Ever Wondered??

I remember stopping at Blackbushe when I was with my Dad and seeing a row of Mitchells (4 I think) and several other ‘old’ bombers in a line down the airfield. I remember looking through a gap in the hangar doors and seeing a mosquito and a spit. Another time there were some Ju52’s and CASA 2111’s as mentioned in an earlier thread. Anyone know why or when. On another occassion a few years later, we stopped by after Farnborough. The rain was falling and visibility was poor, very little was visible except a few light aircraft and a French civil registered B17.

It was great then. As a youngster I knew the airframe types but had no appreciation of the significance of what I was seeing or the fact that I would probably not see such things again.

I was also at Duxford watching some of the B of B film arrivals and departures. My Father had an agfa sillette. The photos were few and quite small. There are a couple of interest though. The attached shows me in shot with ‘HE111’. :p I don’t think the photo was at Duxford.

This is a good thread, I lived in Thrapston in the 70’s and 80’s this small town was where aicraft would turn finals for Alconbury, so all day we would have Phantoms going over, and it was nearly all day too. But the aggressors were up there too so there were a good number of visitors. Trouble was you took it for granted, aircraft I watched go over the garden included SR71 on an occasion, a pair of Drakens going toward Alconbury at what can best be described as up Thrapstons High Street (well Oundle road), very low! I was in goal playing football at school (Thrapston still) and let a goal in as four vulcans went overhead…tremendous and best of all almost knocked the deputy head into Pitsford reservoir when on a sailing course as two lightnings passed over head and I pushed the tiller right over to get a better a view and the beam hit him across the head – he was looking too so did not say too much. I wish I could go back and take a longer look at these sights.

When I was about 4 or 5 I was living in a village called Feltwell in Norfolk, We lived on the flight path of either Lackenheath or Mildenhall (cant remember which one) so standing in the back garden if you were to look up you would see SR71’s 😮 Landing HEE HEE

One memory that has always stayed with me is the time I saw Boscombe Down’s Beverley flying with Comet outer wing panels, the other crazy part of the memory is that they used to use a T-6 as a chase plane and they were in formation with the T-6 tucked between the Beverley’s tail fins. That is alot closer than I would want to fly to one of those great beasts

I worked in Godalming between 1990 and 1999 so we used to have the odd Harrier or Hawk flash across the rooftops on a sortie out of Dunsfold.

Dunsfold is now the home of BBC’s “Top Gear” programme so various cars can be seen on Sunday evenings being hurtled around the old runways and taxiways. Watching the actor Sir Michael Gambon nearly roll a family saloon a few months ago was quite spectacular.

Well, living not far from the now sadly closed Dunsfold, I used to see plenty of Hunters, Hawks and of course Harriers on a regular basis. Growing up in the 80’s, I recall quite a lot of aerial activity would often see stuff flying between here and Farnborough.

Of course the BAE families days were a regular feature and it often meant that we’d have aircraft holding or over flying us. It was quite nice to see the BBMF fly over low or the Mosquito holding now and again!

Sadly over the years it got quieter and by the 90’s it was only really the Harrier that you’d see. But now it’s closed, it’s kind of strange not to here the sound of a high Performance jet making it’s way too, or from Dunsfold any more. 🙁

Also we were quite lucky to have the Grace Spitfire fly over on a regular basis when it was based a Goodwood and I also recall we had a couple of Doug Arnolds Spits over fly whilst moving from Biggin to Bournemouth in the early 90’s

Those were the Days!

Cheers

Paul

Blue Diamonds were Hunters actually (92 Squadron). The Royal Navy Scimitar team at Farnborough did not have a name, but came from 807 Squadron if my memory serves me correctly.

Could you actually roll a Viscount ?????? Flippin Eck !!!!!

Growing up in North London, I didn’t really see a lot of aerial activity as a kid; most of the stuff going into LHR would be quite a way to the south of us, but we did get the occaisional light aircraft puttering around, presumably out of Elstree which was only a few miles to the west.

One day though – and I reckon it must have been about 77 or 78, I was eight or nine – I heard something that sounded far more powerful than the normal puddlejumpers. Looked up, and saw a Spitfire of some description, at least, that’s what Dad said it was, and as I now remember that moment every time I hear a Merlin, I think he must have been right. Couldn’t make out the colouring as it was quite high and silhoutted, but I’ve always wondered whether it was Spencer Flack’s G-FIRE.

Editted to add……

I also have vague memories of Dad driving back from holiday in Devon past an airfield south west (ish) of London which was full (to my young eyes) of German aeroplanes around the same time. Must have been Blackbushe with their Ju52’s and Casa 2111’s. 🙂

Thanks Robbelc 🙂

I never thought I’d ever find out what was there that day.

