Do we have, or can we compile, a list of the early-WWII "transitional" airfields, spanning the gap between the last Scheme M airfields and the fully dispersed temporary WWII airfields?
I have a few noted, and they seem to fall into two categories; those that are pretty much a temporary version of the symmetrical concentrated expansion era layout with the living areas immediately adjacent to the technical site (I'll call these Class 1 for now), and those where the admin and accommodation areas start to be more and more dispersed (Class 2 for now).
"Class 1" sites include Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, Pocklington and Polebrook.
"Class 2" sites include Molesworth (SHQ and some living accommodation adjacent to the technical site, but the communal areas are dispersed), Chipping Warden (Symmetrical concentrated tech site with SHQ, dispersed accommodation sites) and Goxhill ("grid-iron" concentrated tech site with SHQ, dispersed accommodation sites).
Often with at least one J-type hangar, most of these sites tend to have temporary versions of expansion era buildings too; large MT yards, TB guardroom at the main entrance before or facing the SHQ, TB scaled-down main workshops and stores, fuel dumps close to the tech site, etc.
Some of the west-coast airfields in Scotland could well be included, i.e. Wigtown and Ayr (Class 2).
Just thinking out aloud, would Llandow (ASU) be considered as a Class 2?
It has expansion era building designs, J/K hangars and SHQ in the tech site but also temporary buildings and dispersed communal sites.
No I don't think so MM, its Scheme M with WWII buildings that were added later. I would also say that Molesworth is Class 1 as it had a J hangar. Class 1a would be hutted compact airfields like Jurby or are these Scheme M? Its a complicated subject what about Middleton St George, it had C, J and T2s, it is a L / M Scheme transition station. Dispersed sites were often added later (Goxhill a Class 1 station ). So we need a set of rules to define each type, but these should be geared towards the time when the original station was planned as it gets complicated once dispersed sites are added. One such rule might be does it have a J type hangar? Or is the ops block located on a dispersed admin site for example.
You can tell a builder from an archaeologist by the size of his trowel. Mine is a small one!
To use some local sites as class examples, albeit all bomber stations with one J-type and two T-2 hangars (and introducing a new class for sites which have the requisite structures, but are well on the way to being a non-symmetrical fully dispersed airfield):
Class 1: Polebrook
Class 2: Molesworth
Class 3: Chelveston
Let's see if we can come up with a basic set of ground rules for these.
All sites will at the bare minimum have been constructed during 1940-early 41, and not be late (L/M) Expansion Scheme sites.
i.e St Eval and Wick don't count as, while they had temporary timber support buildings, they had C Type hangars.
Similarly sites such as N. Luffenham and Oakington with J Type hangars don't count either, as they had permanent support buildings.
The main obvious feature will be one J Type hangar with two or four Type A T-2 hangars close by.
Other regular structures will generally be a 518/40 watch office, 15556/40 ops block, large MT yard, 1940 design bomb dump, etc., as would be expected from sites where construction began in 1940.
Note that all so far identified seem to have been bomber stations, with the exception of Ayr which (if it had a J Type) appears to follow the "Class 3" layout but being a fighter station didn't have the same ops block or bomb dump.
EDIT: I've added "Class 2b" for those special sites that have the symmetrical layout but don't have the minimum J Type + 2 x T-2 hangar arrangement.
Class 1
Hangars: J Type x 1, T-2 type x 2 or x 4
Technical Site: Symmetrical behind hangars, temporary construction
SHQ/Ops: On or adjacent to Technical Site
Accommodation: Adjacent to Technical Site
Communal Facilities: Adjacent to Technical Site
Class 2
Hangars: J Type x 1, T-2 type x 2 or x 4
Technical Site: Symmetrical behind hangars, temporary construction
SHQ/Ops: On or adjacent to Technical Site
Accommodation: Adjacent to Technical Site
Communal Facilities: Dispersed
Examples:
Molesworth
Class 2a
Hangars: J Type x 1, T-2 type x 2 or x 4
Technical Site: Symmetrical behind hangars, temporary construction
SHQ/Ops: On or adjacent to Technical Site
Accommodation: Dispersed
Communal Facilities: Dispersed
Examples:
Chipping Warden
Goxhill
Class 2b
Hangars: Other
Technical Site: Symmetrical behind hangars, temporary construction
SHQ/Ops: On or adjacent to Technical Site
Accommodation: Dispersed
Communal Facilities: Dispersed
Examples:
Wigtown
Class 3
Hangars: J Type x 1, T-2 type x 2 or x 4
Technical Site: Asymmetrical behind hangars, temporary construction
SHQ/Ops: On or adjacent to Technical Site
Accommodation: Dispersed
Communal Facilities: Dispersed
I think your class 3 should be 2c and there should be a class 2d Moreton in Marsh 4 T2 but I have got to check the rest. Just a thought too, Don't rely on the number of T2s as many were added later. See AR article by Denis Corley. Ayr had Bellmans. There are other Bellman stations with 518/40 Ibsley for example and what about CH hangar stations, ones with WO without met section of 1940 East Fortune, Chivenor with Bellmans and Hinaidi and so it goes on.
You can tell a builder from an archaeologist by the size of his trowel. Mine is a small one!
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