant to do with them?" "Damned if I know", I said, "just record the details and send them through!" I'd done my bit......

Anyway, back to the Pup. With due consideration for the farmer and his crop, it was decided to try and get it out with a minimum of further damage to his field, so someone had the bright idea of ringing RAF Odiham, to see if they'd like to get one of their nice big helicopters to lift it out. It would be an interesting and useful exercise for them, we thought, naively. I didn't make the call but I'm told the response was a rather sniffy, "We don't do that sort of thing........"

Unabashed, the Army Air Corps was contacted and they jumped at the chance. Later that week. I went up to the site when they brought in a Scout to make the lift. It didn't look to be much bigger than the Pup and, sure enough, despite a number of valiant attempts, and with the hairs on the necks of the observers rising slowly but surely, they eventually had to admit defeat. I took a small camera with me and I've dug out three rather poor quality prints that have been tucked away for all these years.

The first one shows the Pup in a rather undignified pose, with a fortuitous gap in the trees through which it had passed, the treeline on the horizon marking the M3 motorway just south of Fleet Services.
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c51/vigne/BeaglePup/Aircraft1.jpg

The second shows the first lift commencing. The Scout was able to lift it just a few feet from the ground and it swung to the right, the third photo showing it being deposited back on the ground:
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c51/vigne/BeaglePup/Lift11.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c51/vigne/BeaglePup/Lift21.jpg
This was the sort of incident it was a pleasure to attend - something

different from the usual dross and nobody harmed!

On a wider note, Blackbushe has some memories for those not actively involved in aviation, too. I never encountered him but DA's reputation spread far and wide. Fortunately, it was the Yateley bobbies' patch and we were happy to leave them to sort out the problems that arose. It was reputed that he had crates of brand-new Merlin engines in one of the hangars at the back of the field.

I remember doing traffic control for the Air Festival. IIRC, the highlight for me was seeing Sally B doing an exceptionally low flypast, the props clearing the perimeter fence at the western end by not a lot! The raw power of the Sea Fury making the ground throb at the start of its take-off run near my traffic point is also unforgettable. The memory is a bit hazy, so if I'm thinking of a different event, I'd stand corrected.

'Picnic at Blackbushe', the pop festival staged there in the late '70's, is a whole story in itself. Plenty of fun and games that weekend and we didn't even get onto the airport!

Of course, things weren't always as light-hearted and much later in my career I was involved in the melancholy incidents involving a Cessna 441 in 1987 and the King Air in 2000.

Well, for a first post I've gone on a bit, haven't I? I'm not sure I'll have been been able to upload the pictures onto the post but, if not, they are available at: BeaglePup pictures by vigne - Photobucket (http://photobucket.com/BeaglePup)

[treadigraph]

Great stuff, thanks Vigne!

Reminds me of Neil Williams being asked by a policeman to produce his PPL after a forced landing in a different sort of Pup which was also associated with Blackbushe!

[old,not bold]

On the 3rd.of May 1964 I had a 15 min.flight in Prentice G-AOPL,can anyone remember the machine?,a rare bird nowadays.

Remember it? I'll take the memories of it to my grave. I bought the beast in 1967 for £700 at Shackletons (Sywell) in 1967 and flew it to Sharjah, not without tribulations, and after flying it around the Trucial Oman (UAE) for a while persuaded an RAF Twin Pin pilot that he wanted to fly it to South Africa, which he did with a colleague to navigate. Not without tribulations.

It was sold in Durban to a young farmer who was going to fly it to a hill farm and use it to commute to Durban. I have always thought that if he got it on the ground at the hill farm it would never leave it again, and a good thing too.

If I can remember or find my Photobucket password I'll show you a picture of G-AOPL in Sharjah, which has been in another thread in the past.

My only memory of Blackbushe was landing there one day in the Royal Artillery Auster, parking and walking across the apron to report and have a cup of coffee. I was confronted on route by an angry little fellow who had dashed out to berate me for parking where I had, which was where ATC told me to go. He was beside himself with rage. It turned out that he was a retired RAF person called AVM Bennett, of well-deserved fame but short on Customer Relations skills, who ran the airfield.

