Blackbushe Memories (Merged)
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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
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?
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!)
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!
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!
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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.
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.
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Just came across this very old thread ..
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
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
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.
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.
Last edited by chevvron; 25th Dec 2010 at 12:44.
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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.
He had sons David and Peter and to further confuse his daughter has the same name as my wife.
PeterA - Spitfire Historian.
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Air Pegasus
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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?
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?
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I don't think anyone has mentioned Roger ? in the tower
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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...
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...
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Sarah-Jane Varley
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.'
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.'
Last edited by Georgeablelovehowindia; 26th Dec 2010 at 17:20.
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.
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.
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.
Last edited by chevvron; 4th Jan 2011 at 22:33.
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
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
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...
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...