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By: - 20th May 2023 at 10:56 Permalink
I remember this, his collection ended up at Biggin Hill and some at North Weald along with Greenham Common
By: - 21st May 2023 at 16:13 Permalink
This is a very complex story, and as Blackbushe's historian something I have delved deeply into. Arnolds predessor as owner, AVM Bennet, was frustrated by the council blocking every development he proposed so served a court order that they either had to allow development or compulsary purchase the airport. Although I think he was trying to call the councils bluff, it almost worked. That dragged on and he sold up a couple of years later so Arnold inherited that posistion. He proposed that the airport be allowed to devlop for the good of the community, and the common land issue be resolved. That involved a museum, a cinema, bowling and a golf course built on the north side of the airport. However the council remained dogged in rejecting everything proposed. There is no doubt that Arnold was a difficult man to deal with and he never did anything by the book. The local councils as a whole were very anti Blackbushe and put preassure on Hampshire County Council even though they were softerning by the early 80's. Arnold sold up in 85 but fourty plus years on this is still ongoing but the end might be in sight in the next year. The attitude of local people, and most of the local councils , have changed massivley. HCC asibe there is broad support for development of the airport. Lots of info here for those sill reading! https://www.blackbusheairport.co.uk/common-land-deregistration
By: - 23rd May 2023 at 21:57 Permalink
With so much opposition 45 or so years ago, it is amazing to hear the airfield even still exists.
By: - 30th May 2023 at 00:18 Permalink
What was the councils basis for opposing development? Noise? With 2 billion people on planet earth in 1930, when many original airfields were gazetted, these fields were ‘in the countryside’. 8 billion people on earth now, with 2 billion projected to come over the next 20 years, means these airfields are now in urban or near urban areas. It is inevitable that ‘non air minded’ populations complain about noise and the chance of an aircraft in the kitchen. Electric propulsion might give a second life to inner urban airfields with less noise, but where do snarling V12s go? Their audience is still in the city. Maybe an old aircraft carrier docked in an old city port, facing the prevailing wind? Combined Air Force - Navy experience. Nice hangars, accomodation, restaurant space. Many waterways have no Local Government involvement, except for any land based infrastructure.
By: - 30th May 2023 at 17:37 Permalink
By: powerandpassion - 30th May 2023 at 00:18
What was the councils basis for opposing development?
In 1960 Blackbushe closed as a govenment operated airport and the land reverted to previous owners. Basically 40% to the local council and 60% to a local landowner. Some vocal people in the council thought it should be 100% to them, it was a power grab really. This was then agrivated by two sucessive owners who had no time for petty politics and who were very obstinate in wanting to develop their airport. Despite the fact that it is surrounded by over 1000 acers of open common land or open military land they wanted more. The airport never really won, but those people deffinetly lost as it is still there. A change to more corporate owners in 1984 did smotth the waters somewhat and it is now a mostly harmonous relationship with the locals now the objectors from the 60's and 70's have largely died out. Six miles away there is Farnborough which is largeley surrounded by housing on three sides and the council there has been pro development, with limits but that had been there since 1900ish no nobody could really complain, ut they do.
Rob
By: - 28th December 2023 at 04:10 Permalink
I remember in the late eighties getting some helicopter check rides with Bill Bailey at Blackbushe. Bill took us over to see Doug's hangars and aircraft. In one hangar he had an actual mini production line of four, maybe more, Spitfires being made there from scratch.
What a fascinating project.
Does anybody know if they were ever completed or what happened to them.
Phil Nash.
Florida .
By: - 28th December 2023 at 16:29 Permalink
Hi Phil it must have been the mid 80's as Doug Arnold moved out in 85. The Spits around when he moved out were
SM969/G-BRAF airworthy ferried to Bitteswell 25/10/85, originally arrived 26/5/78, now N969SM
NH238/G-MKIX airworthy ferried to Bitteswell 10/10/85, orginally arrived 1981, I think it is still owned by the Arnold family and in very long term store in the UK for 20 years?
the following departed by road to Bitteswell in September/October 85
MV262 arrived 26/5/78 now N808U with Kermit Weeks
MV293/G-SPIT arrived 26/5/78 now based at Sywell as G-SPIT
NH799 arrived 1981 now ZK-XIV
SM832/G-WWII arrived 9/7/78 now N54SF at Chino
RW386 arrived 1982 now LN-BSP
TE392 arrived 1984 now N14TS in Australia
So they all took to the skies eventually even if NH238 has dissapeared. Dates are from the Blackbushe airport tower log books.
Rob
Posts: 5,590
By: Dave Homewood - 19th May 2023 at 11:40
I just came across this old article from The Press newspaper, of Christchurch, New Zealand, dated the 9th of February 1980, and I thought sme here would find it of interest.
Old pilot’s hopes for museum hindered
By KEN COATES in London
A former Spitfire pilot, Mr Douglas Arnold, has a problem. Fanatically keen on collecting war planes, mostly Spitfires, Mosquitos, Mustangs and Junkers, he has gathered together more than 40 vintage aircraft, but cannot find a suitable site on which to set up a National Aircraft Museum. He bought the planes in many parts of the world, and flew some of them to workshops at Blackbushe aerodrome, near Aldershot, for rebuilding.
Mr Arnold said the interest abroad was terrific. A Junkers 52 three-engine transport was flown to Sweden for a film. The Dutch said “bring it here,” and 6000 local people were waiting to see it in Rotterdam. The German Air Force used Junkers 52s in the paratroop assault on Crete in 1941.
But at home in Britain the temperature has been cooler: the Hampshire County Council issued a compulsory purchase notice on the aerodrome which Mr Arnold bought from Air Chief Marshal Bennett. The council has neither bought the land, nor lifted the terms of the notice.
Mr Arnold wants $28 million for the 121 ha. He said the council did not have the money to buy and it was out to stop the development of a museum at the aerodrome. Australia and Germany were interested, Mr Arnold said.
His planes constitute the largest private collection in the world, and include the only Sopwith Pup in its original condition.
The Hampshire County Council has insisted nothing could be done until a case involving commoners’ rights across the airfield was settlled.