[chevvron]

So it WAS 'CP, the one I checked out in a couple of years later, rather than the other Pup which did the field landing. I was flying the Cessna 150s at the time and didn't take much notice of the Pups, so I assumed as the other Pup disappeared about this time, that was the one which had the incident.

[Mypyrex]

Anyone remember Ralph Bundy (ground staff) Peter Hooper(flew parachutists and got me on to it) Julian Bell, Ian Baxter, Phil Bright, Mike Graham(founder of Aeromart)

I occasionally flew a Beagle Terrier G-ASCD. Went to an air rally in Belgium in it and have memories of ground looping it at Ostend :O

[guzzirider]

Just found this thread. I worked at the ground control (1966/7?) under Reg, and later Ralph Bundy(?). Mike Sheehy was in the tower at that stage and bought my green mini van from me. All the memories are flooding back.

Mrs.Judd and her pretty daughter. AVM Bennet driving the annual CAA inspector around in his Aston, and not a fibreglass Fairthorpe. Getting into trouble regularly for roaring back from checking the runways in the landrover with Mike turning the ignition off and on with subsequent backfires. Driving the fire engine out to evict trespassers and the Three Counties guys calling out the AA when it broke down again. Very funny for them.

I was there when they filmed 'Girl on a motorcycle' and we put the subsequent fire out three times, I think, as we jumped the gun while they were still filming.

The highlight of the airshow, for me, when I climbed up on the Lancaster wheel to plug in the power to start it. Neil Williams was the pilot.

A Comet on finals which realized at the last moment that we were not Farnborough! Charles Masefield's Mustang visiting while filming The Mercenaries somewhere.

Lighting the 'Goosenecks' at the sides of the runway from the passenger side of the Landrover and many more happy memories.

A very happy time.

David

[Gulf4uk]

hi

Pictures of much of what is mentioned can be found on the Blackbushe
pictures thread at (ok in past by ppr Admin)

Farnborough-aviation-group.co.uk - Login (http://farnborough.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=current)

this is the Local Spotters Forums (you may be asked to sign in)
there are dozens of EGLK pictures on the PETERBROWN thread
the DAN AIR Comet is there and many of the show aircraft ,

Tony
Farnborough-aviation-group.co.uk - Login (http://farnborough.proboards.com/index.cgi?)

admin

[chevvron]

I was in the tower with Alec when the Comet landed, and I seem to remember it was Peter Brown who marshalled it into the pan next to 3 Counties.

[guzzirider]

Just remembered that the first police helicopter trial for Hampshire visited BB then and was a Bell 47G containing a pilot, police officer and large Alsatian for Wimbledon tennis. The pilot's only difficulty was that the dog kept on licking his face!

Somewhere I have a pic of Sheila Scott's Commanche there and I rember that there was a Gloucester Gladiator and Vickers Gun bus replica in the hangars.

[oggers]

Wonderful thread.

I remember the music festival - Dylan, Clapton et al. 1978. Entry £6 if memory serves, though my mum actually walked in through a gap in the corrugated iron which was falling down by the evening. She'd have been 60 at the time!

The air display(s?) of the mid '70s. Rothmans Display Team is about all I can recall.

One day cycling across the north side en-route to the kart track I noticed the field was occupied by squadrons of aircraft, which turned out to be wooden boards. Very convincing though. Must've been the film.

Here's a couple of things I didn't notice in the thread: there was a series of drag races in the late seventies. Something of a regular event at the time. Entry fee - I just cycled in from Yateley common. Great value. And please somebody, anybody, comfirm I didn't dream this - a round or two of the FRENCH 2CV Cross Championship on the old MX track!! The main job of the marshalls being to push the cars upright when they rolled over - a seemingly minor impediment to good progress in that class of racing.

Oh, and the johnny-come-lately residents of the nearby housing development of the late seventies - including the obligatory local councillor - who did eventually succeed in getting the kart track closed down for a while before the secratary of state put them back in their box :{ The president of the kart club was one Emmerson Fittipaldi. And he DID visit.

