RAF Tholthorpe, Yorkshire.

RAF · Yorkshire · England · United Kingdom

RAF Tholthorpe.

At the beginning of the war the Air Ministry searched out sites for brand new aerodromes, this large area of meadow called Tholthorpe Moor that is located Northwest of the city of York. The aerodrome in late 1940 with a grass field was a satellite airfield for the operational airfield at Linton-on-Ouse. The winter operations in 1940/41 proved the grass field to be unsuitable for ‘Whitley’ aircraft and in late 1941 work commenced to construct concrete runways. Runway 10/28 was 6,000 feet in length, runway 05/24 and runway 16/34 were both 4,200 feet long. After completion of the works to bring the airfield up to RAF Class ‘A’ standard, in the summer of 1942. RAF Tholthorpe remained as a satellite/dispersal airfield for aircraft from the main station at Linton-on-Ouse. In June of 1943, the airfield was allocated to the new No. 6 (RCAF) Group that had been formed in October 1942. No. 434 Squadron RCAF was then formed at Tholthorpe in June, 1943, flying ‘Halifax’ B.Mk.V aircraft, and in May, 1944 B.Mk.III ‘Halifax’. In July, 1943 No. 431 ‘Iroquois’ Squadron RCAF transferred in to Tholthorpe with ‘Halifax’ B.Mk.III aircraft. In August of 1943, both No. 431 and No. 434 Squadrons began a series of operations to bomb targets in northern Italy, and four months later - in December, 1943 - those two Squadrons were transferred to Air RAF Croft. In December 1943, RCAF Squadrons No. 420 and No. 425 - both returned from five months service in Tunisia with No. 331 RCAF Wing and arrived at Tholthorpe to convert from ‘Wellington’ to ‘Halifax’ B.Mk.III aircraft. The two Squadrons flew their first missions from Tholthorpe in February, 1944, and remained on the station on operations until their last missions in April, 1945. No. 420 and No. 425 Squadrons RCAF converted to ‘Lancaster’ B.Mk.X aircraft in May of 1945, but never flew the aircraft on operations. They did fly the Lancaster's back to Canada in June, 1945. The RAF did not activate Tholthorpe at the end of the war, and for a few years the airfield was used for private flying, with the runways and hangars in fair condition. But by the 1980’s the hangars and most buildings had been removed, and the runways began to disintegrate. Farming activities have now taken over the airfield, and light industry has taken over the technical site. The 1943 control tower is now a private home. RCAF Squadrons based at Tholthorpe between 1943 to 1945 No. 434 ‘Bluenose’ - No. 6 RCAF Group - June 13th, 1943 to December 10th, 1943 No. 431 ‘Iroquois’ - No. 6 RCAF Group - July 15th, 1943 to December 9th, 1943 No. 425 ‘Alouette’ - No. 6 RCAF Group - December 10th , 1943 to June 12th, 1945 No. 420 ‘Snowy Owl’ - No. 6 RCAF Group - December 12th, 1943 to June 11th, 1945

RAF Tholthorpe.

Building started early 1940 with a grass airfield1942 'A' type bomber station with three runways, two T2 hangars, one B1 hangar, a technical site, several dispersed accommodation sites and an original bomb store plus later 'D' type bomb store.

Early vertical 1940/41

Armstrong Whitworth Whitley pre war bomber.

Erks the men that kept the Airforce in the air.

RAF Tholthorpe.

May 1943

RAF Tholthorpe.

Late 1943--IBCC Digital Archive

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.11 W.A.A.F. Site No.1 I was invited by a man that worked in this Chicken farm. (sorry cannot remember his name). We then drove around the airfield. Its nice when this happens, he knew nothing of the airfield and what had been in the WAAF site. The chicken farm was a restricted area due to any contamination and I only visited the entrance area.

11 April 2009

There were WAAF's in WW1 but in WW2 they were brought into the RAF in greater numbers to run the camps, drive, mechanics (air & vehicle), radar, ops room, etc, etc.

RAF Tholthorpe

This is a plan of the communal and living sites. Most living sites are for men, Sites 11 & 12 are for W.A.A.F.'s. Site 3 is the old communal and site 4 the added new communal site. Site 14 is he Sewage site and Site No.2 admin. This would have been accommodation for RCAF: Men 1501. W.A.A.F. 233.

