FO Bear Helier vists Popham

Popham Airfield in the North Hampshire downs is a great place. With two grass runways and a great atmosphere it is a very popular destination for weekend fliers and this bear was no exception. Because Popham attracts to many good people it was only natural that it would attract a top bear as well.

Among the great selection of very nice aeroplanes based at Popham is Melvyn Hiscock’s Rearwin Cloudster. This is unique in Europe and one of only about five flying anywhere in the world. It was completed on 12 October 1939 and was delivered to California by Ken Rearwin, son of the company founder Rae Rearwin, during November of 1939.

It spent many years flying in the US before being sold to England where it provided an engine for a World War One replica. The remains were bought by Melvyn and restored over a five year period with it’s first post restoration flight on 9 May 2005.

Since then it has been based at Popham and provided your favourite bear with a great flight out around the Isle of Wight, across Southampton water and the New Forest stopping for tea and buns at Old Sarum airfield near Salisbury and then back to Popham.


As Melvyn said “What a real pleasure it was to fly with such an accomplished and polite bear, it was a nice flight and I hope to introduce him to some more people at Popham, and some of the other airfields in the area, in the not too distant future!”