Culham

[REF]

A brief stop here on the 5th July resulted in me finding these buildings. I think there is a bit more to look at but the majority of the airfield is now a science centre and is off limits.

Pentad hangar


Blister hangar


Not sure


Not a clue


Anyones guess


Enjoy!

[CDP]

Richard, your "not sure" hangar photo looks very much like a Mainhill (or Admiralty 'S') shed which has been modified a little (the doors mainly).

Given that it was called HMS Hornbill, that would fit the bill!

Chris

[Lt Cmdr ( A )]

CDP, correct, it is a Admiralty Type S hangar , also knowns as a Mains Hanagar, had a lot of alertations to it though, lol,

RNAS Culham, as correctly called was named H.M.S. Hornbill, opened 1944 and closed 1953, was a Reciept & Dispatch Unit for |Fleet Air Arm.

Now I believe that it is or certainly recently was being used by Atomic Energy Commission, have no idea for what purpose. Guess that's why a lot of it is " Out of bounds ", lol.

[Stevo]

Hi REF

I think the 'Blister Hangar pic' might actually be a Fromson Massillon Hangar, I'm sure Paul could confirm this as there is a picture of an identical one at Dunino in his book, drawing number 3752/43 built by a Canadian company.

Stevo

[REF]

Thanks for the replies folks, what is the difference between a Fromson Massillon Hangar and a Blister Hangar then? Which ones are at Culham?

[Stevo]

From what I gather or how Paul's book reads, there was 2 Hangars built by Fromson of Byfleet, one for use as storage shed on RNAS stations and the other for storing aircraft with small wingspans, both the same size but having different door openings and sliding steel doors.

I don't know the differences structurally between this and the blister I'll leave that to Paul,

Stevo

[Carnaby]

Lt Cmdr ( A ) said:

Now I believe that it is or certainly recently was being used by Atomic Energy Commission, have no idea for what purpose

The Joint European Torus (JET), located at Culham in Oxfordshire, is the world’s largest fusion research machine
There is a lot of stuff on the web about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JET

[norwichpaul]

The expert on Fromson hangars is Scapa - perhaps he would like to comment? With my limited knowledge of airfield buildings it is the Fromson Massilon hangar that has the small doors and used for storage, while the Fromson has a full width door. A Canadian invention I believe but Scapa has the answers - where is he hiding?

[PETERTHEEATER]

In the Flow?

[norwichpaul]

I thought he was in Surrey?