Manby

[PNK]

Is that about 2,000 practice bombs? Not sure of how many days supply would be required to be held but if loaded at Manby it would be reasonable to use around 50 a day on average.

[PETERTHEEATER]

I have not found a bomb store.

This building is identified in British Airfield Buildings (Vol 2) Page 34 as a Magazine to AM Drawing 4279/37. It may well have been used to store Detonator Bursters for small practice bombs.

http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepat...z=19&oz=9&gt=1

Manby opend in 1938 and was an 'expansion' station and should have had a bomb store to AM Drawing 3054/36 but there are no signs of a store area on satellite imagery or old maps.

This location is unusually close to a hangar for an explosive store. Less than 150 yards!

[jpg1982]

Where would a bomb store normally be located? I believe there was a building approximately 200yards east of the new control tower adjacent to the peri road. If you view an aerial image of the site you will see a 20ft steel shipping container now in its location which is used by the model aeroplane club. There was also a building to the west end of the site between the two dispersal pad locations. On the same site stood an old farm and house before the airfield was built. I will take a photo of the bomb store next week as we are clearing the area ready for it to go up for sale.

[jpg1982]

Does anyone know if the watch tower and the 1967 control tower are likely to be protected. I know many of the other buildings are. I have tried looking on the heritage register but it didnt show anything. I have been told that they are protected though.

[jason]

Peter...That building does look too closely located to the main site to be part of the bomb stores, it could though be a simple Pyro store.

jpg1982...The Bomb Store is normally located away from the main tec site, usually on the other side of the Airfield. Please post up some photos. I'm intrigued as to what, if anything , is left to see.

[PETERTHEEATER]

As I pointed out, Manby was a pre-war station and the prevailing standard of bomb store at that time was like this layout at Hemswell:

http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepat...z=17&oz=3&gt=1

Hemswell was also pre-war 'expansion' station and the original bomb store was to AM Drawing 3054/36 comprising the usual two groups of 6 buildings plus a number of support buildings.

It was usual to locate the BS on the opposite side of the landing ground from the hangars.

There was once a group of three single stores fully earth traversed located here but they may have been post-war additions:

http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepat...z=18&oz=3&gt=1

[jason]

Thanks Peter for the possible locate, those ones at Hemswell will need to be visited. One to do soon.

[WJT]

Manby bomb store - 5 July 1980:


Bomb 1 - Jul 80 AiX.jpgBomb 2 - Jul 80 AiX.jpg

[PETERTHEEATER]

Curses WJT, your thumbnails wont 'open'

That's what I've been looking for HE Bomb Store AM Drawing 3054/36. Looks to be only one even then and the location was....?

[WJT]

Hi PTE: You're right, they won't open. Not sure why, but I'll try a repost tonight.

I seem to remember that the 'bomb dump' had the configuration shown in your drawing extract and was, from memory, just along from the new control tower. I do have a pic or two more of the other bunkers that were in the vicinity of the bomb store. There was only one such storage building but I'm not sure when it was demolished. I think the area of the bomb store is now part of the off-road track.

I did also make some sketches and took some rough measurements - strides anyway - of the area, but they are at home and I won't be able to get at them until the weekend.