RAF Langar, Nottinghamshire
USAAF Station 490

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Opened for No.5 Group Bomber Command.
AVRO workshops to the west of the airfield, opened September 1942 closed 1963, repairing and testing Avro aircraft.
09/1942 to 10/1943, the only operational RAF unit was No. 207 Squadron with Lancasters, moved to Spilsby.
The station then used for Horsa glider storage.
10/1943, 435th Troop Carrier Group, 9th USAAF arrived with C-47s.
01/1944 to 04/1944, 441st TCG with C-47 and C-53. During this time several hundred US Waco gliders were assembled here.
07/1944 to 09/1944, C-47s of the 441st TCG operated in the 'Market' phase of Operation 'Market Garden' supplying paratroops in the Netherlands.
10/1944 to 03/1945, No. 1669 Heavy Conversion Unit with Halifax and Lancasters.
1951 to 1963, Langar airfield operated by RCAF - Royal Canadian Air Force as part of NATO, the only Canadian base in the UK at this time. 137th (Transport) Flight operated five Bristol Freighters and a Beech C-45. A major unit was the 312th Supply Depôt handling spares for F-86 Sabre.
The military airfield closed in 1963 and the AVRO workshops closed in 1968.

Rob Truman ©2001.

Avro Lancaster.

C-47.

Horsa glider.

Waco glider.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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RAF Langar probably in the 1940's/50's.
T2 - Hangars.
B1 - Repair Shed.
CT - Control Tower.
AV - Aviation Petrol Instillation.

Avro Works.

RCAF Bristol Freighter.

Lancasters.

Building WACO CG-4A.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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A late wartime photo of Site No.3 (Communal) & Site 2. With the the Gymnasium and Squash Court and circled in red either a Sergeants Mess or Officers Mess. The yellow circles are buildings I photographed.

Google image showing what Site 2 & Site No.3 (Communal) looks like today.

Officers Mess with American airmen.

Sergeants Mess dinning hall.

Kitchens.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.2 and No.3 (Communal).

160 - Medical Inspection Block - TB - 6153/41.
Starting off at one of the main sites along Coach Gap Lane, there were many temporary brick buildings left and right down this road.

The airfield started in 1941 and was completed by 1942. Built as an 'A' class bomber station. The domestic sites accommodated 2007 male and 246 female personnel.
Site No.2 (Communal):
184 - Gym & Chapel TB - 4911/42.
185 - CO's Quarters - TB - 9023/41.
186 - Officers Mess - TB - 12867/41.
190 - Fuel Compound - 81'x54'
195 - Institute - TB - 4195/42.
196 - Dinning Room - TB - 9028/41.
198 - Sergeants Mess - 2612/42.
200 - Squash Court - TB - 16589/40.

Site No.3 (Communal):
158 - Picket Post - TB - 409/41.
160 - Medical Inspection Block - TB - 6183/41.
162 - Grocery & Local Produce Store - TB - 407/41.
163 - Dining Room - TB - 408/41.
165 - Institute - TB - 417/41.
167 - A. M.'s Showers & Ablutions - TB - 408/41.
170 - 60,000gal High Level Water Tank - Braithwaite.
171 - Bucket Emptying Platform.
172 - Fuel Compound - 54'x84' - 417/41.
173 - 30,000gal High Level Water Tank - Braithwaite.
176 - Officers Mess - TB - 404/41.
177 - Sergeants Mess - TB - 405/41.

BS - Blast Shelters.

Plan.

171 - Bucket Emptying Platform this is what it may have looked like.

163 - Dining Room - TB - 408/41. These were large building with full kitchens. There was one on each communal site. They had to feed over 2000 men and women.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.2 .

160 - Medical Inspection Block - TB - 6153/41.
Starting off at one of the main sites along Coach Gap Lane, there were many temporary brick buildings left and right down this road.

The airfield started in 1941 and was completed by 1942. Built as an 'A' class bomber station. The domestic sites accommodated 2007 male and 246 female personnel.

Plan.

Medical inspection.

 

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.2.
162 - Grocery and Local Products Store - TB - 407/41.
Temporary brick huts now used for business.

 

 

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.2.
177 - Sergeants Mess - TB - 405/41
Not visited but I believe its part of the mess.

USAAF C-47.

Sergeants mess.

Sergeants mess.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.2.
167 - Airmens Showers & Ablutions - TB - 408/41.
Another hut nicely converted.

details

How it may have looked, with a water tower on one end.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
Continuing around the camp with concrete pads for hutting all the way down the left hand side of the road.
On the left would have been the 190 - Fuel Compound - 81'x54'. A concrete slab 81feet x 54ft with a dwarf brick wall and a steel mesh fence and topped in barbed wire. Inside would be stored the coal allowance. This would be dolled out to each hut with just enough, but never too much coal. It was very regulated and the barbed wire compound was to stop anybody steeling extra coal. Wow betide anybody that got caught.

