<<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?

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

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

EGLK Blackbushe Pilots 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 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)

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

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

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

Trying to trace
 

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?

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.

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.

Blackbushe Historic Photo Feast
 

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

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!

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

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.

Blackbushe pics from the past
 

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

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.

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

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/a...ocs_1959_1.jpg

http://www.english-for-flyaways.de/a...ocs_1959_2.jpg

http://www.english-for-flyaways.de/a...ocs_1959_3.jpg

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.

update
 

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

Tony
farnborough -forums Owner

Crashed Seahawk
 

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.