RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF · Northamptonshire · England · United Kingdom

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

Opened in November 1940. Closed in July 1945.

Pundit code HI.

Men - 785.

WAAF - 210.

13 OTU November 1940 to July 1942.

Blenheim.

16 OTU July 1942 to April 1943. Wellington I.

1478 Flt April 1943 to July 1944Whitley V.

Signals Development Unit (SDU) June 1643 to July 1944.

Oxford, Anson, Master.

1 x B1 Hangar.

1 x T1 Hangar.

23 x Aircraft dispersals.

Blenhiem.
Blenhiem.
Anson.
Anson.
Wellington I.
Wellington I.
Whitley V.
Whitley V.
Oxford.
Oxford.
Master.
Master.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

PB - Pill Boxes.

BHQ - Battle Head Quarters (group defence).

OTU - Operational Training Unit.

Bomber Command OTU : - Before joining an operational squadron, newly trained aircrew would spend a period at an OTU, the most complex of which was the bomber OTU. Here pilots, navigators, gunners etc. would come together for the first time, form a crew and learn to work as a team. The training at an OTU was in effect a postgraduate course as all air crew taking part were qualified to wear their appropriate badges: pilots’ wings, the single wing of observers or the air gunners’ badge. Crews were formed and trained together, being taught to work on the actual type that they were to fly on an operational squadron.8 These stations were similar in construction to the operational units, the principal difference being the addition of an instructional site which provided a number of synthetic trainers. The latter were frequently devices invented by an individual, then developed at a particular site. If submitted and approved by the Air Ministry´s Synthetic Training Committee they would be manufactured and installed at a number of airfields, depending on their function. From Nine Thousand Miles of Concrete (Airfield Research Group).

25 April 2010

Crew.
Crew.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Whitley crew.
Whitley crew.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The drive from the village through some lovely countryside.

25 April 2010

Plan,
Plan,

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The north entrance to the airfield, you can drive in and there is a car park for the parachute people.

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The first pill box an FW3/22 pillbox and I am not sure about the summer house.

25 April 2010

FW3/22 pillbox plan
FW3/22 pillbox plan
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
FW3/22 pillbox with a pistol port above the door. I have hardly ever seen door fittings or a steel door. So I have no idea what they would have done.

25 April 2010

details
details
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Called a Port or Embrasure. These started out in the early models just for rifles and later changes so machine guns could be fitted. This one was only for rifles.

25 April 2010

Bren gun.
Bren gun.
Lee Enfield rifle.
Lee Enfield rifle.
.303 ammunition.
.303 ammunition.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Inside looking at the embrasures and a central support for the roof, usually they had an anti ricochet wall shaped like a Y inside.

03 March 2013

details
details

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The commanding views across the airfield.

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
To the right a three circular dispersal.

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.
Plan.
Plan.
Circular or frying pan dispersal, there were 23 Pan type here.
Circular or frying pan dispersal, there were 23 Pan type here.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The hangar is not from here and may have been brought in from an RAF MU storage unit, possibly when the Signals Development Unit (SDU). Or there was also stationed here in 1945, the Radio Vehicle Storage Unit. They prepared radio trucks for the battle field and may used the hangars as workshops.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Robins 'B' type hangar.
Robins 'B' type hangar.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Robins 'B' type hangar.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
One of two here.

25 April 2010

Petrol Instillation (Aviation) pump house.
Petrol Instillation (Aviation) pump house.
Underground tanks,
Underground tanks,
Fuel arrived from the POOl government suppliers and then distributed by RAF bowsers.
Fuel arrived from the POOl government suppliers and then distributed by RAF bowsers.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
PBX - Private Branch Exchange, local telephone exchange for the camp.

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
One of the doorways into the small rooms.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Another room. More cupboards than rooms.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Showing all the rooms.

RAF Chilbolton's PBX

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Stanton Air-Raid shelter with the escape on the left and entrance on the right,

25 April 2010

Construction.
Construction.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
A shelter that has been dismantled.
A shelter that has been dismantled.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
A row of four huts.

25 April 2010

Nissen hut.
Nissen hut.
Laing hut.
Laing hut.
Temporary brick huts.
Temporary brick huts.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Looking at this air photo of the huts I would say they were barrack huts with latrines and air-raid Stanton shelters.

Google

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Latrine block 9026/41.
Latrine block 9026/41.
Latrine block 9026/41 plan.
Latrine block 9026/41 plan.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Stanton Shelter and Fuel pump house.