Plan.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.11 W.A.A.F. Site No.1 475 - Picket Post & Detention Room - TB - 12404/41. 476 - Institute & Sergeants' Rec. Room - TB - 17602/41. 477 - High Level Water Tank 10000gal (Braithwaite). 478 - Serge’s & A/Wms Abl., Lats, & Laundry - TB - 5777/42. 479 - Serge’s & A/Wms. Bath Block - TB - 5777/42. 480 - Bath Block & Decontamination (200) - TB - 12961/12961/41. 481 - Hairdressers Shop - (over 200) - 12961/41. 482 - Officers' Quarters & Bath Hose - TB - 12947/41. 483 - Fuel Compound 54'x54' - 9108/41. 484 - Officers' Quarters (4 Offrs) - TB - 12730/41. 485to456 - Airwomwns' Barrack Huts (2No). - BCF - GI/2191/42. 487to490 - Airwomwns' Quarters (4No.) - N - 9024/41. 491 - Ablution Block - (100) - 13047/41. 932to494 - Airwomwns' Barrack Huts (3No) - BCF - GI/2191/42. 495to498 - Airwomwns' Quarters (4No.) - N 9024/41. 499 - M&E Plinth. BFC - British Concrete Federation. N - Nissen. TB - Temporary Brick.

11 April 2009

477 - High Level Water Tank 10000gal (Braithwaite).

BFC hut.
British Concrete Federation and Nissen hut barracks. — BFC hut. British Concrete Federation and Nissen hut barracks.

RAF Tholtharpe

AM Site Plan 891/45

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.11 W.A.A.F. Site No.1 476 - Institute & Sergeants' Rec. Room - TB - 17602/41.

04 April 2018

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.11 W.A.A.F. Site No.1 499 - M&E Plinth.

04 April 2018

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.4 (Communal). Now Reynards Farm and also across the road. All that can be seen here are the roadways and the bases of a few huts. 206 - Dining Room - 9880/42. 216 - Cinema Projector Room - TB -2064/42. 217 - Gymnasium - TB - 2064/42. 218 - Chancel Annex - TB - 2064/42 . 221 - Officers Mess - TB - 16589/40. 225 - C. O;'s Quarters - TB - 9023/41. 229 - Sergeants Mess (500) - TB - 2612/42.

11 April 2009

The yellow arrows are the blocks and the white arrow was the squash court and now converted into a house. I did not take a picture of it Yellow squares more dispersed sites.

216 - Cinema Projector Room - TB -2064/42.
217 - Gymnasium - TB - 2064/42.
218 - Chancel Annexe - TB - 2064/42 at RAF Macmerry. — 216 - Cinema Projector Room - TB -2064/42. 217 - Gymnasium - TB - 2064/42. 218 - Chancel Annexe - TB - 2064/42 at RAF Macmerry.

239 - Sergeants Mess (500) - TB - 2612/42.

225 - C. O;'s Quarters - TB
- 9023/41 at RAF Davidstow Moor. — 225 - C. O;'s Quarters - TB - 9023/41 at RAF Davidstow Moor.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.4 (Communal). Now Reynards Farm and also across the road. All that can be seen here are the roadways and the bases of a few huts. 206 - Dining Room - 9880/42. 216 - Cinema Projector Room - TB -2064/42. 217 - Gymnasium - TB - 2064/42. 218 - Chancel Annexe - TB - 2064/42 . 221 - Officers Mess - TB - 16589/40. 225 - C. O;'s Quarters - TB - 9023/41. 229 - Sergeants Mess (500) - TB - 2612/42.

AM Site Plan 891/45.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Another site on the hill. It could have been Site No.3.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Entering the village.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.5. Scout hut. The base of the hut may have been, 245 - Airmen' Quarters - 13903/40.

11 April 2009

The white circle is the scout hut, yellow the next hut & blue a hut base.

This is how it looks since 2018, much better.

04 April 2018

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.5. 248&249 - Sergeants Quarters & Drying Room - 9026/42 maybe.

11 April 2009 - AM Site Plan 891/45.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.5. 248&249 - Sergeants Quarters & Drying Room - 9026/42 maybe.

04 April 2018

RAF Tholthorpe.

Site No.5. 248&249 - Sergeants Quarters & Drying Room - 9026/42 maybe.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Tholthorpe Village Green & The New Inn.

