RFC/RAF Netheravon, Wiltshire Hangars

Plan of the East camp.

The R.F.C. flew, tried out ground to air radio, air to air radio, bombing, scouting, ranging for artillery, flying high, flying long distance, their motor transport went out on journeys to test their mobility. They talked, with lectures and also open house where anybody could talk/chat and share new ideas. There was a large revue, and a few crashes. Other than that it was a huge success and readied the RFC for a war that was about to start. Where everything they had learnt here at Netheravon, would be put into practice.

When the concentration was over, they all flew back to their respective aerodromes across the country.

August the 4th 1914 war was declared.

Just before the shed was demolished, it was used by the parachute school and you can see the scaffolding holding the structure up.

A pair of Hawker Fury´s at Netheravon also outside 84/13.

This is the inside of RAF Montrose 1913 pattern side opening aeroplane shed 232/14 showing the roof structure and remember this is only half, there is another half next door being used as an engineering works. So it shows how big they were. Montrose museum are going to place an ex RAF Tornado inside here. And it will fit.

Montrose and the original wooden sliding doors, fully opening and allowing aircraft of the day easy access in and out. The problem with the older planes, they needed a dry space to live and could not be left outside for very long. The fabric could split and let water in, the wood glue could become unglued and with no canopies over the cockpits. So water could slosh around inside. Later with all metal aircraft, these could stay outside as they had cockpit covers, etc. Which made them more weather proof. On this very subject, a pilot in WW2 walked out to his Albermarle. Pilots had been complaining that this plane was tail heavy on flying. He looked around the tail sections (there were two) and stuck his pen knife into the underside of one. Gallons of water poured out where the planes had been left out in all weathers. The tails made of the same matériels the WW1 planes were made of Doped Irish Linen covered wooden frames and had allowed water in and started to rot the wood.

An air photo of the WW1 sheds that ran down the Tarmac as it was called.

Still in camouflage taken in the 1960's.

Aftermath of the gale.

British paratroopers training in full kit.

The idea of a long thin building was to house Handley-Page 0/400 twin engined bombers in. Linen and dope covered, these planes like all at the time needed to be kept as dry as possible. With a wing span of 100ft, there was no way they would fit, so Handley-Page designed the wings to fold back, thus two aircraft per side could be fitted, making storage for maybe four 0/400's.

Inside.

Back to this picture and it shows maintenance on the Atlas, a form of two lifting jacks and a cross member. To lift the plane off the ground. The rear has been placed on a trestle stand.

The walking group having the HP shed explained to them.