Hangar 1 at former RAF West Raynham

Hangar 1 at the former RAF West Raynham is a Type-C Aircraft Hangar with annexes, constructed between 1936 and 1939 to Air Ministry drawings 5053/36 and 5054/36.

The building is principally constructed of 14-inch reinforced concrete walls with a steel roof structure covered in asbestos slates. The plan comprises a long hangar with the side elevation facing the flying field, full-height steel doors at each end running to external gantries, and annexes on both long sides. On the flying field side, the annexes were designed for squadron offices; on the opposite side, they housed workshops and stores.

The roof is concealed behind a parapet with a later metal balustrade, comprising a series of transverse ridges with hipped ends covered in asbestos cement slates. The long side walls are built of plain concrete with a slightly bush-hammered surface. At mid-height are 10 large window openings separated by concrete piers, with late 20th-century glazing replacing the original Crittal multi-pane casements. One bay at each end, brought forward slightly in a Moderne manner with a higher parapet, features a tall single light with horizontal bars centred to the bay. A large painted number 1 marks the parapet level centrally on the side facing the flying field.

The end elevations have six full-height and full-width steel doors with replacement glazing at the top, positioned under a deep projecting rail carrying the rolling headgear. Beyond each opening, a light steel lattice beam projects outward, supported by light steel strutted supports with ground-stops for the doors. Above the doors, contained by wing walls of the first bays, is a deep apron with hanging asbestos-cement slates.

The south-east corner facing the flying field bears scars from enemy attacks during the Second World War, with patch-repaired holes visible in both the concrete and the steel gantry stanchion. The annexes on the long side elevations have steel casement windows. The southern office annex has a replacement pitched roof covered in corrugated metal. Six bays on the south side have had the upper parts of their walling rebuilt in brick in the mid-20th century. Entranceways through the north and south annexes have been infilled to create small doorways. Hangar 1 is the only hangar at West Raynham not to have had extensions to its annexes.

The principal interior space is twelve bays long with no structural subdivisions. A complex lattice of roof girders is clearly visible, with roofing boards above it. Four gantry cranes with surviving mechanisms are located at bays 2, 6, 7, and 11, capable of carrying either 1.5 or 6 tons as indicated by surviving signage. The steel structure supporting the roof is buried in the reinforced concrete walls except for additional structural support in each end bay. The floor is formed of plain concrete.

Access to the annexes is gained through multiple doorways on the north and south sides. Centrally on each side are massive metal fire doors which originally led directly outside and now lead to enclosed spaces.

The northern annexes originally housed workshops, stores, and storage tanks. They have undergone various uses since but retain much of their original layout, heavy metal doors, radiators, and windows. The southern annexes, facing the flying field, were originally intended for squadron offices. The floors have been recovered. Some historic partition walls survive along with retained doors, windows, tiled cills, and original radiators. At the eastern end of the office annex, a small area of board on the wall shows a painted record of the serial numbers of various Westland Lysanders that formed part of No 2 Group Target Towing Flight.