RAF Hampstead Norris, Berkshire

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris was a very early WW2 RAF airfield. Unlike the expansion scheme aerodromes of the 30's, had no hard runways. Here was a three hard runway airfield and a dispersed living accommodation. A revolution for the time and what was to come as the war went on.
As a training airfield it had one T2 hangar and a B1 repair shed. There was also added a Bessoneau canvas hangar of WW1.
There were 26 circular bomber dispersals, a full pillbox defence, an early wartime bomb store and plenty of woodland surrounding it, which did become a bit of a problem to heavily laden aircraft taking off.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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East of the village of Hampstead Norreys, Berkshire.
Built on the Yattendon Estates Farm started in 1940 & closed in 1945.
There are many rights of way paths around the airfield.
15 Operational Training Unit (OTU). Opened as a satellite to RAF Harwell.
Opening in the summer of 1940, becoming a dispersal field and OTU for day & night flying.
The airfields major task was to be the starting point for ferrying bombers to Egypt via Gibraltar and Malta.
The airfield at the time had the advantage over others as it had metaled runways and ably they could withstand the enemy when three bombs were dropped on to them on 16 September 1940.
Life at HN was eventful. Between May & December 1941, 218 Wellingtons and 1,038 airmen were dispatched from the airfield with an overall loss rate of 11.5%, three crews being interned. January - June 1942, a further 330 Wellingtons flew overseas, with a record number of 81 during April. By the end of 1942, a further 120 had left.
HM remained a conversion training centre for 15 OTU, and held their gunnery sections' three Lysanders.
In October 1942, Bomber Command reviewed the runways to see if they could be extended. The airfield was raised to self accounting status (it had always come under RAF Harwell) within 38 Group. In March 1944, No. 101 course of 15 OTU, whilst still training went to RAF Westcott and all the Wellingtons were sent to RAF Moreton-in-the -Marsh (or 'Much-binding-in-the-Marsh' from a BBC Light program comedy with Richard Murdoch & Kenneth Horne) or RAF Wellesbourne Mountford.
The Operational Refresher training Unit (ORTU) replaced 15 OTU, giving refresher courses to glider pilots being prepared for the Normandy invasion. Aircraft included 33 Tiger Moths, nine Whitleys, 20 Albermarles along with Horsa gliders. The ORTU continued until February 1945. HM reverted to being RAF Harwell's satellite, serving from March to July 1945, Mosquitoes of 13 OTU arrived, mainly from 60 OTU and joined the remainder of ORTU as it wasn't until 18 April 1945 that the last glider was towed away.
The airfield finally became an accommodation centre for the Glider Pilots Regiment and redundant RAF Glider pilots.
At Compton Beacon is a major operational aviation land mark standing near the site, which guides airliners into Heathrow.
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RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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We could find no wartime buildings in the farm area, although there used to be many and the farm buildings were used by the RAF.
The yellow square was a Frying Pan aircraft dispersal. A pillbox sits out in the ploughed field. I will come on to the airfield defence later. Yellow square - an aircraft dispersal.
2 x Bulk Petrol Instillation Aviation PIA with 48,000gal & 24,000gal.
26 x Frying pan aircraft dispersals.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Looking out over the airfield.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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This is the east/west runway and just a line of trees show where it once was.
Its a very unusual design as all the runways cross at the same point, which on most airfields was not allowed due to the bombing of the centre would put out of of action all the runways?

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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N/E S/W main runway
The main runway although now grassed over is still used by the farmers plane.
the main runway was lengthened from 1400yds to 2600yds in 1942.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Perimeter track
Perimeter track looking east on a beautiful day the farm in front and the technical site behind us. Originally 50ft wide .

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Technical site
Road into the tech site off the perimeter track. Nearly all the buildings have gone except a few air-raid shelters and a Marston shed. What huts that are there, are unused animal units.