NO its not a Nissen hut, but the lamp post is a post war RAF style lamp post. There are quite a few around here still.

A fuel compound.

Delivery lorry.

 

RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
M&E Plinth
Mechanical & Electrical Plinth still in situ and and in good condition, now being used as a store area.

Waco glider.

Underground cabling.

 

RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
Pillbox - 'NO' - Water Supply
I thought I had found a new type of pillbox but alas no its a water pump house or well head bore hole. It looks like the local garden center still use the well to extract water. There were two large water towers Site No.2 (Communal).

A Meteor crashed at RAF Langar and in the background of the photo, you can see the two Braithwaite water towers.

Site No.2 (Communal) two Braithwaite water towers.

Braithwaite water tower.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).

198 - Sergeants Mess - TB - 2612/41.
In the centre would have been a large Sergeants Mess taking up most of this area.
Squash Court and Gymnasium in the distance.

198 - Sergeants Mess - TB - 2612/41.

Blast shelter for 32 men.

Blast plan 2360-41.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
Gymnasium left - Squash Court right.

Plan.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
200 - Squash Court - TB - 16589/40.
The FV432's were not left overs from the RAF.

Another good view of the squash court (building 30). A post war numbering system.

Plan.

Plan.

Inside.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
184 - Gymnasium/Cinema - TB - 4911/42.
Gym, Cinema with Church extension, the plan below is without the church extension.

Plan of the main Gymnasium.

Plan.

details

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
184 - Gymnasium/Cinema - TB - 4911/42.
Projector room with original doors.

Projector room.

 

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
184 - Gymnasium/Cinema - TB - 4911/42.
Steps up to the rewinding room.
left : the rewinding room.
Right : generator & switch room.
Centre : projector room.

Plan from RAF Macmerry where there is a very well preserved (for farming) Gym.

Projector room.

One of the films that may have been shown.

Film rewinding gear.

RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
184 - Gymnasium/Cinema - TB - 4911/42.
Behind and above the workings of the cinema projection rooms.

One of the original light fittings.

This is a generator switch room at RAF Macmerry with all the air vents for the roof.

RNAS Crail Exit sign.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
184 - Gymnasium/Cinema - TB - 4911/42.
Looking out of the projector room at the gymnasium and beyond the chancel & chapel extensions.

And looking back.

Gymnasium.

RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
184 - Gymnasium/Cinema - TB - 4911/42.
Stores & Officers & men's un dressing rooms. are all down the right hand side.

Plan.

Plan showing the Officers and mens changing rooms.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
184 - Gymnasium/Cinema - TB - 4911/42.
Chancel & chapel extension. The main body of the Gym, was for obviously sport, but also cinema, general dances, etc. The far end was a Chancel for religious services. Every unit had a Padre, and mostly Church of England, but also Catholic, Jewish and church of Scotland.

Richard Flagg 17 August 2008.

Church of England Chaplain.

Jewish Chaplain.

RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
Switch gear room and an M&E Plinth.

Inside the switch gear room.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
M&E Plinth interior.

M&E Plinth plan.

Internal fittings in one we found.

 

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Site No.3 (Communal).
185 - Commanding Officers Quarters - TB - 9023/41.
The Commanding Officer usually a Wing Commander rank and with that came the pleasure of your own house and a servant/batman. In most RAF camps I have visited, the one building that seems to be still standing is the 'Commanding Officers Quarters - TB - 9023/41'. I suppose it was set out as a house and so after the war, many were taken over as accommodation. RAF Macmerry, RAF Davidstow Moor and many more still have them.

Plan.

RAF Davidstow Moors Commanding Officers Quarters - TB - 9023/41.

 

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Airfield site.
75/76 - T2 Hangars - ST - 3653/42.
80 - Marston Shed - ST - 8140/43.
86 - Loading ramp - Brick - S.O.6./LAN/75.
87 - Main Workshops - R - 827/43.
90 - Main Stores (Office TB) - R - 826/43.
91 - Parachute Store - TB - 9294/42.
93 - Free Gunnery Centre - Blister - 7316/42-4095/43.
94 - A.M. Bombing Teacher - TB - 4301/42.
95 - Link Trainer - TB - 4188/42.

Google plan..

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Airfield site.
Large storage units. Possibly built in the time the RCAF were here?

 

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Airfield site.
90 - Main Store Romney huts - 826/43.

Storeman.

Romney hut main store.

US/RAF main store.

