Bessoneau Hangar at RAF Odiham
Sadly I have to report the demise of the Bessoneau Hangar at RAF Odiham - the heavy snow fall recently was too much for the old gal and the central roof trusses gave way and the roof collapsed. There is an interested party that still intends to come and salvage what they can from the ruins. I'll post some pics later. 
Why were the Snow Props not lowered? It was SOP at Halton at ALL times of year irrespective of weather; pack the hangar in such a way as to leave space, then lower them before securing the doors.
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Snow props dont always save the day! All the snow props were down in the one at Kenely and that collapsed under the snow load, ( Ihave pictures to prove it) writing off the ASW19 (Valiant) and serverley damaging two Vikings.
The hangar was then re-built and serviced until such time as the RAF service team we no longer able to do it within the H&S Rules that were imposed upon them when the RAF lost its imunity.
It was eventually dismantled and left in a pile while the new tin hangar was built (Circa 1982).
I thought it was collected by Kestrel staff from Odiham for spares to keep their hangar going, but I may be wrong.
The hangar was then re-built and serviced until such time as the RAF service team we no longer able to do it within the H&S Rules that were imposed upon them when the RAF lost its imunity.
It was eventually dismantled and left in a pile while the new tin hangar was built (Circa 1982).
I thought it was collected by Kestrel staff from Odiham for spares to keep their hangar going, but I may be wrong.
The Odiham Bessonneau hangar had been out of bounds for some months, so it is quite possible that the snow poles were not in place. If they were down, a rope between each pair might have helped to prevent them spreading.
It had been noted some months ago, that, for some reason, the snow poles were not going to nodes (junctions of component parts) but to midway between them, so they wouldn't have carried as much load as they might otherwise have done.
Having said that, we have had more snow here this winter than I can remember. It was probably the snow turning to slush that was the final straw.
Given its modular design, hopefully the interested party can still make use of it. Otherwise, a sad end for a historic type of building.
It had been noted some months ago, that, for some reason, the snow poles were not going to nodes (junctions of component parts) but to midway between them, so they wouldn't have carried as much load as they might otherwise have done.
Having said that, we have had more snow here this winter than I can remember. It was probably the snow turning to slush that was the final straw.
Given its modular design, hopefully the interested party can still make use of it. Otherwise, a sad end for a historic type of building.
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The original design was that the snow props were between nodes which was a crazy design especially since the bottom truss member was flat (ie wider than it was tall). I'm a building Engineer by proffession so I pointed this out to the repair team when the came to rebuild ours and whilst they said it was "normal" they agreed it was illogical and they moved them to next closest node point.
I think the hangar was removed before it was ever put to test.
I think the hangar was removed before it was ever put to test.
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Read the sticky towards the top of the forum page, http://www.pprune.org/aviation-histo...-tips-you.html
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ColinB said, Does anyone know what became of the one at Halton?
I will ask what happened to the one at Odiham, did it get scrapped?
tristar500
edit same comment written twice.
edit same comment written twice.
There were two at Halton up to about '92 or '93'(although one of these could have been the later imitation 'HAS'). After they were dismantled I've no idea what became of them, probably scrapped as the fabric was worn and torn. The former occupants were moved into the main hangars then as all the JPs and Gnats used for training brats had gone.
I remember seeing one at Akrotiri in '86, down near the harbour.
I remember seeing one at Akrotiri in '86, down near the harbour.
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There used to be one in Edinburgh being used as a storage building on a sports ground that had been cut into two. One half burned down in the early 1990s and the other was dismantled when the sports ground was redeveloped. What happened to it I'm not sure. It was reclad with weather board and originally came from the WW1 airship station at East Fortune.
