Blackbushe_Airport

Blackbushe Airport

Blackbushe Airport , in the civil parish of Yateley in the north-east corner of the English county of Hampshire, comprises an airfield, much reduced in size since its heyday, a British Car Auctions site, a kart track owned by Camberley Kart Club, and a small business park. Blackbushe Sunday Market is held on the car auction site.

Blackbushe Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P693) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee (Blackbushe Airport Limited). The aerodrome is licensed for night use.

Royal Air Force

The airport started life in 1942 as RAF Hartford Bridge, and it was used throughout the second world war for reconnaissance and defence operations using Spitfires and Mosquitos. It was also the home of the Free French Squadron (Lorraine). A number of important people landed at the airport including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Supreme Allied Commander General Eisenhower and Field Marshal Montgomery.

The RAF Station was closed on 15 November 1946.

Ministry of Civil Aviation

In February 1947 the airfield was opened as Blackbushe Airport under the control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. In the following years the airport became the base for a number of Cargo and Charter operators including British Eagle. From 1955 the United States Navy based communications and liaison aircraft at Blackbushe. On the 31 May 1960 the airport closed.

Private ownership

The airport passed into private ownership and was formally re-opened as a general aviation field on the 6 October 1962. The airport became a base for a large collection of historic World War II aircraft, including four Junkers Ju 52s, six Douglas DC-3s and a number of smaller planes, such as Spitfires, which were rarely seen on the tarmac. The finest was, perhaps, a Heinkel bomber which, unfortunately, was sold in order to purchase a replacement which then crashed soon afterwards.

Later, British Car Auctions took over the airport and developed it as a centre of private, business and executive aviation.

Description

Blackbushe is situated alongside the A30 road between Camberley and Hook. It used to straddle both sides of the A30, with road traffic having to wait whilst airliners made their way across this busy road. The traditional name for the flat piece of land it's sited on is Hartford Bridge Flats. The nearest towns are Yateley and Fleet.

Unless looking at aerial views or maps, it is hard to visualise that this was once a significant airport for scheduled flights for London.

It is one of several airfields eclipsed since 1958 by the growth of London Heathrow Airport and London Gatwick Airport. Based aircraft include several corporate helicopters and a dealership for Beechcraft is established here. From 1 April 1998 The Queen's Helicopter has been based there.

On 15 July 1978, the airfield was the location for an open-air concert, the Picnic at Blackbushe, which was attended by some 200,000 people. Bob Dylan headlined, with support from Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading, Graham Parker and the Rumour, Lake, and Merger.