The current Beagle 218/242 thread makes reference to the above and rather than hijack that thread I thought I would start a new one.
I see this dome most days and have often wondered what it was/is used for and an internet search dosent reveal anything- can anyone enlighten me.
Thanks
Mark
By: REF - 7th June 2009 at 09:39
would like to see some photos too, when I asked when I was down the in January I was told that it isn’t possibly due to heallth and safety and I would need a public liability insurance!!!!!
By: dailee1 - 7th June 2009 at 03:56
New life for old buildings
the local ATC using for band practice many years ago
1440 Squadron ATC were most certainly using the Dome for their Parades in Summer 1955 when I visited them as a potential new member of the Squadron. Later on the dome was used as the offices for the Electronics Division of
FG Miles Ltd,(“MED”) which became Miles Electronics Ltd. One of the sheds adjacent to the dome housed Aviation Developments, a sub contract drawing Office. When the M.o.D.awarded MED the contract for the Sea Vixen FAW1 simulator, and a high security fence was erected around the design Offices with a continually manned single access point, MED upped sticks into the security compound, and the dome returned to its fallback status as storage space
By: MSW - 5th June 2009 at 12:16
Its a bit grey and overcast here today so the next nice day I will go up with my camera and gets some pictures for you.
Will be in touch.
Mark
By: pagen01 - 5th June 2009 at 12:08
If you can get pics Mark, that would be great.
Accoustically I would have thought it was awful for a band! They are very odd when you go inside them!
By: MSW - 5th June 2009 at 12:07
Thanks Pagen, I did find a reference to the local ATC using for band practice many years ago but it does sound as though the fire damaged it beyond repair and it is now just an interesting landmark beside the A27.
Mark
By: pagen01 - 5th June 2009 at 11:59
It’s a 73/42 (Air Ministry) Ground to Air Gunnery trainer, these were built during the war.
The construction was concrete skiming over a complicated brick type work. Wooden battens on this held an inner surface (plasterboard like) to it.
Inside was a projection system, mounted just above the entrance way, for displaying an aircraft target against the domes interior, with a dummy gun system mounted in the middle of the floor at ground level. There were sound effects.
There was a quilted ‘soft’ dividing wall made from some sort of insulating material, and across this, above the entrance, cloak room, and plant room was a series of round discs, these were part of the fresh air system.
If you look at the entrance way from outside the dome, the cloakroom was on the left, and the plant room on the righ.
Had a look inside Pembreys’ the other day, and that is still vert intact internally.
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June 5, 2009 at 11:34 am