Boscombe Down 1970s

[Del]

Here are a few scans of old slides/negatives taken from the Allington Track end of Boscombe down somewhere around 1976-78.

I'm afraid they're not very good quality and don't stand up to enlarging, I've had to use Photoshop quite a lot on some of them to bring up some detail, but some folk may find them of interest.

Buccaneer XV337

BD_Buccaneer_XV337_2 by Derek Small, on Flickr

BD_Buccaneer_XV337_1 by Derek Small, on Flickr

BD_Buccaneer_XV337_3 by Derek Small, on Flickr

Lightning XS422 - This is the one hopefully being restored to flight status in Mississippi

BD_Lightning_XS422_1 by Derek Small, on Flickr

BD_Lightning_XS422_2 by Derek Small, on Flickr

Hunter XL612 - This was on diaplay at Swansea Airport I believe, don't know if it still is.

BD_Hunter_XL612_2 by Derek Small, on Flickr

Jaguar XX916 - Sadly crashed in 1981 with the loss of the navigator

BD_Jaguar_XX916 by Derek Small, on Flickr

A sad Lightning

PICT0041 by Derek Small, on Flickr

Canberra WJ865. Cockpit survives at Boscombe Down Aviation Collection (last picture, taken last week)

BD_Canberra_WJ865_4 by Derek Small, on Flickr

BD_Canberra_WJ865_3 by Derek Small, on Flickr

BD_Canberra_WJ865_1 copy by Derek Small, on Flickr

DSC_0014 by Derek Small, on Flickr

[Snoop 95]

Very nice nostalgic set. I remeber being in the same spot one day around this time and seeing no less than 28 different RAF aircraft types! Thanks for posting.

[Tiger 1]

A sad Lightning indeed and a Varsity and what looks a Beagle Basset... I think? ... but a very interesting post from a time when we had an airforce.

Thanks for posting.

T1

[Nighthawke]

Hastings serial WD496

[Bucky P]

I think the Lightning and the Hastings hung around until the mid 80's before being scrapped, I'm sure I remember seeing them in around 1984ish!

[Bucky P]

I think the Lightning and the Hastings hung around until the mid 80's before being scrapped, I'm sure I remember seeing them in around 1984ish!

1988 for the Lightning and 1989 for the Hastings from a quick look if the Lightning is XR717?

[BP2324]

Great Post. Spent a few days down there over the last 7 years and noticed a decline in movements and type over that time. Used to be happy to get a F3 or an Andover, times have changed.

[Ferrari]

I saw the Hastings in July 1987, but the Lightning had gone by then.
Great post BTW.

[paddyboy]

Hi Derek

What an awesome set

Some absolute belting 'frames there

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[slogen51]

Very nice to see these

Boscombe is a shadow ( no pun intended) of its former glory in terms of interesting movements

[Del]

Thanks all for the comments.

I started going to Boscombe Down 50+ years ago (my parents took me !!). As Snoop 95 said, on a good day the planes would be queuing for the runway and performing touch-and-goes. As good as any airshow back then.

I went back a couple of years ago for the first time in about 40 years and was amazed how little the Alllington Track end had changed - brought back many memories of looking back to the trees and seeing a Vulcan coming towards you just above your head.

Despite the lack of flying, it's still a nice trip to go to the museum and cafe at Old Sarum and then pop over to the airfield for a walk.

[Yammer]

I suspect the Basset was XS742 - thanks for posting these

[NickB]

Lovely pics.

I spent many an hour at that spot in the early to mid 90s - still lots of diverse types to be seen then and it was pretty busy flying wise most days.

Sadly a shadow of its former self now I believe (like most airfields).

[Ginger54]

Great memories , especially over officious MOD Plod ,”ornithologists officer “

[Vulcanone]

Not often you see photos of the dump at Boscombe Down or many other places for that matter. Another Wrecks and Relics thread perhaps.

Admittedly they don't burn airframes now however....

[binbrook87]

Great post and echo other comments about it being a really quiet airfield at times compared to the past (like most places) Although I did visit last week and had AW139, A109, Apache, Squirrel, PC21, RJ, Tutor in a 3 hour period so not the greatest but still can provide some entertainment although not from the types we'd all like to see down there.

[Unknown74]

Remember the Test Pilot TV Series but that was in the 1980s it was showing right after I started my Aviation Hobby.....

[Mustang531]

Thanks for sharing these with us, interesting to see them. I had family living in Wiltshire in the Sixties and early Seventies, so holidays meant I saw quite a lot of aeronautical activity from Boscombe Down and other bases. I seem to recall seeing a Valetta on the dump at some time. There was always something of interest about.

[Gruncle 01]

I had a visit to Boscombe Down with the air cadets on the 6th of September 1968 and we had a 1hour 30 minute flight in Valetta WJ491 which I assume would have been the one on the dump. Always remembered as we were just starting the takeoff run seeing the Beverley XB261 taxying out to take off after us. I managed to log quite a few of the aircraft we saw but were not allowed to take any photos. Not sure if anybody would be interested in seeing the log but not sure where to put it on the forum if there is any interest in seeing it.

[Mike]

I had a visit to Boscombe Down with the air cadets on the 6th of September 1968 and we had a 1hour 30 minute flight in Valetta WJ491 which I assume would have been the one on the dump. Always remembered as we were just starting the takeoff run seeing the Beverley XB261 taxying out to take off after us. I managed to log quite a few of the aircraft we saw but were not allowed to take any photos. Not sure if anybody would be interested in seeing the log but not sure where to put it on the forum if there is any interest in seeing it.

We'd love to see your log, you could post it in the Boscombe section :- viewforum.php?f=41