Dating developments to the landing area

[PNK]

I have just finished a skim through of "The Archaeology of Airfields" by Bob Clarke - many re-reads to follow. One thing he mentioned was dating of airfield development by the types of hardstands used.
Are there date ranges to each type of hardstand that can be applied? The spectacle or loop is the obvious one for dating an airfield but there are some others like the petal shaped ones that are on the plan of Bramcote.

Is there a reference similar to those on Control Towers and other Buildings as there seem to be an awful lot of types including the pens.

Peter

[norwichpaul]

You cannot necessary date an airfield by its hardstandings alone - an airfield may have several types of hardstandings from different periods. But you can trace the development. If there is one type of hardstanding then yes you can date it. Its good fun to look at an airfield plan and work out when it was built even grass airfields, take a look at the 1945 plan of Bicester and see the very long lengths of dispersal tracks with their hardstandings for example all dating from 1940. Perimiter track, dispersal tracks together with there hardstandings are a good dating method. And what about fighter stations - well their type of hardstanding, and fighter pen are a good indication of its date.