Aviation Pubs

[merlinxx]

Ridge ------

Pint of Slurp & a banger along with Dee's whinging smile

[DHfan]

There's the Barnes Wallis at Howden.

Welcome to the Barnes Wallis Inn Free House

I've not been in for quite a few years, it seemed a bit cliquey then, but according to recent reviews it's OK.

[XV490]

Hunsdon

I've been told, by a chap who knows about this sort of thing, that during the 50s/60s there was a notorious licensed premises in a former airfield building (Nissen hut or similar) at Hunsdon, the WWII Mosquito base of Amiens prison fame.

It was suitably furnished with aeronautical bits and pieces, and the proprietor was, allegedly, a tad lax when it came to keeping proper hours.

Can anyone remember the place?

[dakkg651]

Anyone know what is happening to The Feathers on the Andover to Salisbury road. It was the officers mess for John Cunningham's Beaufighter boys from MJiddle Wallop early in the war. The last time I was down at Wallop I noticed the place was all boarded up. Such a shame.

[Steve Bond]

I remember that pub at Hunsdon. there were ejection seats in the bar and what looked like an H2S dome on the roof (I have a photo of it). It was certainly very odd; my visit must have been in around 1970-ish.

[Double Zero]

I would still recommend the 'Three Compasses' just outside the alternative entrance to Dunsfold via the Alfold turnoff on the A281 ( I'm not on commision! ) , with Neville Duke's and other famous pilots, Duncan Simpsson etc, old house in close sight to the right, last time I was there they had a pristine Sea Hawk to the left just beyond the gate; as I mentioned, the security guards are friendly...

I've been in contact with the new owners of the airfield re. blue plaques etc on the house.

There's also a pub I used to go past often near Chilbolton, which I think is called the 'Globe' as it had a huge example outside !


This may be the place a great friend and colleague Charlie Solley mentioned, during the Gnat development they were enjoying a lunchtime pint when a Test Pilot flew over with the aft fuselage on fire, with an unhappy ending - I've never been able to stop and check if there's any memorabillia, but there ought to be.

[26er]

In the fifties there was a favourite watering hole at Chivenor just outside Wrafton railway station called "The Puffin Club" run by Maurice Lucas Wg Cdr Retd. Unfortunately it is now buried under the concrete of the SAR flight.

[XV490]

I remember that pub at Hunsdon. there were ejection seats in the bar and what looked like an H2S dome on the roof (I have a photo of it). It was certainly very odd; my visit must have been in around 1970-ish.

Steve - any chance of a butcher's at that picture?

[heated ice detector]

I seem to remember a fancy dress party at the Bader Arms in Tangmere getting some bad publicity because staff were dressed as Adolf's, lots of brilliant memorabilia though.
Can anyone remind me the name of the pub in Luxembourg full to the gunnel's with aviation stuff, must of had too many black death's.

[Rollingthunder]

The Flying Beaver, YVR, south airport by the float aircraft dock. Kbow the boss and a few others have been there.

[RampTramp]

heated ice detector, the pub in LUX was 'The Cockpit'. The main bar was given over to Icelandic aviation memorabilia, including a DC6 or 7 center console, & the restaurant was themed to Icelandic fishing boats etc. The last addition was 'Tony's Bar' for Tony Jonsson - see Biafa & other threads - and the meeting place for the local RAFA branch.

Not sure if it's still going as was taken over by some non aviation people &, as far as I know, ruined but I stand to be corrected.


Cheers,

RT

[heated ice detector]

Thanks Ramp Tramp,
that Icelandic vodka took its toll

[RampTramp]

I still have half a bottle in my freezer if you're desperate

[India Four Two]

Rolling Thunder,

A picture of a Beaver on floats is always welcome, but that dock must be a long way north of YVR

[brokenlink]

There is also the Chequers pub in Sutton, Nr Ely, Cambs which has numerous photographs from nearby RAF Mepal airfield.

Also in Ely itself is a Barber Shop displaying some of the press cuttings on a Harvard crash in the city a few years after the war. Seem to recall that it had taken off from RAF Witchford.

[flying lid]

Warrington, Cheshire, on the new development on part of the site of the old USAF Burtonwood airfield is a new(ish) pub named "The Memphis Belle"

Did the actual Memphis Bell fly from Burtonwood in WW2 ?

Lid

[DHfan]

Memphis Belle was based at Bassingbourn but as some/most/all (one of those has to be right...) USAAF aircraft were prepared for UK operations at Burtonwood it's possible.

I moved to only 5 miles or so from Hunsdon in 1970 but sadly the first I heard of the "notorious licensed premises" was a few posts ago.

There was another in the same area (Much Hadham?) with a tenuous aviation connection around that time. The presumably self-styled Craziest Pub in the World had several rows of ex-airliner seats which compared to average pub seating were quite comfortable.

Edit: Googled the crazy pub. It was also in Hunsdon and officially the Turkey Cock.

[TechCons]

Hi-Flyerz pub - Jo'burg

"Groundfloor" mentioned the Hi-Flyerz pub in Jo'burg (post #38) - I visited there recently and met the guy who was responsible for purchasing and installing the B747 cockpit inside this pub. The complete cockpit area was cut off of an ex: South African Airways B747-200 (ZS-SAL), transported to the pub and installed half inside / half outside the main bar. Ther are a number of photo's on the bar wall showing the dismantling and removal of the cockpit from the airframe prior to the airframe being scrapped. All of the instrumentation is still there - it is a complete cockpit (it even still smells like an old 747 cockpit!). I would certainly recommend a visit if you are ever in the area.

[CargoMatatu]

The Cockpit in Luxembourg bit the dust a long time ago. Shame really; spent many inebriated hours flying that DC-6 console around!

Opposite the old Cargolux hangar is the "Check Inn". Walls and ceiling covered in photos relating to the history of aviation at Findel airport (mostly Cargolux related).

Matatuman

[zhishengji751]

Originally Posted by dakkg651

When I was at Middle Wallop a few weeks ago and having read 'Night Fighter' again recently, I decided to go and have a pint in the Feathers. This is mentioned in the book as being the 600 sqn mess in 1940. Unfortunately I was greeted by boarded up doors and windows. It was obvious that the place had closed fairly recently. Anyone know if this is a permanent closure?

Originally Posted by parabellum

When I was at Wallop there was a pub not far from the Junction of the A303 and the A30, thought it was called The Pheasant, had few beers there in the mid sixties, several tables with the names, dates, Sqn etc. etc. carved into them and cherished.

I'm reading the same book, and looking for the pub, it appears that is now closed. I hope the memorabilia got preserved.

East Winterslow - Pheasant Hotel This once busy hotel is now a boarded up shadow of its former self.