RAF Langar

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Airfield site.
These large buildings I believe have burnt down now.

Standby Set House? not wartime.

Robert Truman 2001.

Standby generator.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Airfield site.
Large storage units. Possibly built in the time the RCAF were here? all burnt down.

 

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
E/W Runway 07.

Plan.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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View of the North and West side
The control tower and the old AVRO works.

Airfield Site
75 - T2 Hangars - ST - 3653/42.
Aircraft hard standing north side and at the rear one of the T2 hangars.

T2 hangar.

T2 under construction.

T2 inside.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
The airfield would first have had Lancasters humming and buzzing around, later with the Americans bringing over a Group of C-47's, the noise would have increased dramatically. Between 12 & 20 aircraft per squadron, plus spares.
After that with the modern Royal Canadian Air Force, now not relying on the RAF's help with old British types had nice new American Sabre's. The Canadians used Langar as a backup for their airforce in Germany.

Lancasters heading out.

USAAF C-47.

RCAF Sabre.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Google plan of what is there.

Airfield Site plan 86/45.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
Memorial to 207 Squadron RAF
207 Squadron flew from Langar from 21st September 1942 to 13th October 1943. Re dedication of the memorial took place on the 8th May 2004.

207 Squadrons own website

Plan.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
Electrical cabinet.
Just after November the 5th.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
32 - Control Tower / Watch Office with Operations Room for Bomber Satellite Stations - TB - 7344/41 & 4702/43

1950's.

Plan.

 

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
32 - Control Tower / Watch Office with Operations Room for Bomber Satellite Stations - TB - 7344/41 & 4702/43

HQ of British Parachute School based at Langar airfield

Operations.

Crew briefing.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
32 - Control Tower / Watch Office with Operations Room for Bomber Satellite Stations - TB - 7344/41 & 4702/43

 

Coding/decoding.

 

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
114 - Re-clad T2 Hangar one of four.

Plan.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site No1
Fuel Compound and Hutting
8 - Fuel Compound - C - 413/41.
The hut, probably the office of the fuel compound?

Plan.

Fuel compound.

Gates to a fuel store.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
Electrical junction box cupboard and its unusual to find the gear is inside.
9 - Sub-station - TB -1127/42.

Plan.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
Electrical junction box cupboard and its unusual to find the gear is inside.
9 - Sub-station - TB -1127/42.

Around the other side.
9 - Sub-station - TB -1127/42.

Plan.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site No1.
More buildings.
10 - Maintenance & WT Block - TB - 11045/42.
WT - Wireless Telegraphy.

details

 

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
Airfield Site No1.
22 - Crew briefing room and Station Office - TB - 228/43, made of TB with an added Nissen extension, now removed.

Plan.

RAF crew.

USAAF crew briefing.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
Airfield Site No1.
22 - Crew briefing room and Station Office - TB - 228/43, made of TB with an added Nissen extension, now removed.

Plan.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site No1.
To the right is a 13 - Technical Latrine (RAF) - TB - 9026/41.
14 - Station HQ - TB - 3653/42.

9026/41 latrine block.

Plan.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Airfield Site No1.
18 - Petrol instillation Aviation - (24000) - 17124/40.

There were thee PIA at Langar, due possibly to the increases of fuel from maybe piston engines to jets?

Plan.

Lancaster re fueling.

C-47 fill up.

RAF Langar

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RAF Langar

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Airfield Site No1.
18 - Petrol instillation Aviation - (24000) - 17124/40.

Pump house.

Plan.

Pump house plan.

Fuel pump.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
One of the spectacle dispersals, Langar an early phase 'A' type airfield had about 36 circular dispersals and 14 spectacle dispersals.

Plan.

Stirling at a dispersal.

Types of dispersals.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
This has surprised me, a pillbox. Its been blown up and just left there. Very few post 1942 airfields had defences on??? or is it.

RAF Langar

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Airfield Site
On the west side north of th ex Avro works are three of the 36ish bomber dispersals.

Plan.

RAF Langar

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Airfield plan.
Blue - RCAF Depôt.
Red - The AV Roe Factory.

Just off the airfield is the old AV Roe repair factory where Lancaster's were repaired after sustaining serious battle damage, then Lincoln bombers were assembled and then Shackleton's and last and least were I believe four Vulcan's had some engine work..

Avro Works 1945.

Lancaster.

Lincoln.

Shackleton.

Vulcan.

RAF Langar

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The AV Roe Factory
Just off the airfield is the old AV Roe repair factory where Lancaster's were repaired after sustaining serious battle damage.

 

RAF Langar

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No aircraft are repaired here but a lot of manufacturing and export/importing seems to goes on.

RAF Langar

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© 2013 Richard Drew