Always seeking more information esp. would like to know if somewhere there exists any day-to-day records of the airfield’s activities during the War (don't appear to be at Yeovilton unfortunately); would like to know why Midhurst was selected by the Admiralty above other possible options, and perhaps why it took so long to be selected by the Admiralty, and also find out how common the Dutch barn hangar design was in WWII airfields, this being one of them – two still standing today!
Last edit: 18 Dec 2016 17:19 by netcompsys. Reason: Fotopic web site gone away
ADM 1/17460 ADMIRALTY (5) and GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS (43): Ministry of Aircraft Production offer of satellite landing grounds as temporary accommodation for reserve naval aircraft; proposed use of Marwell, Townsend, Bushbarn and Stravithie Airfield; Bushbarn accepted and transferred to RN 27 July 1944; Admiralty arrangements for disposal of Bushbarn and Cowdray Park in 1945 1944-1945
ADM 267/17 COWDRAY: Damaged by a Bomb 1942 Nov 8
ADM 267/108 Cowdray 1941-1943
ADM 267/131 Cowdray 1941-1943
Generally Naval airfields weren't so much selected by the Admiralty, as 'donated' by the Air Ministry. The Admiralty discovered early on that they had no experience in looking for suitable sites for aerodromes and agreed to adopt suggestions from the AM's Aerodrome's Board. Naturally the RAF claimed the best sites for themselves and this caused a lot of friction (the word 'donated' above could be replaced by 'dumped upon them').
According to Action Stations Vol.9. overcrowding at Lee-on-Solent, plus the desirability of dispersal resulted in the need for a 'satellite landing ground' equivalent at Cowdray Park (aka South Ambersham)
Graham
Plan A is always more effective when the problem you are working on understands that Plan B will involve the use of dynamite
At the risk of seeming flippant, the Dutch Barn type buildings don't look large enough to take an aircraft; presumably they stored dismantled aircraft which begs the question which area of the site the A/C dismantled and reassembled
Hello again. Thank you all for the help so far .... had no idea about how the airfields were allocated ... very interesting. And thanks for TNA link!
The Pulham St Mary looks exactly the same, almost as if it came from the same manufacturer - except it hasn't been reclad and repainted in the same way! I suppose they were just the like the barns that were used on farms before and after the war? I read somewhere corrugated iron Dutch barns became extremely popular with farmers during the lean years of the 20s and 30s as they were cheap to put up.
Have a photograph of an Albacore being pushed into one of them and it was a tight squeeze, even with the wings folded. Wish I could send it but under strict copyright although hopefully will be able to get permission to use it in the Review in the not-too distant...
Have a photograph of an Albacore being pushed into one of them and it was a tight squeeze, even with the wings folded. Wish I could send it but under strict copyright although hopefully will be able to get permission to use it in the Review in the non-too distant...[/QUOTE]
Great. I had thought of wings folded but thought too modern! Albacores and Stringbags with wings folding back would fit nicely (just)
I'll be posting up some pics and copy regarding a WW1 naval flying boat base that was built in Wexford (where I'm writing from) as soon as I rescan the book about it.
Been exploring this forum and it's very interesting with a breadth of knowledge that seems immeasurable. Hope I can contribute a nugget of that.
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