RAF Langham Dome Museum

[SWSurreyAviation]

RAF Concrete Domes

RAF 40ft Diameter Concrete Anti-Aircraft Dome Trainers.
It is believed that forty-four 40ft Diameter Concrete Domes were erected on various RAF airfields in the UK c.1942, of which 6 survive:-
The Dome at RAF Langham, Norfolk, has been refurbished and from 20/7/14 will have an exhibition showing the history and workings of the Dome Anti-Aircraft Gunnery Trainers.
The Dome at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, is used by the USAF based there as Building 506 recently housing the 100th Communication Squadron’s secure communications functions. Erroneously described in the “History of the 100th Air Refueling Wing and RAF Mildenhall” as “Originally intended for astronavigation (celestial) training....”.
The Dome at RAF Wyton is in original chipped stone finish and appears to be in good external condition. The interior has all been stripped out.
The Domes at RAF Pembrey, Carmarthenshire and RAF Limavady, Co. Londonderry are both in a derelict condition.
The Dome at RAF Shoreham (Airport), West Sussex, is believed to have had internal fire damage c.1980 but may have been restored by 1995 (Eng. Heritage)???
Over 400 Dome AA Trainer systems of 4 different types (including the above) were supplied during WW2 for the Royal Navy, British Army and the RAF.
Brief explanation of the Dome Anti-Aircraft Gunnery Trainer principles:-
A 35mm or 16mm projector system projected an aircraft image onto a gimbal mounted mirror. The mirror then reflected the image of the aircraft onto the inner dome wall. The mirror was moved vertically and horizontally by two cams driven by the same motor as the projector. This synchronising the film with the movements of the mirror so that the aircraft "flew" around 180 degrees of the inside of the dome. AA gunners where trained to use the correct amount of deflection/aim off to allow for the flight time of the shells to reach the aircraft. On the film there was a yellow spot ahead of the aircraft on each frame of the film. This was the future position that the gunner should be aiming at. He would not be able to see this as there was a yellow filter place in front of the sights or he wore yellow tinted spectacles. On the gun there would be a graticule ring sight projector that projected the image of the sights onto the dome wall. This was aligned precisely with the sight on the gun so that the gunner was unable to see it. Thus an instructor could see when the graticule image on the wall coincided with the yellow future position spot that the gunner was using the correct amount of deflection/aim off.
The films were produced by stop frame filming of aircraft models. The system was designed by (later) Lt. Cmdr. Henry Christian Stephens in 1940/41 at the Royal Navy Gunnery School, HMS Excellent at Whale Island, Portsmouth. He was assisted by Bernard Happe and FG Gunn of Technicolor Ltd. of Bath Rd., West Drayton.
The system went on to be adopted by the British Army and the RAF and was developed further by RFD Ltd. post war until the early 1980’s.
Frank Phillipson.

40ft. Diam. Concrete Domes 9277/42 & 73/42 Sites
Bold and underlined entries are domes that are still in existence.
01 & 44 Alness (2)
02 Andover
03 Bovingdon
04 Burtonwood
05 Carew Chariton
06 Castle Bromwich
07 Chipping Warden
08 Church Fenton
09 Detling
10 Douglas (Villa Marina)
11 Dumfries
12 Errol
13 Fairford
14 Felixstowe
15 Filey (Butlins)
16 Hook
17 Horsham St Faith
18 Hornchurch
19 Kiddlington
20 Langham
21 Lee-on-Solent
22 Limivady
23 Locking
24 Long Kesh
25 Longman
26 Lulsgate
27 Mildenhall
28 Montrose
29 Penrhos
30 Pembrey31 Portreath
32 Shoreham
33 Squires Gate
34 Tangmere
35 Tatenhill
36 Tempsford
37 Towyn
38 Watchet
39 Warmwell
40 Wellesbourne Mountford
41 West Raynham
42 Westwood
43 Wyton 44 Total.
Site list by Paul Francis with additional information by myself.