Blackbushe Memories (Merged)
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.
Last edited by chevvron; 16th Jan 2011 at 18:29.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Apologies, didn't intend to be indiscreet, lots of other names being mentioned in full 
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".
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".
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.
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.
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<<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!!!
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!!!
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.
My understanding was that the Captain did it for personal reasons, nothing to do with BCA..... but I could be wrong.
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.
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[QUOTEAlso, 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.
][/QUOTE]
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
][/QUOTE]
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
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!
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!
....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?
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?
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!!
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!!
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.
I just happen to have a picture of that DC8 at Blackbushe, which was given to me when I flew them in IAS.
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Doug W. Arnold
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
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
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)
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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.
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