 

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Double entrance air-raid shelter
A long double entree air-raid shelter. We could not see inside these are early types that pre date the Stanton and blast shelter types.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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69 - Crew Procedure Centre - (Marston) - 4641/42?.
An asbestos clad Marston shed No69 on the plan, crew procedure centre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technical area No. 2.
The plan from Hendon is a very poor copy and I am trying to be as accurate as possible. If there is ? then that means I cannot read it correctly.
47 - Squadron Radar Workshop - TB? - 16211/40.
48 - Technical Latrine (RAF) - TB - 9026/40.
49 - Ground Instructional Building Typ'B' - TB - 2468/42.
50 - Ground Instructional Building Typ'A' - TB - 2468/42.
51 - Preach Barn (Existing) Used as Workshops & Offices - HN/7013/41.
52 - Squadron & Flight Offices, Locker room & Drying Room - TB - 15694/40.
53 - Maintenance Block and W.T. Block - TB - 15695/40.
54 - Link Trainer 3 No. - TB - 10040/41.
55 - Watch Office (Brick & Nissen 24' span) - MT 4109/41 - ??739742.
56 - Bessoneau Hangar.
57 - Signals Office 30'x18' Timber Hut - T.
58 - Lubrication & Inflammable Store - TB - 15896/40.
59 - Latrine Block (for Officers) ?
60 - Locker room & Drying Room - TB - T.P.7035/42.
61 - Transformer Plinth - M&E.
62 - Latrine Block (Technical Latrine WAAF) - TB - 9026/41?
63 - Wooden Shed used as salt Store - T.
64 - Static Water Tank 2,000 gal (Lysaght).
65 - Equipment Store - 14' N - 190/41.
66 - Intelligence Library and Camera Store - 24' N - TP/925/44.
67 - Turret Instructional (Type 'A') Bombing Teacher - TB - 633/42- 3990/43
68 - W.T. Operational and Instructional Centre 24' - N - TP/923/44.
69 - Crew Procedure Centre - (Marston) - 4641/41.

ARS - Air-raid shelter.
TB - Temporary Brick.
T - Tin.
N - Nissen hut 14'foot or 24'foot width.
S - Steel.
C - Concrete.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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69 - Crew Procedure Centre - (Marston) - 4641/42?.
Looking inside with the original windows and cladding still in place.
In here the crews could have mock ups of aircraft to let them train in cockpits, turrets, etc.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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69 - Crew Procedure Centre - (Marston) - 4641/42?.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Panel numbers, it may have been erected at a different airfield and later moved here.
RAF Tarrant Rushton has one that was moved there in the Cold War, to hold vehicles to service V Bombers on dispersal.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Usually set into a concrete aircraft frying pan dispersal, now blocking off this roadway to a domestic site hidden in a valley which is all that is left of an extensive domestic site with many huts (now removed) and three Stanton style air raid shelters.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Site No 1.
Mostly Laing and Temporary Brick hutting for Officers, Sergeants, Men and WAAF have their own site (WAAF Site).
112 - Picket Post Type 'B' - TB - 1650/42?.
106 - Officers Barrack Hut Partitioned - L - 1390/40?. Officers and Sergeants had either single rooms or shared with another Officer/Sergeant.
108 - Airmens with Corporal's Room - L - 13905/40?. Open hut with a Corporals room.
108A - Airmens Barrack Hut - Open - L - 9025/40.
Air-raid shelter - Trianco.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Trianco shelter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A piece of graffiti of the period, drawn probably by an airman who had to shelter here from a bombing raid. Which did happen on several occasions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one is from RAF Perranporth air-raid shelter, could this be the same artist??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had to add this picture, she is from a German bunker in Normandy StP235 Carneville 'Osteck', Cherbourg. Probably many aircraft from RAF Hampstead Norris could have been shot at by this bunkers 2cm AA gun.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Nissen hut base used by ground crew that worked on aircraft on the dispersal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dwarf Nissen hut wall and a hold down pin.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Part probably of one of the ablution blocks.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Brick and concrete shelter.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Brick and concrete shelter.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Brick and tin shelter.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Barbed wire screw picket, used for defence.

RAF Hampstead Norris

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RAF Hampstead Norris

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Hard t see in a photo but a well made up road the bomb store with curb stones as well..