[chevvron]

Drag Racing continued until the BCA purchase. I did my dragster driver qualifying runs (3 successful runs observed by an authorised steward) at Blackbushe at the August 1984 meeting run by the National Drag Racing Club (NDRC). I think this was the last race meeting as BCA decided that the runway surface would last longer without this type of activity.
I won't tell you what words I'm told Phil Cardew used to tell the NDRC though!

[Wycombe]

Readers here might be interested to know that the 'Bushe is once again about to be used as a filming location.

Set building began last week for "Rush", a movie with it's storyline centered around the 1970's rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda in F1. Ron Howard is the big-name director behind it.

The construction so far looks like a wooden mock-up of a few F1 pit garages.

Activity is apparently due to continue for the next 5 months.

[Brit312]

Readers here might be interested to know that the 'Bushe is once again about to be used as a filming location.


I hear that "Natural England" are objecting on the grounds that it is adjacent to a SSSI and a SPA in the form of Yateley Common and all the noise!! could affect the endangered birds

[Gulf4uk]

HI

For more info on the Planning of the Filmset and What the objections are
visit

Formula 1 film set on Blackbushe during rare bird breeding season? | A Reader in Writing (http://ramtopsrac.wordpress.com/2011/12/28/formula-1-film-set-on-blackbushe-during-rare-bird-breeding-season/)

on the Picture Forum (Farnborough-aviation-group.co.uk - Blackbushe Pics from the Past (http://farnborough.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=current&thread=5968&page=14#31228l))
page 14 Peter has added pictures
of the Doug Arnold War birds of GB JUNKERS , daks , seafurys

Tony
farnborough-aviation-group Admin
(spotters and everyone )

[ZOOKER]

A couple of years ago, I read the autobiography of one of my musical heroes, 'Pictures Of An Exhibitionist' by Keith Emerson, who was training as a PPL at the airfield.
On a solo cross country, Keith landed at Odiham, thinking it was EGLK, and was surprised when men with alsatians and machine-guns came to greet his Cherokee.

[oggers]

Good to hear that "Richie" is going to be making this film about Hunt/Lauda. He is one of the guys out there with the ability to do justice to this story imo. I hope Hollywood doesn't balls-it-up.

As for the antis campaigning against this I don't believe for one second that they genuinely care about the 'endangered species'. If they did they'd be campaigning against the hundreds of dogs that run free on the adjacent common (speaking as someone who has taken full advantage of the facility).

[Wokkafans]

Wonderful thread that has brought up some great memories :ok:

Be a young karter back in the mid 70's, early 80's, I would be up at Blackbushe most weekends (and occasionally at Frimley park shortly after :{). As a young boy it was a fantastic place to visit as you would never know what would be on the airfield - I remember peeking into the hangar by the rusty Sherman tanks to see the Spitfire and also the JU-52's lined up near the control tower alongside the A30. The Mitchell's also seem familiar but I can't recall exactly when this was.

I had my first ever flight there in a Devon for a 15 min spin around the area - my father parted with what was then a not inconsiderable sum of money for this so he stayed behind while we did a few circuits. Really cherish him doing that for me :D

Great to see Blackbushe being used for filming again. I used to race against James Hunt's brother David who ran his Kart on a shoestring budget. Great guy, highly talented, and a real shame he quit driving in 1988 after testing for Benetton.

WF :ok:

[chevvron]

Never heard of Keith Emerson, but who can forget Gary Webb (aka Numan)completing his PPL at 3 Counties (in spite of his agent) then buying a Cessna 182 and taking off (just) from runway 19 in coarse pitch.

[treadigraph]

Wokafans, the B-25s would have been mid-1978 to 1979 - not sure how long all five were there, I saw them during Fanborough week '78.

Never heard of Keith Emerson

Blimey Chevvron, never heard of Emerson Lake and Palmer? The world's most pretentious rock group? Liked a lot of their stuff, but they did try to make a virtue out of grandiose behaviour and music...

