Jet Aircraft in a Pub Garden in the 1970’s

UH-12 Hiller in pub garden???

I don’t know about Jets in pub garden’s but late 70’s I recall a pub at the end of Stockbridge (in Hampshire nr Middle Wallop) highstreet that had a UH-12 Hiller in the garden which was acting as a plaything…I know ‘casue I pretending to be a pilot one summers eve whilst on the way back home from a Yeovilton Air Show with the folks!

Anyone remember this or got any pics?

When I first went there in the mid 80’s they had an exhibition room on the back of the Flixton Buck which was open from time to time, the aircraft were where some of then still are just off the pub car park. I think by the time I visited the place had been going 10/15 years or so. As I say just a thought….

A long shot maybe but could they have been aircraft at the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum at Flixton??

You mean could it have been the ‘Flixton Buck’ public house which the museum is behind?

I distinctly remember this was a pub rather than a museum…and the aircraft were very close to it, maybe within 25 feet.

However, was there a time when this museum was just a couple of aircraft round the back of a pub?

WA$.

A long shot maybe but could they have been aircraft at the Norfolk & Suffolk Aviation Museum at Flixton??

Does sound like the old Blue Lias pub.

Sadly the aircraft have been gone a long time.

When you say ‘the aircraft have’ do you mean plural?

Were there ever two there?

Can anybody post a photo of the one that definitely was there?

Glad the Hunter ‘made it’. 🙂

WA$.

If not mistaken that Hunter sit’s at Newark Air Museum today.?

Just looked it up:

Hunter F1 WT651 was gate guard outside 8 Group Royal Observer Corps HQ Bunker.

It lasted until 17/01/1992 (after the ROC were ‘stood down’).

I wonder if it is still in existence?

WA$.

Was told that some guy had a harrier in is front garden around the area about 10 years or so ago. would have been around the church lawford area I’m told it was.??

Never did find it and from the description it sounded more like a hunter.

The ‘Church Lawford Harrier’ was probably the gate guard at the Observer Corps HQ Bunker on Lawford Heath Lane.

It was a Hunter (well spotted) and was there until about 1986 (edit – wrong!) when the HQ Bunker closed.

WA$.

Thanks Spey but you’ve answered my query. I just wanted to check my memory hadn’t completely deserted me.

Does sound like the old Blue Lias pub.
sadly the aircraft have been gone a long time. i drive that route every day to Banbury from not to far from that area and we visit the pub a lot of the summer months . Was told that some guy had a harrier in is front garden around the area about 10 years or so ago. would have been around the church lawford area I’m told it was.??
Never did find it and from the description it sounded more like a hunter.

Ozplane

There was a Sea Vixen displayed on the old airfield estate in front of a carpet store in Christchurch. It was damaged by vandals, repaired and moved to the museum at Tangmere about 5 years ago. It was there at Christchurch for about 15 years. Without checking I think the serial was XJ580.

In about 1976 there was a Whirlwind helicopter on the opposite side of the road in the car park of the Somerford hotel. This moved away during the late seventies. Without looking at my books which are at home I am not sure of the serial. I can find out later this afternoon if you are really interested.

Wrong area entirely, but I seem to remember that on a visit to the mother-in-law on the Costa Geriatric, that I saw a Sea Vixen in a pub garden near Christchurch in the 70s. Did it just overrun the airfield on landing perhaps? (Joke). There might also have been an S-55 Whirlwind there as well but the memory fades.

The Blue Lias Pub, Long Itchington, near Leamington Spa Warwickshire fits the bill I think.

Funnily enough I know the Blue Lias quite well (but long after any aircraft were removed), it’s not that far from my home town.

I don’t think it’s the right one though, it’s a bit too close to where we lived and I’m sure there were two aircraft at the pub I’m trying to trace.

Thanks everybody for trying (and for the additional information).

WA$.

The Blue Lias pub at Stockton near Southam only ever had one aircraft there.

This was a Vampire T.11 belonging to Midland A. P. S. and was located there (from about 1972 to about 1980) with the kind permission of the landlord Wg Cdr ‘Sandy’ Powell. He had, during his career, been Commandant of the E.T.P.S. and passed away about 25 years ago. There had been a wonderful collection of framed aviation photos adorning the walls of the pub and the M.A.P.S. (before the MAM was created) had some great social evenings there.

Roger Smith.

PS there had been thoughts of placing a second aircraft at the Blue Lias – Meteor F.4 EE531. Instead it went on it’s ‘sojourn’ of England – I reckon it travelled more miles on the back of a lorry than it ever did in the air.

Was at the Blue Lias on the Stockton Road a couple of years back while looking over a nearby narrow boat, No aircraft there then so I am guessing they had long since been removed. Live local has a good Aerial of the place and shows nothing there now.

The Blue Lias Pub, Long Itchington, near Leamington Spa Warwickshire fits the bill I think.

I vaguely remember there being a Vampire at least there. The landlord was ex RAF and there were supposed to be lots of photos/memorabilia in the bar.

Never visited myself but heard about it.

Anyone else care to corroborate?