11 April 2009

The food, it made a very welcome break in the day.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Memorial on the green to 420, 431, 434 & 425 Sqn’s Royal Canadian Air Force.

11 April 2009

420Sqn RCAF arrived here December 12, 1943 after converting to Halifax III's and stayed until the end of the war.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Memorial on the green to 420, 431, 434 & 425 Sqn's Royal Canadian Air Force.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. The layout today. 1 - Picket Post - N -12404/41. 2 - Works Service Hut - N - 7395/41. 3 - Gas Chamber - 12411/41. 4 - Free Gunnery Trainer - St - 7316/41. 5to8 - Main Store - N - 5852/42. 9 - Technical Latrines RAF - TB - 9.26/41. 10 - MT Workshop & Ramp - St - 8140/43. 11 - Works Service Buildings - TB & N - Thol/105/44. 12 - R.U. Pyro Store - TB - 5488/42. 13to14 - Main Workshops - N - 5851/42. 15 - Gas Respirator Store & Workshop - N - 13730/41. 16 - Parachute Store - TB - 10825/42. 17 - Dingy Section - ? - 2901/43. 18 - Technical Latrine W.A.A.F. - TB - 9.26/41. 19 - Bulk Oil Installation 3500gal. - ? - 11270/40. 20 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - TB - 6301/42. 21 - Link Trainer Building 2 Trainers - TB - 4188/42. 22 - M&E Transformer Plinth - TB - Nil. 23 - Sergeants & Airmen’s Quarters - L - 13903/40. 24 - Sergeants & Airmen’s Latrines - TB - Nil. 25to26 - Sergeants & Airmen’s Quarters - L - 13903/40. 27 - MT Petrol Compound - Nil. 28 - Maintenance Staff Blocks - N - 12777/41. 29 - Technical Latrines RAF - TB - 9026/41. 30 - Armoury etc. - N - 9882/42. 31 - Fuel Compound - Nil. 32 - Fire Tender House - N - 12410/41. 33 - Guard & Fire Party House - TB - 10311/42. 34 - Crew Locker & Drying Room - N -Nil. 35 - Latrine - TB - 9026/41. 36 - W.A.A.F./RAF Rest Room - S - 4701/43. 37 - Latrine - TB - 9026/41. 38 - MT Shed & yard - N - 12775/42. 39 - Bulk Petrol Installation (MT) 3500gal - 4720/42. 40 - MT Office - N - 12775/42. 42 - Sub Station - TB - 12648/40. 43 - Bulk Oil Installation 3500gal. - 11270/40. 44 - Gas Defence Centre - 48/40. 45 - Fire Pool - Nil. 46 - Sub Station - TB - 12648/40. 47 - M&E Transformer Plinth - TB - Nil. 48 - Fire Party Hut - 2965/42. 49 - N.F.E. Store - TB - 12411/41. 50 - MT Expense - Nil. S - Seco Hutting. TB - Temporary Brick. N - Nissen Hutting. L - Laing Hutting. St - Steel Building. GP - Gun Position. T - Timber. Nil - no detail given.

Google AM Site Plan 890/45

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 5to8 - Main Store - N - 5852/42. Pos. 30' Nissen span.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. The centre hut is post war and built on the foundations of an older hut. Main store held every item needed and possibly several that were not needed. 5to8 - Main Store - N - 5852/42.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 4 - Free Gunnery Trainer - St - 7316/41. Blister hangar used not for aircraft but as a free gunnery trainer. This is where gunnery training would have taken place with mock up turrets. They became very sophisticated in a pre computer age.

11 April 2009

Inside a Free Trainer at an American airfield showing how this one may have looked.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 4 - Free Gunnery Trainer - St - 7316/41.

