RAF South Cerney

A lovely expansion period training aerodrome with very little added due to WW2 & later. Also very little removed. Now owned by the Army as a barracks for the Logistics Corps. There were:
8 x double Blister's,
3 x 65ft Blister's, and
2 x Bellman hangars.
I have marked with white squares where I think the Blister hangars were and a white square with a 'B' where the Bellman hangars.
OM - Officers Mess.
C - 'C' type hangars.

History : the land was acquired for a training station. The first unit to arrive was No.3 Flying Training School with Hawker Harts. Next and the mainstay of training here were Airspeed Oxfords. Over the war years there were as many as 200 Oxfords here.

The track is a wartime extension leading out of the airfield across the road to service Blister hangars on the N/E side.

The camp laid out in the usual style with a guard room at the entrance. Station HQ, Accommodation blocks.

The buildings of the expansion period are the work of Archibald Bulloch FRIBA…appointed Architectural Adviser to the Directorate of Works & Buildings (DWB) in 1934.
In October 1934, Bulloch was appointed as Architectural Adviser and in November a “core repertoire of buildings” was developed with a homogenous architectural quality, with one style for hangars and technical buildings and a second, Neo-Georgian style for domestic and administrative structures.

In 1935, a new work phase began and, on 21 February, Lutyens was deputed to deal with the Air Ministry with airfield planning coming under his stewardship. Soon the RFAC reported a “very notable improvement in style and layout…more economical…well-disciplined…[the airfields] thus emphasise their national importance and dignity”. It seems clear from the CBA report that Stuart’s finding is correct: while Lutyens had a considerable influence on the look and layout of the airfields during this critical expansion period, Bulloch and others designed the actual buildings.
Lutyens and the Expansion of RAF Airfields in the 1930s

By Martin Lutyens

'C' hanagar.

The airfield.

1936 Chief Flying Instructors Block, 5740/36 very like https://atlantikwall.co.uk/location/raf-l-rissington-w-office.

I have enhanced this picture, just to show how it would have looked. The original photo was taken from rather a long way away.
The 1936 built tower is similar too Hullavington, Little Rissington, Shawbury and Ternhill.

Three 11 section hipped roofed 'C' Sheds, after these aircraft sheds were being finished they started calling them hangars, watch offices to control towers and aerodromes become airfields. The wind of change.

'C' hangar and the Bellman hangar.

25yd range.

A casualty of war.
Date & Time: 28 April 1941.
Type of aircraft: Airspeed Oxford.
Operator: RAF.
Registration: L4612.
Flight Phase: Landing (decent or approach).
Flight Type: Training.
Survivors: None.
Site: 6 miles from airfield.
Schedule: RAF South Cerney.
Year of Manufacture: 1938.
Location: RAF South Cerney.
Total fatalities: Two.
Circumstances: The twin engine airplane was engaged in a local training flight at RAF South Cerney. On approach, it collided with another aircraft and crashed in a field, killing both pilots. It is believed that the second aircraft involved in the collision was also an Airspeed AS.10 Oxford registered W6567.
Crew (3rd FTS):
LAC George W. Grundy, pilot,
LAC Douglas Thomson, pilot.

Officers mess.

Officers Mess.
In the expansion period of the RAF 1930's, many very large Officers Mess's were built to a very high standard. They were all laid out so that an Officer arrived at any time, he would know his way around. As it was very similar to the one he was in last night.

Area of the married quarters.

An Let L-410FG Turbojet parachute plane sat out on the hard standing.
My picture was 2006 I have tracked it down to Apr 19, 2024 to Brno Turany in the Czech Republic and it was looking very sad.