Skyways

In August 1946, the Dunsfold Aerodrome was leased to air charter company Skyways Ltd, who used it as their main operating base. By 1947, Skyways was reported to be the largest air charter company in Europe. It employed “1,300 staff at Dunsfold”, mostly involved in maintaining the aircraft. “A large proportion” were accommodated on the aerodrome which operated 24 hours a day. In addition, there were about 350 aircrew. Its principal contract work was to transport oil company staff to and from Basra. A trip to Basra and back then took about 35 flying hours over four days.

Avro York Sky Courier at Dunsfold
Avro Lancastrian Sky Lane at Skyways operations at Dunsfold
Avro Lancastrian similar to those employed by Skyways. Photo from kitchener.lord
Continue reading

Visits: 1006

How can you help?

Dunsfold Airfield History Society is keen to encourage you to help us preserve the valuable and unique heritage that is Dunsfold Airfield.

How can you help?

You can do so in a number of ways:

  1. You can become a free member of the Society by subscribing to this website with a simple email registration.
  2. You can add to the information on this website, via the comments sections, the forum, or by contacting us directly.
  3. You can support our recent submission for the Aerodrome to be designated a Conservation Area.  Conservation Area status is a vital step to protecting the buildings and structures from further decay.

Visits: 19

Type T2 Hangars

T2 “Black” Hangars 1980s

By 1940 with the rapidly increasing development of large-span bomber aircraft, it became obvious that the pre-war standard RAF transportable hangar known as the Bellman Shed was rapidly becoming obsolete. As a result, the Air Ministry in collaboration with Teesside Bridge & Engineering Ltd, developed a series of end-opening hangars known as Type ‘T’. The first design was the T2 and like the others in this family it is built of a series of standard steel-fabricated lattice wall and roof units of welded-and-bolted construction. The complete framework is clad with galvanised corrugated iron, 22-gauge for the roof and 24-gauge for the walls. T2 were designed by the architect AE Cotton.

General Eisenhower addressing Airmen of 320 Squadron in 1944 in the T2 Hangar at Dunsfold

Additional knee bracing and wind loading braces appear to be contemporary modification using T2 components. The doors have six leaves either side that open the full width.

T2 Hangar with Skyways operations 1948
Folland Gnat in T2 Hangar Dunsfold possibly around 1967
T2 Hangar 2016
Top Gear Studio 2016

There are two T2 Hangars on the Dunsfold site.  The western end of the westernmost “black hangar” (that is actually green) is the current venue for the BBC Top Gear studio.

T2 Hangar 2016
T2 Hangar 2016
T2 Hangar 2016
T2 Hangar 2016

Please note: The aerodrome is private land and an active airfield. Access is not permitted to some of the buildings and features and we strongly discourage access without permission.

Visits: 1649

Engine running pens – Listed Grade II

Three pens were arranged in a curve. One has been completely removed. Of the two remaining; the unique example survives that was used to test all ‘jump jets’ or VTOL. The VTOL pen is lined with metal sheeting and sound absorption. Historical significance is for the development of the ‘jump jet’, P1127 through to the Harrier.

In 2022 aerial views you can see the remaining two pens plus the site of the third to the West.

Three engine running or detuning pens were originally built in the early 1950’s to test the aircraft engines for the Hunter prior to delivery. By 1960 the Eastern-most of the three pens was modified specifically for engine testing of the P.1127 and later the Harrier. This pen was modified and excavated to form a void which was fitted with a blast grid to diffuse vertical thrust. At the rear of the pen, a new diffuser was fitted to contain thrust when the engines were vectored to the rear. At the same time, a second control room was added and the inside of the pen was fitted out with metal covered insulation. A double-depth metal sliding door was also installed at the entrance so that when closed, noise and debris were suppressed.

As CTP Bill Bedford recounted, in 1960 when undertaking the first testing of the engine for the prototype P.1127 there was an engine fire. The “elephant ears” noise baffles either side of the aircraft had to be rapidly moved out of the way to allow fire crew to access the exhaust to dowse the fire.

The first P.1127, XP831, in the ground running pen at Dunsfold with Rolls-Royce representative John Vowles in the cockpit.  Photo courtesy BAE Systems via Brooklands Museum
Continue reading

Visits: 450

Compass Swing Base

Circular concrete platform marked out in degree divisions accurately aligned with local magnetic north. The aircraft is placed on the pad in a series of angular positions and the reading of the aircraft’s magnetic compass is compared with the true heading on the pad. The aircraft system is then adjusted to match and any unresolvable residual errors are recorded. This process is called ‘swinging the compass’. A magnetic compass on an aircraft is influenced by the magnetic materials and components in the aircraft. Nearly all airfield had such bases, but they are now rare due to commercial pressures for space.

Compass swing base



Please note: The aerodrome is private land and an active airfield. Access is not permitted to some of the buildings and features and we strongly discourage access without permission.

Visits: 719

VTO grids – Listed Grade II

The main runway has the unique Vertical Take Off Grids (VTO Grids or Hover Grids) – used for the tethering of jump jets such as the Harrier whilst hovering. These are located on aprons that adjacent the main runway and are within the Operational Readiness Platform [ORP].  Beneath these gratings is a large void chamber to take the hot air, condensation and gases from the downdraft of the jet engines of the aircraft. Within the eastern Engine Testing Pen there is a similar arrangement that is a unique feature to Dunsfold.

Winter 1961. Early tethered trials on VTO grids. Photo: BAe
Winter 1961. Early tethered trials on VTO grids. Photo: BAe
Continue reading

Visits: 485

Bomb Stores Site

Dunsfold Bomb Stores Plan

The Bomb Stores Site has two access roads with seven concrete hard standings in between and earth banks separating each hard standings or bays. These bays were used to store the bombs which were placed on wooden frames. The earth banks that separated each bay gave a degree of isolation should there be an accident and these are still visible. Continue reading

Visits: 354

Navigation