Sopwith Pup Traditional Geocache
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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. 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. 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 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 The Sopwith Pup was the first aircraft to land on a moving ship, a tricky maneuver with the crew stopping the plane by grabbing leather straps attached to the wings. It had no brakes! The Pup was used extensively in the development of deck landing techniques. Delightful to fly, they were agile with excellent high-altitude performance. Some had eight rockets mounted on the outboard wing struts to make them Zeppelin killers. Specifications: span 26 ft. 6 in.; length 19 ft. 4 in; takeoff weight 1225 lbs.; engine 80 hp LeRhone nine-cylinder air-cooled rotary; maximum speed 111 mph. Armament one Vickers or Lewis .303 cal. machine gun.
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