This section,which is be added to regularly, contains ,as the title implies,memories of the past .Aviation has changed a lot since in the last 100 years and many of the airfields covered in Hampshire Airfields have either disappeared or changed beyond recognition.Much of the the material comes from various enthusiasts magazines of the time ,and my own records.
If you have any observations or pictures from the past that you would like contribute to this page,please contact me.Full credit will be given.
Schneider Trophy Race Cowes IoW. September 1923
Schneider Trophy Race Calshot . September 1929
Schneider Trophy Race Calshot . September 1931
Portsmouth to Johannesburg Air Race. September 1936
Portsmouth ,Southampton and Bournemouth Airports in 1962,Blackbushe in 1957and the Church Crookham Sabres.
Portsmouth Airport in 1960,RNAS Gosport in 1955 and Worthy Down in 1956.>
Christchurch airfield Resident aircraft from the 30s till the late 60s.
Aircraft on board HMS Eagle in 1954,Bournemouth/Hurn visitors in April 1962,and overflights at Ibsley in April 1967.
Aircraft used by the U S Naval FASRON 200 at Blackbushe between 1956 and 1960.
Flight Refuelling at Tarrant Rushton.This page crosses over to the sister site "Dorset Airfields" and deals with the large numbers of Gloster Meteors that were refurbished for export at Tarrant Rushton.Also covered are those converted to unmanned configuration as U.16/16/21s .
A short history of Independent Air Transport,later known as Blue-Air,a charter airline based at Hurn in the late 50s.
The crash near Lee-on-Solent of Sunderland GR.V VB885 on 13th February 1946.
Photos kindly sent by Howard Haugh ,showing Simmonds Spartan(which were built in Southampton and on the Isle of Wight) aircraft in New Zealand in the thirties.
RAF Royal Review held at RAF Odiham on 15th July 1953.
A first hand account of flying in the Flypast by the pilot of one of the Avro Lincolns that took part on the Review.
Royal Review of the Fleet held at Spithead in June 1953.Aircraft which took past in the Flypast
The last but one Seafire produced at Eastliegh by Cunliffe Owen as well as an appeal for information regarding the occasion of the photograph .
A small collection of photos taken at Portsmouth Airport - mostly in the late 40s.The photos were kindly provided by J.B."Tommy" Thompson, via Pete Pitman.
Viv Bellamy.....Tommy Thompsons memories of a well known figure in Hampshire Aviation
Photos of the restoration of Simmonds Spartan Three Seater c/n 102 in New Zealand
US,British , Australian and Canadian Aircraft Carriers and other aviation equipped vessels at Portsmouth & Southampton 1955-2011.A recently greatly expanded section.
Airwork Fleet Requirements Unit at Hurn 1951-1972.
The crash at Corfe Castle of Swordfish K5985.
402FS USAAF at Andover in 1944,Photos.
405FG USAAF at Christchurch in 1944,Photos..
The U S Navy's VCS-7 Squadron at Lee-on-Solent flying Spitfires for D-Day.
The Army Balloon Factory and early airships at Farnborough in picture postcards.
Naval Air Station Eastleigh.The US Navy at Eastleigh during WW1
Simmonds Spartan Aircraft-some 1930s pictures from Southampton and the Isle of Wight
A look at some of the advertisements used by Simmond/Spartan from 1929 till the mid 1930s
Seaview and Sopwith: June 1913 photos of Harry Hawker and the Sopwith D1 Three Seater at Seaview on the Isle of Wight..
Hamble & the AW Ensign : 1938 Photos of the AW Ensign Prototype a5 Hamble (via John Turner)..
Spartan VT-AAT , Pictures and information about VT-AAT and it's owner P.M.Kabali;From Captain Herman Vinayak of Mumbai.
Stella at Lytchett Minster, B 17F "Stella"- Forced landing at Lytchett Minster and subsequent recovery.
SIMMONDS/SPARTAN AIRCRAFT, A selection of Spartan photos provided by John Havers