PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Fascinating publication online about all the WW2 Airfields
Old 21st Jan 2016, 19:24
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A friend of mine, very much into the RAF expansion period related how advanced the 1930s hangars were. Rather than build a bomb proof shelter like a HAS the design was also intended to contain the effects of a bomb inside and minimise its effects.

The roof and side lights were intended to allow blow out, the doors, to some contain the blast and shield the adjacent hangars. Given the small size of bombs at the time, a hit inside might affect only part of the building. Technical services, electrics, pneumatics, water, hydrants, drains etc were split.

Another building not mentioned in the DE paper was POL. The fuel bunkers were covered in concrete, semi-underground, and apparently covered with an earth mound. In fact the bunkers were topped with round gravel which was then topped with earth. The gravel overburden was designed to deflect a bomb.
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