11 April 2009

There is a good line drawing of a turret trainer in Paul Francis book 'British Military Airfield Architecture' page 151. It shows a concave screen which an image was directed on and a form of scaffolding tower with several levels, one with a dummy turret and another for a controller, there was also a power unit.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 20 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - TB - 6301/42. Bomb aimer's and pilots could hone their skills by training on this synthetic trainer. The pilot would fly a over a map projected onto the hut floor and the bomb aimer would take over as they neared their target.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. View from the 20 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - TB - 6301/42.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 16 - Parachute Store - TB - 10825/42. This is where all parachutes would pass through for checking, drying, re packing and storing.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 15 - Gas Respirator Store & Workshop - N - 13730/41. Poison gas was still a worry to the Allies. Later when the threat receded the stores were used for medical stores.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 13to14 - Main Workshops - N - 5851/42. Pos. 30' Nissen.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 13to14 - Main Workshops - N - 5851/42.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 41 - Bulk Petrol Installation 48000gal - 5613/39. 62 - Bulk Petrol Installation 12000gal. - Nil. 69 - M & E Transformer Plinth - TB - Nil. 70 - Crew Briefing Room - N - 4701/43. 71 - Photographic Block - N - 4781/42. 72 - Camera Store - N - 2415/43. 73 - Technical Latrine RAF - TB - 9026/41. 74 - Technical Latrine W.A.A.F. - TB - 9026/41. 75 - Crew Locker & Drying Room - N - 15657/41. 76 - Squadron Offices - TB - 4785/42. 77to78 - Flight Offices - TB - 4785/42. 79 - Sentry Box & Barrier - Timber - Nil. 80 - Signals Apparatus Hut - S - 4701/43. 81 - Control Tower - TB - 343/43. 82 - W.A.A.F. Latrine - TB - 9026/41. 83 - Radar Workshop - S - 7352/43.

AM Site Plan 890/45

RAF Tholthorpe.

81 - Control Tower - TB - 343/43. The name Watch Office changed in the mid 40's to control tower. This was due to two reasons, one - only a watch was kept on an airfield and their pilots could land and take off at almost at their own discretion. Two - by 1942 onwards many more aircraft were being used at one time and a form of control was needed to make for a safe and smoother running of the airfield. So the Control Tower was named & designed and placed in a position where it could see ALL the airfield.

11 April 2009 04 April 2018

RAF Acaster Malbis showing how the control tower could see the airfield.

RAF Tholthorpe.

81 - Control Tower - TB - 343/43.

11 April 2009

Airfield plan with the control tower marked.

RAF Tholthorpe.

81 - Control Tower - TB - 343/43. This is a contemporary photo taken at Tholthorpes tower.

11 April 2009 - IBCC PMilesRJ16010032

RAF Tholthorpe.

50ft perimeter track. An 'A' class airfield as this one became, had a perimeter track 50ft wide connecting all the runways of 150f wide, with 36 heavy bomber aircraft dispersals.

11 April 2009

The circular perimeter track was the original airfield and later the runways were added and the main one was extended.

Early 'A' class had around 36 circular dispersals, these were very effective in keeping the aircraft dispersed around the perimeter and also a good firm base for the plane to sit. But God forbid you drop a wheel off the concrete onto the mud or grass and it was a heck of a job to get it back on firm ground.

The second type of dispersal that came into use after 1942 was the Scissor or Spectacle type. The circular pans damaged aircraft doing a tight 360deg turn, whereas with the spectacle they could drive in and continue out without turning. Tholthorpe had at least four (possibly more) spectacle and the rest circular.

Halifax on its dispersal. There would be a ground crew hut and latrines with several dispersals per hut where the ground crews of those aircraft, could rest keep warm and store things and also use the toilet.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield Site. 51 - Armoury etc. - N - 9882/42. 52 - Armoury etc - N - 9882/42. 53 - Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed - TB - 12411/41. 54 - Fire Tender Shelter - N - 12410/41. 55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. 56 - Flight Office - TB - 9884/42. 57 - Crew Rest & Locker Room - TB - 8482/41. 58 - Flight Office - 15894/40-7895/41. 59 - Technical Latrine - TP - 9026/41. 60 - Lubricant & Inflammable Store - TB - 12406/41. 61 - Radar Workshop - S - 7352/42. 63 - RU Pyro Store - TB - 5488/42. 64 - Sergeants and Airmen's' Latrines - TB - Nil. 65to67 - Sergeants and Airmen's' Quarters - L - 13903/40. 68 - Navigation Class Room 'A' Hutting - T - 2075/43.

AM Site Plan 890/45 - IBCC

Stage two was to upgrade the perimeter and add three runways.

And stage three to increase it to 'A' Class standards.

Halifax low level at RAF Elvington , probably a just finished his last sortie.

RAF Tholthorpe.