[chevvron]

Not really a music person apart from Bach's Toccata and Fugue in 'D' minor and big band stuff. Course I've HEARD of ELP but never listened to them, let alone knowing their first names.
The B25s (callsign Hanover Formation) arrived at Blackbushe after the finish of filming 'Hanover Street' at Bovingdon, joining a plethora of DA owned types like the He111s, Ju52s and the 'illegal' T28s (classed as 'munitions of war' by the IR and imported without the requisite licence).

[ZOOKER]

Keith Noel Emerson. (Born very close to Pole Hill actually).
Gregory Stuart Lake.
Carl Fredrick Kendall Palmer.
Tarkus and Trilogy are the best two albums, with the first album and Pictures At An Exhibition close behind.
Also check out Keith's work with The Nice, prior to forming ELP. :ok:

[treadigraph]

Interesting, didn't know the T-28s were "dodgy" - ex Moroccan weren't they? If memory serves, I saw one in Fort Lauderdale several years later, so presumably they resolved the issue.

Reminds me of the three ex-Zaire AF examples that pitched up at Biggin in late '77 - bit ignorant I was then, thought they were some species of T-34! Well, I was young...

[atb1943]

@ old, not bold

Remember it? I'll take the memories of it to my grave. I bought the beast in 1967 for £700 at Shackletons (Sywell) in 1967 and flew it to Sharjah, not without tribulations, and after flying it around the Trucial Oman (UAE) for a while persuaded an RAF Twin Pin pilot that he wanted to fly it to South Africa, which he did with a colleague to navigate. Not without tribulations.

It was sold in Durban to a young farmer who was going to fly it to a hill farm and use it to commute to Durban. I have always thought that if he got it on the ground at the hill farm it would never leave it again, and a good thing too.

This brought to mind that I was sure I had seen a Prentice in the SAA hangar at Jan Smuts (as it was called then) in 1992 when I was down there for Aviation Africa. Lo and behold:

http://www.english-for-flyaways.de/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Percival_Prentice_VS609_G-AOPL_JNB_1992.jpg

brgds
Alan

[atb1943]

Mike,

Last September you wrote:

Much as I hate to argue with a fellow Old Fernebergian, it was Tom Boulter who took the much used photo of the Seahawk crashing. Tom, along with my brother, was working for Silver City at the time. My brother saw what was happening and called out Tom, who always had a camera to hand. Tom later became a professional photographer. I'm trying to get hold of a copy of the photo which I will post on the forum if I can.

Well, you are correct! The photo I referred to is the one you have of the aircraft an instant before it went in. Bob's was also published, of that I'm sure, but it was of the immediate aftermath. Bob wasn't able to dig up his original, but by a fluke an acquaintance sent him a photocopy, quite by chance, and yer 'tis:

http://www.english-for-flyaways.de/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Seahawk_XE462_01-09-58.jpg

The pilot of the 800 Sqn RN Seahawk (R/101) was Lt Rodger Charles Dimmock RN, who ejected at some 300 ft suffering a broken leg (though I believe it was his ankle...)

That might be me on the right. I reached him just prior to the S55 (WV202) which was on call. Lots of excitement for a 15-year-old!

brgds
Alan

[Ian Burgess-Barber]

Some ex Blackbushe folks may not be aware of Laurie's passing - see "Where are they now?" thread.

[old,not bold]

ATB1943

I have only just seen your post above with the picture of the dismantled Prentice in 1992.

Unless someone repainted mine back in Service colours and the Service number, it isn't G-AOPL.

Which raises the question of how in hell 2 Prentices managed to make it all the way to South Africa! G-AOPL had a few incidents on route, to put it mildly. I would be fascinated to know the history of the one in your picture.

Edit. Guess what, I googled VS609 Prentice and got a whole lot of information; some of it total rubbish on the RAAF Museum site eg:-

"The RAF sold the aircraft in 1956 as G-AOPL and flew from England to South Africa in 16 days in 1957. Flying in South Africa as G-AOPL until 1967, it was then re-registered as ZS-EUS and completely overhauled. After performing an emergency landing on the freeway near Halfway House, Pretoria, in 1968, it became derelict and found it's way to the SAAF Museum."