Born early sixties, and grew up under the flight path of the old LHR R23 cross-runway, and only a couple of miles away from RAF Northolt (not far from Mark12…:cool: ), so can readily remember the old airliners overhead. Living on top of a hill offered added viewing, and winter time saw R23 in use a lot, so I used to spend hours at the window watching incoming VC10’s, 707’s, Trident’s (oh the noise..:eek: ) DC-8’s, Caravelles, Comets, Argosies, Vanguards, Viscounts, etc.,etc.
I was very lucky in that the ‘egg beater’ flightpath out of Northolt to London also came right over the house, and can remember the Whirlwinds that were based there in the early 70’s flying over every day, and the occasional thump-thump of a US Huey flying over.
Proximity to Northolt also meant in the 70’s and early 80’s regular visits/flyby’s/beatups of Northolt by the BBMF, summer would often mean Merlins low overhead the house, with us all running outside to enjoy….:D
Another vivid memory of Northolt, was playing outside with the lad next door and getting startled by the appearance overhead of a Harrier, which was participating in the 1969 Transatlantic air-race….:eek:
My parents house was also conviently situated for viewing overhead the mass flypasts for Trooping the Colour, the one in 1970 being memorable as it was the Concorde prototype surrounded by what seemed a whole sky full of shiney Lightnings at about 500ft…….:D 😀

Here we are Blackbushe 30/7/77 I will just list the interesting aircraft,DGH if you want a full list pm me.

Flypasts only
VR-HHC CL44 TAC
G-ASHZ CARVAIR BAF
G-BDHA DC8 IAS
G-BDXC 747 BA
STATIC/FLYING
N16JL T34
252/BCOW SEAFURY
N5182/G-APUP PUP
AR213/G-AIST SPITFIRE
SL721/G-BAUP SPITFIRE
RG333/G-AIEK MESSENGER
TF956 SEAFURY RNHF
VX302/G-BCOV SEAFURY
WB271 FIREFLY RNHF
WJ897/G-BDFT VARSITY(remember these arriving in formation!)
WJ945/G-BEDV VARSITY
VP959 DEVON RAE
WM167 METEOR(now G-LOSM)
XM330 WESSEX RAE
G-AFWI,ALND,AOBX,APIG,AYUX DH82’s
G-APWA HERALD(pleasure flights)
G-ATBG NORD1101
G-AVJO FOKKER EIII replica
G-AZMH STORCH
G-BDYA CASA 211
G-BECL CASA 352

I have a log of 94 for that day.
Noted later in the year 2/10
N9857A/51-7330 T28
N54612/51-3690 T28
N54613/54-3554 T28
all ex Moroccian AF going to the Honduras AF
and N99230 CASA 211
then in 1978 came the ex spanish AF C47’s ,most of them ending up in Yemen! The ‘bushe was a great place in those days and worth a weekly visit.

Thanks for the photos mark12. I vaguely rember the ‘111’s,but clearly remember the 52’s as they were around for so long.
DGH I do have a full log for that day somewhere,just have to lay my hands on it!

Ah, this brings back memories. My first airshow was also Blackbushe 1977. In those days I lived in Bracknell ( not to be advised!) and my parents would take us over to Blackbushe to see all the aircraft. I think that was the airshow where a Ju52 loaded with parachutests took several attempts to get airbourne. Does anyone have a list of all the participants that day? My earliest ever memory was of going to LHR to see the first commercial flight of Concorde. Thankfully my parents have always been interested in avaition and used to go on dates to LHR in the sixties!

BEA used Northolt as its base until its purpose built facilities were ready at Heathrow.

………….and

Robbelc,

You can re-live your childhood. 🙂

Here are a couple of He111s at Blackbushe on 15 September 1977. N72615 & N99230. I have a note on the prints that the Confederate machine was due for delivery the following October by Neil Williams.

My first aviation memory was as a ‘tot’ being bundled under a very stout table and having a mattress pulled over my head and thinking what fun it was! Maybe one of the above. 😉

We lived at that time on the South Harrow / Eastcote border about 500 yards off the centre line 26 approach to Northolt. Polish airmen were billeted with families on either side of us. Latterly I could sit at my bedroom window and watch countless aircraft fly by. I can’t remember exotic types although my father told me later of aircraft flopping in with chunks shot away and bits hanging off. Post war it seemed to be all DC3 and Vikings with the odd Dragon Rapide and Anson. I think Northolt was combined military/civil by then with BEA.

Mark

Grew up in Reading in the 70’s. My dad is a spotter so got taken to loads of places after the age of about 6. Being under the LHR 9L approach and the transatlantic departures you couldn’t really miss the aircraft. First visit to LHR in 1976, Viscounts,VC10’s loads of 727’s, Pan Am and TWA 707’s. Started visiting LHR on my own as a 14 year old in 1984. I think it used to cost £2.50 on the coach from Reading!
Also I was lucky to witness the many comings and going at Blackbushe. The Spanish DC3’s,’JU52’s@ and even the two ‘He111’s’. Plus the ex Belgian AF Pembrokes going to the us. My first show was at Blackbushe in 1977 and included herald G-APWA doing pleasure flights and a Carvair and DC8 doing low passes. As well as the resident warbirds. Followed by the 77 IAT.
Have largely lost interest in the modern military side due to the lack of variety, and the lack of smoke coming out the back of them:rolleyes:

Born in 57, in the Pollock area of Glasgow, we were under the approach to Renfrew airport. So from an early age I learned to tell the difference between Viscounts, Vanguards, Dakotas, Heralds and so on. Then came the BAC 1-11, blinking noisy beast.

My party piece in primary school was to tell the difference by sound alone. Still get strange looks at times 😉

It might be fun to do a SABENA early 50s fleet list check to see what they used at the time.