Drawing numbers - what do they mean?

The letter W could also be 'Works'. Some constructions used no standard drawings (not AM Drawing) to suit local requirements or even speed up the build. I agree that the 71/42 is the drawing number/ year 1942.

Hi guys,

The buildings are noted to be "T.B." or Temporary Brick. They're all over as well, serving all sorts of purposes, canteens, stores you name it. Incidentally, is there a resource online anywhere with a comprehensive directory of airfield building drawing numbers?

Steve

I genuinely don't think it's a local design, or 'Worcester' design drawing number.
Usually a local design number starts with the initials of the station, ie SA1919 St Athan, CC3456 at Carew Cheriton, HN190 Hullavington, & LW366 Llandow and doesn't seem to use the /year format of standard drawing numbers, just a number. Sometimes just 'Local' seems to be used.
Also as the station here is called Perdiswell I would expect that to make up part of the initals (ie PW, PL?).

I have seen F.C.W. and F.T.C.W. numbers used elsewhere, example F.C.W.4622 is a Temporary Brick Hawarden & Hunt Trainer at Llandow, and F.T.C.W.269 is a Temporary Brick Grenade Store at Hullavington.
I wonder if these are standard drawing numbers that come from another department outside of the Air Ministry, or a standard design to be used in certain places?

It is a hugely confusing subject, there are even standard buildings that don't always seem to use the standard drawing number, example Aircraft Shed Type L which are E.1633D.

There are various threads on here about drawing numbers, but we really need to sort out a good listing.

mawganmad;114702 wrote:

.....there are even standard buildings that don't always seem to use the standard drawing number, example Aircraft Shed Type L which are E.1633D.

I wonder which bit of the type L that was?

10755/39 L: General Arrangement
10756/39 L: Gable Lattice Girders
10767/39 L: Gable End
10768/39 L: Main Sliding Door
10769/39 L: Standard Units
10770/39 L: Filler Units
10771/39 L: Base Unit
10773/39 L: Arch Finish at Gable
10774/39 L: Columns at Gable Ends
10785/39 L: Foundation Plan
10787/39 L: Foundation Plan
5165/39 L: General Arrangement
5166/39 L: Gable Lattice Girders
5167/39 L: Mid Steel Rails
5168/39 L: Purlins and Tie Angles
5169/39 L: Top Door Guides
5170/39 L: Door Gearing, Rollers, Shafts
5171/39 L: MS Handles, Bushes, Collars etc
5172/39 L: Cast Iron Brackets, End Plates etc
5173/39 L: Cast Steel Travelling Wheels
5174/39 L: Malleable Iron Sprocket Wheels and Rims
5175/39 L: Locking Gear
5176/39 L: General Arrangement of Door Gear
5177/39 L: Gable End
5178/39 L: Main Sliding Doors
5179/39 L: Standard Unit
5180/39 L: Filler Units
5181/39 L: Base Unit
5182/39 L: Top and Btm Boom Covers
5183/39 L: Arch Finish at Gable
5184/39 L: Columns at Gable End
5185/39 L: Gable Wind Girders
5186/39 L: Gable Sheeting Arrangement
5188/39 L: Foundation Plan
5189/39 L: Foundation Plan

It's a number for the overall building design drawing (10755/39), not a componant of it.

We need to careful not to complicate the issue with the part numbers, that's another heavy subject!

Yes sometimes the number represented ranks accommodated.
I'm not saying that is the case here, but example 4/10, 4 NCOs & 10 Airmen, though that is usually at the end of the building title.

C.W. seems tantalising close to Concrete Works?!

The following airfields had FCWxxxx in their watch office descriptions:

Charmy Down, Cranfield, Darley Moor, Fairwood Common, Hibaldstowe, Kingscliffe, Melbourne, Odiham, St Athan.

Now 'FCW4514' is usually associated with the watch office for night fighter stations . Some of the above stations were (or were intended to be) associated with night fighters.

Might it be 'Fighter Command, Works' Just a thought.

Graham, I can't find any reference to F.C.W. in relation to St Athan Watch Office (with tower, 'Fort' type 1959/34), also wouldn't really square with it being ARD, ASU, & Tech School.

However Hullavingtons' RSP note the Watch Office as Chief Flying Instructors Block 1829/36, F.T.C.W.136/40.

So maybe as previously suggested F.T.C.W. is Flying Training Command Works, and F.C.W. Fighter Command Works?

It's sad that as much accounting and archives that A.M. Works have provided to us, that there are still some mysteries about them and their ways.

There was a company named F.C. Construction Company Limited and the pre-fix FCW is seen against drawing numbers for the Cantilever Pillbox (the so called Oakington pillbox)

The prefix FW often seen Pillbox type drawings stands for Fortifications and Works.

Source: 'PILLBOXES' by Henry Wills

As far as being related to the Worcester query....make of them what you will....