1967 was the year it arrived in SA, registered as G-AOPL.

[flameout2011]

Peter Watkins was my instructor in 1976, wish I could find him. he was a Physics teacher in Abu Dhabi and flew his Auster to and from Abu Dhabi...

can anyone help?

Thank you

Peter Clarke

[chevvron]

oldnotbold: I read a story in Meccano Magazine about 1960 about a couple who bought a Prentice which they named 'Koomela' in order to ferry it to Oz from Blackbushe. I wonder if maybe it got diverted. This took place in about '59 or '60.
(Yeah I know; things that long ago I remember, just don't ask me what I was doing this time last week!)

[atb1943]

@ old, not bold

You wrote, back in July:

'I have only just seen your post above with the picture of the dismantled Prentice in 1992.

Unless someone repainted mine back in Service colours and the Service number, it isn't G-AOPL.

Which raises the question of how in hell 2 Prentices managed to make it all the way to South Africa! G-AOPL had a few incidents on route, to put it mildly. I would be fascinated to know the history of the one in your picture.

Edit. Guess what, I googled VS609 Prentice and got a whole lot of information; some of it total rubbish on the RAAF Museum site eg:-

"The RAF sold the aircraft in 1956 as G-AOPL and flew from England to South Africa in 16 days in 1957. Flying in South Africa as G-AOPL until 1967, it was then re-registered as ZS-EUS and completely overhauled. After performing an emergency landing on the freeway near Halfway House, Pretoria, in 1968, it became derelict and found it's way to the SAAF Museum."

1967 was the year it arrived in SA, registered as G-AOPL. '

I suppose the only way to prove that the Prentice in my photo is the same as the one you took down in 1967 would be to check the c/n plate...:hmm:

It must be assumed that the owner of ZS-EUS, as you mention above, had it re-painted in service colours. I wonder who owned ZS-EUS ref:Aviation Traders Percival Prentice bulk buy? - Page 2 - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=108552&page=2)

The official registration history of 'OPL can be found here:
GINFO Search Results | Aircraft Register | Operations and Safety (http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=detailnosummary&fullregmark=AOPL)

and what I assume is a list of Prentices stored (dumped) at Southend in the fifties, and which I was able to crawl around in May 1958 is here:
Percival Prentice - Southend Timeline (http://www.southendtimeline.com/percivalprentice.htm)

What I find hard to believe is a photo on Flickr of 'OPL reportedly taken in 2008 - perhaps that was the date it was scanned...G-AOPL | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/dwhitworth/5758627258/)
Do you recognise the location? Nice paint job!

I've been able to source a photo of ZS-EUS (albeit not a freebie) at: Military Aviation Review (http://mar.co.uk/photo-list.asp?category=12&Sort=Year&Limit=100&Start=33770)
where it is shown as 'wfu Wonderboom'

I doubt whether any of this is new to you but I've enjoyed sleuthing!

vbrgds
Alan

[ispra]

I remember flying these circa 68-69. The were 90hp not later 150 hp engines . Non-radio and had to be swung to start. Learnt spinning , short-field operations and the basic PPL in these and I wonder what happened to them. For those with more cash there was a Scottish Aviation Bulldog . Vic Hargreaves was I believe the rather stern instructor with a stiff leg who had to slide into the front seat. This was a bit awkward and put him in a bad mood for the detail from the start...

[chevvron]

GAYPP and 'PR were still with 3 Counties in '74, but were withdrawn shortly after.
During a night of gales, they were both picketed down, but one of them was still lifted and blown some distance.

[ITman]

Great thread bringing back many memories, especially that Comet outside the control tower.

I remember going to Blackbushe to see the then new Starship with a Rockwell Collins engineer fantastic aircraft for its time I with cannot remember when that was or find any photo's sadly. I did my PPL training with BSF in AA5A under the guidance of Mr. Briggs in 1990 a nice aircraft to fly.