25 April 2010

Inside.
Inside.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

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RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The back wall of the range.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The red flag pole fittings.

25 April 2010

The red flag.
The red flag.
Plan..
Plan..

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Looking from the firing butts 13292/39.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Plan.
Plan.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Most RAF airfields from the 1930's had two Bulk Petrol Installation (Aviation). One each side of the hangar site. Later in the war they were dispersed away from the hangars. Note the hole in the wall is where pipes would have entered the building.

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.
External pipe work on a 9846/41 pump house.
External pipe work on a 9846/41 pump house.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
This side is the inlet side and the far side the outlet side.

25 April 2010

Delivery Scammell tanker.
Delivery Scammell tanker.
Fuel bowser out on an airfield re fuelling.
Fuel bowser out on an airfield re fuelling.
Matador bowser.
Matador bowser.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
My plan of the 9846/41 and the (ARG) elevation of a pump house and pump fittings.

My plan                                                                                                                              Pump plan (ARG)

Pump house gauge.
Pump house gauge.
Pump.
Pump.
Fuel tanks.
Fuel tanks.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Fuel bowsers could pull up here and fill, then drive around the building and back out onto the airfield.

03 March 2013

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
I do not know which hangars where where. If this was a T1 Hangar its a 3/4 sized type of the T2 standard RAF hangar. 3/4 because it did not need to be so high as there were only smaller twin and single engined planes.

25 April 2010

T1 hangar.
T1 hangar.
T1 hangar door showing a 3/4 sized door.
T1 hangar door showing a 3/4 sized door.
Inside a T1 hangar.
Inside a T1 hangar.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The other hangar was a B1, a MAP (Ministry of Aircraft Production). A large repair hangar made for (MAP). They were used on bomber stations as heavy repair hangars to supplement the airfields usual T type hangars and usually manned by civilians repair parties.

25 April 2010

B1 MAP plan.
B1 MAP plan.
Inside a B1 at RAF Chilbolton.
Inside a B1 at RAF Chilbolton.
B1 at RAF Stratford.
B1 at RAF Stratford.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

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RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

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RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

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RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
A unique design and total unlike most control towers. Now demolished.

Control Towers (via Paul Francis)

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The Squadron/flights would have had their offices in here.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

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RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

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RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
From Spotters Guide to Pillboxes Pillbox Study Group. The FC Construction Pillbox is described on official Air Ministry plans as the FAIRLOP, the MUSHROOM, or the OAKINGTON and is associated with drawing numbers: TG14, 9882/41 and T/5291. It consists of an open, circular, concrete pit with wall 3ft high, and a domed concrete roof, cantilevered off a central pillar, either cruciform or butterfly, and forming Anti-Ricochet walls. A tubular rail, holding two, movable, clamped mg mountings, is fixed below the parapet giving a 360-degree field of fire. A medium machine gun could be used here.

25 April 2010

Vickers MM gun.
Vickers MM gun.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Bren.
Bren.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The three foot wall has been removed. These would have been manned by the local Home Guard, an Army regiment billeted in the area of even RAF ground staff, picking up their rifles and taking up a defensive position.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Plan. (Tim Denton PBSG).
Plan. (Tim Denton PBSG).

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Stationed here in 1945 was the Radio Vehicle Storage Unit. They prepared radio trucks for the battle field and had workshops on the airfield

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.
Plan.
Plan.
Plan.
Plan.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
With such a long vehicle ramp, they must have used an industrial scale of servicing on a sort of conveyor belt method.

25 April 2010

Radio truck.
Radio truck.
Bedford Ql radio truck.
Bedford Ql radio truck.
Morris radio van.
Morris radio van.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
There were three aircraft dispersals for heavy bombers.

25 April 2010

Aircraft dispersal.
Aircraft dispersal.
Plan of the dispersals.
Plan of the dispersals.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
3 x Seagull trenches. 2 x Oakington pillboxes. 1 Battle HQ.

25 April 2010                                                                                                                              Plan Google

Plan.
Plan.
Plan.
Plan.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Seagull trench.

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Seagull trench.

03 March 2013

Rifle trench.
Rifle trench.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Seagull trench.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Seagull trench inside.

03 March 2013

Ammunition niche.
Ammunition niche.
Rifle trench.
Rifle trench.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Seagull trench entrance.

03 March 2013

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Behind the trench is an Oakington pillbox.