60 - Lubricant & Inflammable Store - TB - 12406/41. Temporary Brick hut behind the old watch office and just inside the airfield site.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe

49 - N.F.E. Store - TB - 12411/41. Night flying equipment stores held all the goose neck flairs, beacons and any other equipment used for night landings and take off’s. An airfield may not have had lighting or if they did and the electricity failed the oil lamps could be placed out. Fine on a small airfield but as here a very long runway of over a mile to put out all the lamps.

11 April 2009

Goose neck flairs, paraffin filled heavy (like watering cans) with a wick in the spout, then lit by a match it would burn for quite q long time.

Chance light a sort of searchlight that could be deployed at the end of a runway and the light pointed down its length. Just another aid to help a pilot land in the dark.

RAF Tholthorpe.

49 - N.F.E. Store - TB - 12411 Note the concrete door stops to hold the doors open and also to stop some on a tractor bumping in to the door and damaging it. They thought of everything.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. Hidden in the trees is the original Watch Office for Bomber Satellite Stations. 04 April 2018 the trees have been removed now but what is going to happen I have no idea.

11 April 2009 - 04April 2018

Early Watch Office for Bomber Satellite Stations.

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. Control room window.

04 April 2018 - 11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. Blast wall entrance.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. A protected operations room you can see that by the window showing up the thicker walls. This is where pilots and crews of the Whiteys would have collected before take off on the next raid.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. Protected entrance.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. Lobby.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. Side elevation.

11 April 2009

PBX room. (Private Branch Exchange) the internal telephone system in the camp.

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. Control Room. Looking around the control room. The left two windows face west, right hand two south. Its odd that there are two windows in the three walls facing away from the airfield and one window & a door overlooking the airfield ?

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. I carefully climbed to the top. Note the bracket on the lower wall R/H side.

11 April 2009

Plan of the roof top. The triangular structure was a "Large 'runway in use' marker boards" to show which runway was in use.

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. The triangular building on the roof for the large runway in use markers/boards.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

55 - Crash Crew Sleeping (Old Watch Office) - Nil. View NW over the airfield. A wooden hut & the Floodlight Trailer and Tractor Shed 1296/40.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

I think this may be an Air Ministry wooden hut.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

I think this may be an Air Ministry wooden hut.

11 April 2009

Allerton Park, Knaresbough was HQ of No.6 Group RCAF. 6 Group aircraft flew 40800 operational sorties.

RAF Tholthorpe.

53 - Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed - TB - 12411/41. This was a drive through shed so there was no need to disconnect a trailer.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

53 - Floodlight Trailer & Tractor Shed - TB - 12411/41. A very high roof?

11 April 2009

Chance light, generator and tractor (lorry here).

RAF Tholthorpe.

52 - Armoury etc. - N - 9882/42. Built in Temporary Brick (half brick) which was a cheaper and quicker construction than the pre war designs. The windows were standard Crittall steel windows and can still be bought today. The method of building with piers along the sides where trusses lay on for strength goes back to WW1 designs of military hutting and can be seen at RAF Duxford around the hangars.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

52 - Armoury etc. - N - 9882/42. A group of dedicated men would clean the guns after a raid and make sure that they were ready for the next one.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Blast shelter [2360-41] a very quick and easy to build and also easy to dive into if necessary.

11 April 2009

A better view of how it would look without all the undergrowth.

RAF Tholthorpe.

The original (pre 1942) main airfield site with all the buildings grouped around the original watch office.

11 April 2009

One of the ways crews were delivered to their planes.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Perimeter track & airfield.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe

A Halifax running around a perimeter track of 50' wide.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Perimeter track leading to the site of the first T2 hangar.

11 April 2009

View from above with the T2 superimposed on the area.

RAF Tholthorpe.

118 - Aircraft Shed T2(23bay) - 3653/42. 119/120 - Dispersed Huts - Nil. (which we know is a British Concrete Federation hut). 121 - M&E Plinth Transformer Plinth - TB - Nil. Bomb Store: 132 - Fuzed & Spare Bomb Store - N - 4780/42. 133 - Fuzing Point (Heavy) - N - 18963/40. 134 - Fuzing Point (Light) - N - 18964/40. 135 - Picket Post - N - Nil. 136 - FF & SM Store - N - 2169/40. 137 - SAA Store - TB - 16075/40. 138 - Component Store - TB - 19436/40. 138to144 - SBC Stores - N - 1929/43. 145to147 - Heavy Incendiary Bomb Stores - N - 5416/40. 148 - Incendiary Bomb Stores - N - 4734/40. 149 - Incendiary Bomb Stores - N - 4734/40. 150 - Incendiary & Pyro Store - TB - 13436/40.

