Belfast Truss Hangers

Duxford

…typical of Duxford ain’t it! The money they rake in, and the money they spend – it’s annoying!! They’ve been offered a period hangar with a genuine provenance, and they turn it down! What’s the matter with them? Not enough shiny metal, or ‘sorry mate – not futuristic enough’ (Wa****s).

There’s 2 genuine RFC & 1 genuine RNAS airfields left in the UK from the 1stww period that are literally complete, and are just rotting away – what the hell is wrong with this country?

These are ideal for preservation/conservation, and would make fantastic additions to the musem listings such as duxford, chiltern open air museum, etc. They are quite a few 2nd ww airfield museums, etc, but absolutely nought for the 1stww!! :confused:

tim

If memory serves me right, but doesn’t Henlow have Belfast truss hangars?
Or am I loosing the plot???

My wife did her dissertation on Belfast truss hangars for her building surveyors degree and we had a good look around Bracebridge Heath, especially the rare if not unique triple span element.
I can assure you DX were offered the necessary original materials, FREE OF CHARGE, particularly from Bracebridge Heath in order for them to re-build a hangar on the site of the single span base………………………………..
they were not remotely interested!!!!
Too much aggro they said!!!

Don’t forget also that apart from the main hangars that were constructed using wooden supports and are a smaller span than say the DX ones, they also had the small single truss hangar that was connected to the old Grahaeme White hangar that was moved a few years ago.

Bomberboy

I understand that No.3 hangar at Hooton has all but collapsed, and the others are in a pretty poor state now.

There is a rather decrepid example out towards Thetford which would look lovely at Duxford .

That will be the Roudham example near East Harling.

Spot on Andy. Known as RFC Bramham Moor / RAF Tadcaster. There is a super booklet in the Airfield Focus series that provides an in depth history of the site.

Apparently quite a large airfield in its day – not very flat though! I see the hangar nearly every day but have never seen pictures of the inside – many thanks Consul!

……….wessex,

that’s probably why it’s not recognised as a belfast hgr then – too much modernisation of it, and the fact that it was so severly damaged thereby reducing it to a 1/3rd of it’s size!

tim

GWRCO

I have to disagree, the Belfast Truss system may now be hidden from view, but it still exists. The ‘Dept of Environment & Heritage’ would certainly disagree with your assertion, as they scheduled the building because of the Belfast Truss System.

belfast hgr at aldergrove

……….wessex,

that’s probably why it’s not recognised as a belfast hgr then – too much modernisation of it, and the fact that it was so severly damaged thereby reducing it to a 1/3rd of it’s size!

tim

Spot on Andy. Known as RFC Bramham Moor / RAF Tadcaster. There is a super booklet in the Airfield Focus series that provides an in depth history of the site.

found this link quite useful for identification of types..

http://www.defence-estates.mod.uk/publications/technical_bulletins/2002/tb_02-02.pdf

Is it the one that is just off the A1/A64 junction near Tadcaster yorkshire?

Haven’t got a clue – but that is a Sampo combine at the far end, used for trials and research in agricultural crops!

It was a WW1 airfield and the surviving hangar does indeed these days sit within a farm which forms part of an agricultural station run by a University.

🙁
……..there are no belfast truss hangars in existence anymore at raf aldergrove. However, the former guardroom (now occupied by P & SS Northern Ireland) is one of two still remaining and original 1stww period buildings on the station.
The former 72 sqn hangar (opposite the former guardroom) is of 1stww period, but is not a belfast hangar!

tim

p.s. was stationed at aldergrove 1992 to 1995

Sorry to contradict you on this one, but the old 72 Sqn Hangar (No 6 Hangar), does have a Belfast Truss type roof structure, if memory serves me correctly it is the largest surviving single span. The building was constructed for the Belfast shipbuilders Harland & Wolff, the buildings purpose being to provide covered space for the assembly of Handley-Page V1500 four engined bombers, the attached pictures show the complete hangar in its 1918 condition and a close-up of a V1500 in front of open Hangar doors.

The hangar was severally damaged during a storm in the mid 1920’s; consequently what exists today is only a portion of the original. At some point in the buildings history, it gained a ceiling, hence the Belfast truss system cannot be seen, however it still exists in very good condition.

Calshot?

http://worldwar2airfields.fotopic.net/c1146552.html

Belfast Truss

We did have a couple here at Drem but sadly they were flattened good style and all that remains is the concrete flooring.:mad:

There is a rather decrepid example out towards Thetford which would look lovely at Duxford .

That really would look good at DX, full of the earlier period aircraft for example. Mind you it would fall foul of the IWM’s new policy of erecting (v. expensive) buildings that have to be closed when the wind blows ever so slightly, seeing as it would remain open like the other WW1 vintage hangars! 😀

Here’s one I photographed that still survives and you’ve not mentioned this location in the thread so far – guess where:)

Several of them were destroyed at Bracebridge Heath in 2001 (?). However there is still one which has been reclad (it’s blue). Can anyone confirm what type that is?

re; belfast truss hangars

🙁
……..there are no belfast truss hangars in existence anymore at raf aldergrove. However, the former guardroom (now occupied by P & SS Northern Ireland) is one of two still remaining and original 1stww period buildings on the station.
The former 72 sqn hangar (opposite the former guardroom) is of 1stww period, but is not a belfast hangar!

tim

p.s. was stationed at aldergrove 1992 to 1995