Hangar at ST 598 805, Filton Airfield

319/0/10011

FILTON Hangar at ST 598 805, Filton Airfield

01-Dec-05

GV II Aircraft storage shed. Designed 1913, built 1917-18. Timber framework, corrugated iron cladding to roof and walls.

PLAN: an early side-opening shed, with doors under gabled cross range at right angles to main longitudinal ridge. Some later internal subdivision; lean-to range across the rear for offices and stores, and on central projection under swept-down roof.

EXTERIOR: the east elevation has central former main doors, with late C20 flat-roofed extension to centre and to north gable. Workshop annexe to rear (west) with metal casements.

INTERIOR: not inspected. These types of hangars had softwood principal posts and secondary members: fine low-pitched timber trusses with flitched bottom chord and doubled rafters to a series of raking struts, the outer section plated with raking board for shear reinforcement, and a central iron suspension rod.

HISTORY: although probably dating from 1917-18, this comprises a rare surviving example of the earliest standard type of hangar, designed by the Royal Engineers of the War Office's Directorate of Fortifications and Works in 1913 and comprising a side-opening coupled shed with rear workshops.

The Bristol Aeroplane Company, founded by Sir George White, was established in 1910 as one of Britain's first aircraft manufacturers. It also established a series of training schools for civilian and military flyers, the hangars at Larkhill in Wiltshire having survived from this period. By the Second World War the Bristol Company supplied engines for nearly half the world's airlines and more than half the world's air forces, and in the Second World War it provided a third of the RAF's engines.

Sited to the north of Sir George White's aircraft factory of 1910 (converted out of tram manufacturing sheds built in 1908), this part of Filton was developed as an Aircraft Acceptance Park for the reception and final assembly of aircraft from factories and their flight testing, storage and distribution to operational squadrons. The buildings, which survive as the most complete on any of these types of sites in existence (numbering 27) in November 1918, were retained for use by the Bristol Aeroplane Company after the war, and after 1929 became part of an operational fighter base. Following the disbanding of 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron in 1957, the hangars reverted to use by the aircraft factory, now British Aerospace.