British Aviation Research Group

[Ridge Runner]

Does anyone know what happened to this group? i was a member until 1992 (from 1976) and I can't find any trace of them now!

[skytrain10]

Ceased publication in 1999. Not sure if there is any equivalent out there these days.

[Ridge Runner]

Thanks Skytrain10. How about WLAG? I know they've long gone but any idea what happened to any of them, or the BARG team? Does anyone out there know? There was too much knowledge there to waste........ RR

[MAC 40612]

Only seven years late on this thread....but WLAG ceased publication back in 1992 and as reported before BARG ceased publication at the end of 1999 but BARG [well the committee] has just got together all the magazines and publications that it published between 1958 and 2000 and is going to start releasing them as DVDs [four in total] for sale. The first one will be available at the end of August 2016 covering the years 1982-1988, followed by 1989-1994, then 1957-1981, finally 1995-2000. Unfortunately no such plans for the WLAG material.

[chevvron]

BARG was originally the 'Blackbushe Aviation Research Group' so why not ask on Home | Blackbushe Airport - The one-stop Forum (http://www.blackbusheairport.proboards.com) ; there may still be some members on there.

[DaveReidUK]

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

atbhttp://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/255571-blackbushe-memories-merged.html#post2489673

[chevvron]

Arthur and Audrey were posted to Pershore from Llanbedr and when that closed, initially came to Farnborough to help at the '76 Airshow and finally ended up at Bedford until they both retired.
talkdownman of these pages was a member of BARG and up to a few years ago still had some of their material.

[G-ARZG]

Went on some good station visits in early 70's...Shawbury and Fleetlands spring to mind.

And it used to be possible to fill 2 x 53 seat coaches (Fox of Hayes, as used on Beatles 'Magical Mystery Tour') to Yeovilton,Chivenor and other shows.

Happy daze !

[bobward]

Scramble (Dutch Aviation Society) are advertising CD copies of BARG magazines and books for sale. If you check their web site there might be something there of interest??

[David Thompson]

Scramble (Dutch Aviation Society) are advertising CD copies of BARG magazines and books for sale. If you check their web site there might be something there of interest??

The DVD was on a promotional price of £16 up until the 31 August but I'm not sure of it's full price but details can be obtained from ;
[email protected] or by post from ; BARG DVD , 5 Highwayman's Ridge , Windlesham , Surrey . GU20 6JY .

[Davef68]

Bit of thread resurrection but does BARG itself still exist? Or is it just the last committee that's publishing the CDs?

[Geezers of Nazareth]

I also have very fond memories of various visits organised throughout the 80s and 90s.

I can remember going around Boscombe in the early 80s, certainly after the Falklands War. It was well understood by all that we wouldn't be able to take photos on the visit, but it was a definite coup to get 'on' Boscombe so everybody complied. As the visit progressed, we visited pretty much everywhere and saw everything, and it seemed that the only thing that was off-limits was to actually walk down the runway! Our guide expressed concern that we'd not come with cameras, and we told him why - he was a bit surprised, he said that a local WI had been there the previous month, and they'd taken some photos (admittedly, with 'happy-snappy' cams)!

We also visited Foulness Island in 1989 to see the wrecks and fuselages. Another 'first', as I don't know if anybody else ever managed a visit 'on the ground'. They were okay with photos, and somewhere I have pics of very early Lynx, Bucc S1s, loads of Canberra fuselages, and (I think) some TSR2 sections, and 5 Scimitar fuselages.

Happy days indeed.