Dispersal types (Merged)

[norwichpaul]

Tam this is a copy of the 6in to the mile location plan of drem showing the additional runways on a separate site. On the actual plan it shows four blister hangers dispersed around these on what appear to be two additional runways.

[REF]

Just flicking through a Ken Delve book and it gives a mention of a "Clock Type" dispersal, what is one of these? Is it another way of describing the "Frying Pan" dispersal?

[norwichpaul]

Never heard of it, nothing in the official documents that I have found.

[PNK]

It's also in the Hollis/Willis book. That doesn't help either but it suggests a perpetuated whotsit! (I was going to say error but it may be a valid transcription).
Newmarket ended the war with speactacle/diamond/loop (delete as applicable) hardstands. Were there any prior to this that might have been called "Clock"? Clock doesn't seem to fit with the spectacle type so was it a local name for some other type?

As the source was probably Air 10/4038 or Air 20/7585-6 (not sure what earlier ones were) could it be in one of those provided the description?

Peter

[norwichpaul]

Spectical / loop in USAAF European Theatre of Operations US Army (ETOUSA) parlance and it is they who designed it.

[REF]

Interestingly, also in the same Ken Delve book, he mentions East Wretham as having 24 "Mcadam Type" dispersals and 12 "Punched Planking Type" dispersals - Has anyone heard of these as well?

[CDP]

the "Punched Planking" might be alluding to PSP Richard.

Chris

[Carnaby]

Peter said:

As the source was probably Air 10/4038...

I have found 4038 to contain some very dubious information. For example under lighting we have such gems as:

Kirmington - Cranwell Electric Flarepath (actually Drem Mk.2)
Cranwell North - Flarepath (definitely not a Drem variant)
Cranwell South- Barkston (??)
Chipping Warden - Bomber Command (actually Drem Mk.2)
Dunino - Pillar Lights (??)
Halfpenny Green - Minimum Standard Operational (Drem Mk.2)
Hurn - Planet Lights (??)
New Zealand Farm - Double FP and parent planet (??)
Sibson - Held at Newton (not much use then !)
Worcester - Elementary (need to ask Sherlock I guess)

There are quite a lot of other entries which make little sense.

[PNK]

I suppose it depends on how 4038 (or whatever the original was called) was compiled. If it was filled in locally then they may have used the description in use at that location, official or not. It certainly happens today in the company I work for where the same thing is referred to by different names.
I have very limited experience of official records and 4038 will be one of the first I intend to look at. Whatever it says it needs to be related to other evidence and in the case of clock hardstands a decent aerial photo will confirm the reality.

Peter

[Carnaby]

If it was filled in locally then they may have used the description in use at that location, official or not

Yes I agree with this. Next time I'm at TNA I'll revisit 4038. Just wondering if it's worth photographing the entire document - a bit time consuming, perhaps.