11 April 2009 - AM Site Plan 890/45

RAF Tholthorpe.

119 - Dispersed Huts - 561BC - Nil. British Concrete Federation hut. Stanton Air-raid shelter. A hut consisting of a frame of reinforced concrete posts into which panels could be slotted. Designed by the British Concrete Federation (BCF) during WWII.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Early bomb store. This is the entrance to a small bomb store

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Earlier bomb store.

Bing/AM Site Plan 890/45

RAF Tholthorpe.

138 - Component Store - TB - 19436/40.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

138 - Component Store - TB - 19436/40. The entrance through the blast wall.

11 April 2009

The component store with the entrance showing up on the left.

RAF Tholthorpe.

150 - Incendiary & Pyro Store - TB - 13436/40. Incendiary and pyrotechnic store for flairs, markers & incendiary bombs.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

150 - Incendiary & Pyro Store - TB - 13436/40. This shows the earth wall around the outside and brick walls between each store to keep them separate in case of fire/explosion.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

150 - Incendiary & Pyro Store - TB - 13436/40. Check out the size of the I beams in the roof.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

View across the bomb store.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Seagull trenches were an early open pillbox defence to protect the bomb storage area I think.

11 April 2009

Tholthorpe Home Guard. Initially local Home Guard units were used to guard airfields, but as the army increased in size, the county regiments (in training) were used and later the RAF Regiment took over.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Seagull trench Made of standard red brick and reinforced concrete roof.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Seagull trench covered the small bomb store area.

11 April 2009

A brick tile used to cover electrical cables. There are several in the woodland.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Seagull trench.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

153 - Fuzing Point (Ultra Heavy) - N - 7900/42. In February 1924 after all the tests had been carried out, it was decided to go ahead with the designs of General Purpose Bombs. The idea of the General Purpose Bomb was that it should be easy to produce in large numbers and give a good percentage of efficiency against every type of target, obviously unlike a specialist bomb it would never give 100% effect against any target. It was decided to have both tail and nose fuzing to prevent break up of the bomb on a hard target and allow penetration of softer targets. Unfortunately this meant that the bomb would have practically no anti-personnel effect on soft targets in the open - this lead to the development of smaller fragmentation bombs such as the 20lbF bomb.

11 April 2009 - AM Site Plan 890/45

Bomb trains waiting to leave the bomb store area after fuzzing to go out to the aircraft.

Air photo of the 'D' type full heavy bomber bomb store.

RAF Tholthorpe.

153 - Fuzing Point (Ultra Heavy) - N - 7900/42. Bomb store track to the fuzing point 153 - Fuzing Point (Ultra Heavy), behind is 154 - Fuzing Point (Heavy light) - N - 4778/42, this one has been removed.

04 April 2018

RAF Tholthorpe.

153 - Fuzing Point (Ultra Heavy) - N - 7900/42.

04 April 2018

RAF Tholthorpe.

This is incorrect on the plan, it should be a B1 MAP Hangar. MAP - Ministry of Aircraft Production. Nil - number or details unknown on site plan.

11 April 2009 - AM Site Plan 890/45

RAF Tholthorpe.

108 - Aircraft Shed T2(23bay) - St - 3653/42. (Unsure here as the actual hangar here is a B1 MAP shed).

11 April 2009

Hand made clay water pipes lying around.

RAF Tholthorpe.

Airfield looking south.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Nice to see the control tower in use again even if it is a house.

11 April 2009

RAF Tholthorpe.

Some more details on the Halifax bomber and engine variants. For those interested in the history of this bomber here is a link to a great 17 Min video by Brad Montgomery. A very interesting video.

From Facebook page R.C.A.F. 6th Bomber Command of WWii

RAF Tholthorpe.

Aircraft tie down. Bomber aircraft are quite heavy, but a wind can quickly enable them to fly when just stood on an open airfield. So great lumps of concrete were set into the dispersals with a large steel bar inserted. A cable/strop would be attached to the aircraft and held down.

11 April 2009