Old Sarum

[norwichpaul]

A few pics of Old Sarum

[Richard Drew]

Saturday I spent a pleasant afternoon with my new camera (its one of those complicated types, I will need time to understand even the AUTO mode) and covered five airfields but passed by eight.

Old Sarum airfield


Belfast Truss Hangar


Inside


Disturbing new's is this the first set of double Belfast Truss hangars to go?????????

[norwichpaul]

I like the atmospheric pics of Old Sarum

[TenTonTone]

Memories of Old Sarum! I got there in July 1969 & I lived in Heliopolis Block, in a big barrack-room partially occupied by RAF supply guys, & shared with some of the Navy boys who looked after an ancient Whirlwind & one Gunner Wakefield, who had most of a motorbike in a suitcase under his bed. Big grass airfield, which I quartered on my bike one Sunday, looking for mushrooms. Found some on the sports field behind the blocks. Units present were AATDC, JATE, JWE & 667 Sqn AAC, who flew Beavers. It was a sort of alphabet soup. NATO visitors to JWE wore some flamboyant kit, so at first we saluted it to be on the safe side, only to find we'd slung one up to a Greek Navy Warrant Officer, or some such. After that we kept our berets off near JWE HQ & didn't salute anybody. I remember seeing a Herc do an ULLA drop over the airfield, which went perfectly, & was quite impressive, with the aircraft at zero ft. ULLA didn't work where the ground was anything but flat, & was unwise anywhere near a forward battle area where the aircraft was at risk. AATDC used to send Hippo & drag combinations loaded with a couple of Land-Rovers on air drop pallets up to Lyneham, then have them slung out over Salisbury Plain. The wreckage was then brought back to Old Sarum for assessment. They don't make stations like that any more!

[Richard Drew]

We used to drive by Old Sarum on the A345 nearly every Saturday shopping. It was always busy in the late 50's, 60's and then gradually declined. I am sure the gliders used a Bessonneau hangar. Because it was active & I was too young to look around I really missed those years of late activity.

[Richard Drew]

After a visit on Sunday 16th October.

oldsarum[1].jpg The RAF had their own arborist's and planted thousands of trees around their camps.
oldsarum[2].jpg The first hangar in, more later.
oldsarum[3].jpgThese two are the only aircraft related hangars left and one quarter is now a bus garage.
oldsarum[4].jpgThe Belfast Truss roof. The end wind struts are complete tree trunks.
oldsarum[5].jpgA closer look at the roof.

[Richard Drew]

oldsarum[6].jpgThe centre brick supports.

oldsarum[7].jpgPieces of the cladding are now falling off and not being repaired.

oldsarum[10].jpg The centre repair shed.

oldsarum[11].jpgThe next two photos are the western hangar and this is in the hands of the receiver and due to be demolished.

Well do some members of AIX want a project, because this is certainly one!!

oldsarum[12].jpg I did a photo merge of four pictures of the north side of this hangar.

[Richard Drew]

oldsarum[13].JPGThis looks like an oil store?? Note the original ladder still in place.



oldsarum[9].jpgInside there are wooden shuttered windows a twin level concrete floor
and a very interesting hole in the roof.


oldsarum[8].jpgThe roof hole. What could this be???

Richard

www.atlantikwall.co.uk

http://wwwatlantikwallcouk..........com/

[PNK]

I think the last building is the camera obscura building, the hole in the roof is a giveaway. My knowledge of buildings is not great so no doubt someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[norwichpaul]

Correct PNK