[Gulf4uk]

For newer Members on this thread A picture Gallery (ok by admin in the past) can be found at Farnborough-aviation-group.co.uk - Login (http://farnborough.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=current&action=display&thread=5968)
hundreds of pictures many B\W Of EGLK as Was Mil and civil please feel free to enjoy some amazing shots . thread is updated with more almost every day currently 22 pages

Tony
Admin
Farnborough -Aviation -group

[Geoffrey Home]

CFI at Blackbushe in 70's was Andy Aldridge.

Got my PPL in 1978 flying G-AWFP and G-ATUG for £20/h.

Happy days.

Geoff Home

[chevvron]

For newer Members on this thread A picture Gallery (ok by admin in the past) can be found at Farnborough-aviation-group.co.uk - Login (http://farnborough.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=current&action=display&thread=5968)
hundreds of pictures many B\W Of EGLK as Was Mil and civil please feel free to enjoy some amazing shots . thread is updated with more almost every day currently 22 pages

Tony
Admin
Farnborough -Aviation -group
The above forum no longer has contributions from Peter Brown and all his previous threads have been deleted, however Peter has started a new forum Home | Blackbushe Airport - The one-stop Forum (http://www.blackbusheairport.proboards.com)

[Mr Oleo Strut]

Anybody got any pics or stories about the old pax terminal in Airwork/Britavia days when they were using ex-BOAC Hermes on trooping flights in the late 50s? I remember it as a dark and gloomy place, but that was a long time ago when I was very young. I still remember the Hermes lit up like a Christmas tree getting ready for a night take-off.

[chevvron]

Anybody got any pics or stories about the old pax terminal in Airwork/Britavia days when they were using ex-BOAC Hermes on trooping flights in the late 50s? I remember it as a dark and gloomy place, but that was a long time ago when I was very young. I still remember the Hermes lit up like a Christmas tree getting ready for a night take-off.

Yes they can be seen on the forum above in posting#173.

[Mr Oleo Strut]

Sadly the Farnborough Aviation site says that the Blackbushe thread has been withdrawn with immediate effect.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

But if you go here, you'll find loads of Blackbushe pics from the past:

Photo of the Day | Blackbushe Airport - The one-stop Forum (http://blackbusheairport.proboards.com/board/35/photo-day)

[Mr Oleo Strut]

Many thanks, Heathrow Director, for pointing the way to a fascinating mine of Blackbushe nostalgia.

[chevvron]

Sadly the Farnborough Aviation site says that the Blackbushe thread has been withdrawn with immediate effect.
If you click the link I posted, you'll find it's not the Farnborough Aviation website whose owner has seen fit to delete all of Peter Brown's postings!!

[Geoffrey Home]

To get back to the original question: there were three clubs at LK in the early'70s:
Three Counties
Aeromart
Blackbushe Aero Club.

BAC as far as I remember had two Condors and a Wassmer Baladou. CFI was a very tall guy Andy something (just can't remember his surname - been racking my brain for days)
Andy had a falling out with Doug Arnold, hence his club premises were down the far (west) end of the airfield from the other two, south of the runway where they now park the fuel trucks.
I believe both Aeromart and BAC threw in the towel when local authority regs required airfields to be classed as light industrial premises rather than recreational facilities; the two clubs were unable to afford the increase in rates which Doug had no choice but to pass on.

G-ATUG and G-AWFP were at BAC run by CFI Andy Aldridge. G-ATUG was at the LAA Rally in 2018 now painted white from previous yellow. G-AYZS also made some appearances at BB. There were also some Jodels. I remember paying in advance to fly for around £25/hr. Also we got caught up in the 1975 fuel crisis - happy days, regardless.

[Mypyrex]

"Andy something..."
Aldridge

[GotTheTshirt]

I ran the Maintenance company at Backbushe for a few years and Andy Aldridge was one of my customers ( amongst other including Doug!!)
I had a PPL but had never flown taildraggers. Andie's theory was that you were not a real pilot unless you flew taildraggers!! He subsequently checked me out on that mode of " aviation ""
The Condors were OK to maintain as they were ably supported by Rollasons. However the Wassmer was a nightmare. It was fibreglass and everytime there was a structure type problem the CAA made us contact Wassmer for fixes !! who did not exactly seem to interested in the UK fleet !!