Hello,
Sorry to bother you, but I’m a volunteer with the Classic Air Force at Newquay a charity based organization dedicated to the restoration, preservation and flying of 1950s and 60s British aircraft. We are currently situated in Hangar 404 which we believe is one if not the biggest building in the county.
We would love to carry an informative display as to the construction of this cantilever structure and so far have drawn a blank with every organisation we have asked for assistance. The RAF Museum at Hendon have nothing at all on the building and we have really reached a blank as to built it and details in its construction.
Does anyone know who we could contact in our quest for information on this cantilever building?
We look forward to your replies (written in the OC HMF’s office on the first floor!)
Best wishes,
Martin Pengelly
Volunteer – Classic Air Force Newquay
http://www.classicairforce.com
By: daveg4otu - 6th August 2013 at 17:27
Have you tried asking on the Airfield Information Exchange forum – the foremost organisation with regard to history of airfields, hangars and other airfield buildings….
http://www.airfieldinformationexchange.org/community/forum.php
By: Lazy8 - 6th August 2013 at 16:07
When it was built in 1953-4, I’m sure the BOAC Maintenance Hangar at Heathrow (now BA’s TBA) was the largest concrete cantilever structure in the country, if not in Europe. When I worked there I distinctly remember my brother (who is an architect) producing a contemporary copy of the Architect’s Journal describing it’s construction in great detail. If your hangar is a similar sort of structure it may well be it had a similar article written about it. Looks like their online index is incomplete and doesn’t even claim to go back beyond 1997, but it may be worth talking to them:
http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/
or to the RIBA themselves:
http://www.architecture.com/Home.aspx
By: charliehunt - 6th August 2013 at 15:09
I am sure they will and sooner or later a knowledgeable member will pop up on here with information of some sort. Key seldom fails its members!!:)
By: T6flyer - 6th August 2013 at 15:06
And they seem to say that they have failed to find out more but do refer to a similar construction elsewhere – in Ireland, wasn’t it? Perhaps they might have more information. The records of the local authority might shed some light I suppose or old WD records, wherever they might be. Good luck!!
I’ve written to Cornwall Council today and also asked the Defence Infrastructure Organisation too, so hopefully someone somewhere will know more about this building.
Thanks again,
Martin
By: charliehunt - 6th August 2013 at 15:02
And they seem to say that they have failed to find out more but do refer to a similar construction elsewhere – in Ireland, wasn’t it? Perhaps they might have more information. The records of the local authority might shed some light I suppose or old WD records, wherever they might be. Good luck!!
By: T6flyer - 6th August 2013 at 14:58
A very quick Google produced this – page 3 of the pdf.
Thanks Charlie, Now why didn’t I do that. Makes very interesting reading, but still doesn’t say who built it? The plot thickens!
Cheers,
Martin
By: charliehunt - 6th August 2013 at 14:48
A very quick Google produced this – page 3 of the pdf.
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August 6, 2013 at 2:43 pm