With reference to post #29, and the subsequent posts that refer. I found this on pprune (photobucket pics not working:rolleyes:) as a result of bearoutwest’s post.
https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/print-332082-silhouette-challenge-4.html
“During the Spanish Civil War Fokker supplied (secretly) the Republicans with support in the form of ,apparently, 25 fuselages and 50 wing sets for their D XXI fighter.
Before these could be produced as full airframes however, the victorious fascist forces over ran the assembly plant.
In later building the Hispano HS-42 trainer, advantage was taken of this and many components of the Dutch fighter were used in its construction. So there we have a bit of technical and political history rolled together, resulting in this Iberian oddity.”
The HS43 with the fully forward undercarriage without fairings. Now imagine it with fairings on.
A Flight article states that Roe actually purchased 3 of the hangars at Alexandra Park. Clearly the single hangar, D, in the images so far is identical to those at Alexandra Park so it would seem highly likely that that is the case.
The 1938 OS map shows New Hall Farm, now with all the hangars in area D which are referred to as the Flight Hangars. My reference point B right at the end of the track at the entrance to the farm “yard” as shown on previous maps. The hay barn has gone and now we see a building which I have labelled “C”. This building consisted of the “sale” hangar at the south-eastern end and then a series of “sheds”.
NEW HALL FARM 1938 OS XXVIII.NE MU
So the map is 1938 so the “C” buildings were erected some time between 1932 and 1938.
These buildings appear in a photograph IWM APT 16382B of the Tudor IV taken in November 1947.
IWM APT 16382B WOODFORD NOV 47 MU
I have labelled some paintwork as “camouflage” however, with second thoughts perhaps dark distinctive paintwork would have been better.
The Athenas in the next picture date it circa 1948-50 and in the background is the “sale” hangar together with the other sheds.
AVRO 701 ATHENA WOODFORD C1948-50 MU
Note that there is no sign writing on the “sale” hangars.
What I find strange about the sign writing is that it is not in any recognisable “Avro” format.
Take a look on this site of a picture taken in 1996 where the writing looks fairly new. Read the un-referenced text. Is this how legends are born?
http://www.edendale.co.uk/ANW/WFD.G2.5.html
And here http://www.ipernity.com/doc/302581/37892804
My conclusions are “let the buyer beware”.
I have found no evidence that the “sale” hangar was at Alexandra Park.
The “sale” hanger did not appear on site until some time between 1932 and 1938 so at least 8 years after Avro set up shop here.
The “sale” hanger together with the other sheds, originally with it, look more like stores or workshops or possible connected with a flying club. The Lancashire Aero Club’s website claims that it had to move out of Woodford at the start of WWII so would have been on site when the “sale” hangar and other sheds were erected.
This from the Avro Heritage Museum website. ” The Lancashire Aero Club also used the aerodrome briefly in the 1920s until moving to the new Barton Aerodrome and used a converted farm building as a club house and a “Dutch barn” style steel-framed hangar built for A V Roe around 1927.”
http://avroheritagemuseum.co.uk/avro-heritage/sites/woodford/
With the requirement for the airfield at Alexandra Park to be closed and the buildings to be removed, Avro sought a new location for an airfield and bought New Hall Farm in 1924.
The farm looked like this in 1907.
NEW HALL FARM 1907 OS XXVIII.NE. MU
Image via National Library of Scotland.
Note the existing farm building A and the location point B.
I understand that the first hangers were Bessonneau hangars, does the following image taken in 1925 show such a hangar?
WOODFORD SEP 1925 INAUGURATION LAC
Yes indeed the Britain from Above does have many good views of Woodford with the latest pictures dated 1932.
In this view is a single Belfast hangar did this come from Alexandra Park?
However, the hangar for sale was not built in 1932 and does therefore not appear in any pictures of that date.
What has been mistaken for the hangars is in fact a wall-less barn! as seen below top left of picture.
first air pageant woodford SEP 1926
In the following picture taken in 1932 the barn is labelled and the location for the sale hangars is empty.
Starting with Alexandra Park airfield. This airfield was not actually in the park of that name but located a little to the south in Hough End fields. The hangars and buildings were located in the area which carries the label “The Hough End Centre”. Note on the present map the distinctive nature of the “Southern Cemetery” to the south of the airfield.
ALEXANDRA PARK AIRFIELD LOCATION 2018
Image Google maps.
From Britain from Above EPW017389 (part of) dated 1927.
ALEXANDRA PARK AIRFIELD OLD MARK UP
Now taking a closer look at the Belfast Truss hangars at Alaxandra Park.
In these and other pictures there is no sign of the “Avro Hangers”. By 1930 all airfield buildings had been cleared and and the site used for the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Show.
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