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.
German paratroops.
German paratroops.
German paratroops.
German paratroops.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Oakington pillbox. The domed roof and 360° viewing slit.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-HedgesRAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Oakington pillbox inside. A tubular ring runs right around the pillbox so a medium machine gun can pivot all the way around.

25 April 2010                                                                                                                               03 March 2013

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Vickers K Gun on a ring mount that may have been the type used here. (Turbosquid).
Vickers K Gun on a ring mount that may have been the type used here. (Turbosquid).
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-HedgesRAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Oakington pillbox entrance

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Battle Head Quarters.

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.
BHQ plan.
BHQ plan.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Battle Head Quarters cupola and escape man hole.

25 April 2010

Manhole cover.
Manhole cover.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Battle Head Quarters looking in into the viewing slit.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Battle Head Quarters man hole looking down. Left into the BHQ and through the small entrance to under the cupola.

25 April 2010

Manhole cover.
Manhole cover.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Battle Head Quarters inside the passageway from the main BHQ to the cupola and the escape man hole.

AP Facebook

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Battle Head Quarters inside the cupola. The officer commanding the station, when the order came. Would assemble his defence Organisation and take over the BHQ. There would be two or three in the cupola, one in the PBX room, two or more runners, the OC, senior warrant officer and maybe one other. No shooting would happen from here, it is purely a HQ. If paratroops were to land on the airfield then the BHQ would run the battle from here and order troops, airmen and pillboxes what they should do. The view from the cupola, was over the whole of the airfield but away from the main site, so attackers would head strait for the Control Tower or hangars.

AP Facebook

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Battle Head Quarters defence officers room The OC would have had a phone with connections all around the airfield defences and through the shuttered windows were, the lef, runners that could be sent with messages if the phone connection stopped working. On the right the PBX room. PBX - Private Branch Exchange where a signals airmen would run the telephone exchange.

AP Facebook

details
details
Barbed wire defence being built.
Barbed wire defence being built.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Battle Head Quarters main corridor with: - first left into the runners rest room, next the defence officers room and straight in front the WC.

25 April 2010

A toilet seat in a BHQ.
A toilet seat in a BHQ.
There would be an Elsan toilet bucket and a wooden door.
There would be an Elsan toilet bucket and a wooden door.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Trench leading into the next Seagull trench.

03 March 2013

Plan.
Plan.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Continuing on.

25 April 2010

Plan.
Plan.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

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RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The road to the bomb store.

03 March 2013

Plan.
Plan.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
On the way we found some Stanton shelters.

03 March 2013

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Stanton shelter inside.

03 March 2013

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Stanton shelter escape.

03 March 2013

The escape with its hinges in place and a steel door would have been attached to the hinges.
The escape with its hinges in place and a steel door would have been attached to the hinges.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

03 March 2013

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Fuzing Point Building 7900/42 possibly. The bomb train would drive past out to the far bomb store, collect all their bombs and continue back to the Fuzing point. A 24ft Nissen hut. They can drive in and have each bomb fuzed and then the train continues on the the perimeter track and out to the aircraft.

03 March 2013

Bomb train.
Bomb train.
Loading a bomb train.
Loading a bomb train.
WAAF driving a Fordson tractor and a bomb train.
WAAF driving a Fordson tractor and a bomb train.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Fuzing Point Building, a 24ft Nissen hut with doors at each end.

03 March 2013

Building a Nissen hut.
Building a Nissen hut.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The view under the door.

03 March 2013

Plan.
Plan.
Bomb train inside the hut.
Bomb train inside the hut.
Check and double check.
Check and double check.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

03 March 2013

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The second fuzing point.

25 April 2010

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
The end brick wall with doors and hoops of the Nissen hut.

03 March 2013

Fuzing a large bomb.
Fuzing a large bomb.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Loaded bomb trolleys awaiting.
Loaded bomb trolleys awaiting.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Looking like Whale bones.

25 April 2010

Iron picket post for barbed wire in the hedge.
Iron picket post for barbed wire in the hedge.
Barbed wire defence.
Barbed wire defence.
Barbed wire and posts.
Barbed wire and posts.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

25 April 2010

Lamp fitting.
Lamp fitting.
Door bolt
Door bolt
Incendiary bomb-lets being loaded.
Incendiary bomb-lets being loaded.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

03 March 2013

Blenheim.
Blenheim.
RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges
Wellington bombing up.
Wellington bombing up.

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

RAF Hinton-in-the-Hedges

03 March 2013