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.
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.
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.
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.
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3 x Type A1 Hangars – large end opening aircraft repair hangars which were erected on ‘Base’ type operational bomber stations and aircraft factory airfields. Here stand three Type A1 hangars erected side by side. They were relocated from their original WWII site to meet the needs of Hawker Siddeley Ltd in 1953. The type A1 hangars were designed by T Bedford Consulting Engineers, a manufacture funded by the Ministry of Aircrafts Production.
