Airfield Bomb Stores - Best remaining layouts

Before they all disappear, I thought that I would post what I consider to be the best surviving layouts of the three types of airfield bomb stores which were used on WW2 military airfields in the UK.

The first layout is the pre-war 'Expansion' pattern with permanent build stores nicely illustrated by the RAF Wick example:



The second is the early wartime Type C layout which had square earth traversed HE bomb stores. I have nicknamed this pattern 'The Knuckleduster' after the loopng road layout. This is the best example at Bodney:



www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.544473&lon=0....&z=17.8&r=0&src="msl"

Thirdly, the most common, the Type D layout whose signature HE Bomb Stores were referred to as 'rolling dumps' This excellent example is at RAF Keevil:



www.flashearth.com/?lat=51.303713&lon=-2...&z=16.5&r=0&src="msl"

In all my studies I have not seen a better preserved example than Wick. I once opined that if Bicester was to be preserved that some of the 'parts' from Wick might be used to make up the discrepancies there.

As you say, Wick still has the gantries, usually one of the first things to disappear into the scrap mans grasp.

Dishforth is also a good example of the pre-war pattern:



West Raynham is another.

Yes, again, these are pre-war layouts and the airfields have remained in service occupation so the buildings are protected from unwanton destruction.

Wyton was a pre-war 'expansion' station and the original closed bomb stores were to AM Drawing 3054/36. Unusually, it had only one group of 6 bomb store buildings instead of two groups.

In 1942 the airfield was redeveloped to Class A Bomber by the construction of paved runways and additional bomb storage to AM Drawing 3164/42 was built adjacent to the existing site.

There is a group of four traversed stores which I think are post war probably to support Canberra operations. They are built 'on top' of one of the 1942 HE Bomb Stores.

Boscombe Down





Middle Wallop




Middle Wallop

www.atlantikwall.co.uk/atlantikwall/awal...op02/html/page01.htm
A full report on the bomb store.

Dale




www.atlantikwall.co.uk/atlantikwall/Wale...le05/html/page04.htm

A slightly different type.

Yes, Boscombe and Middle Wallop, still under continuous occupation. Again, both pre-war layouts, permanent brick and concrete so long lasting.

Last time I was at Topcliffe I was impressed by the dump but demolition is now under way. A comparison between Bing and Google reveals one set of six HE stores has 'recently' gone.

Graham

Anyone have pics of the bomb dump at East Fortune? I understand it's recently been afforested.

Is there a satellite view programme in which East Fortune is not covered in cloud?