Combined Control Tower And Operations Block, Twatt Airfield (Former Hms Tern)

1940-41. Combined Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) control tower and operations block, set in open landscape now comprising principal building of Twatt Airfield (former HMS Tern). Rendered brick. 3-storey, rectangular-plan control room and watch office adjoining single-storey operations block to form T-plan.

OPERATIONS BLOCK: single storey, flat-roofed operations block at ground surrounded by outer brick blast-wall and earthwork embankments; blast wall entrance to S corner angle. Main entrance to operations block to centre W elevation; 2 small windows flanking. 2 doorways and 3 windows to S elevation. Stair to SE corner angle rising to roof, parapeted to hold stone chippings; concrete drainage gutter bridging gap between outer blast wall; tall, narrow brick chimney with clay can. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

CONTROL ROOM/WATCH OFFICE: predominantly narrow horizontal openings to control room. External metal stair rising from roof of operations block to cantilevered, shuttered concrete walkway around N, S and E elevations of control tower watch office; large openings flanked by narrower lights to N, S and E elevations of watch office.

INTERIOR (seen 2010): operations block; arrangement of 11 rooms and ground floor of control tower surrounding central operations room. Brick shelves in L-plan arrangement to central room. Square hatch opening rising though floors of control tower to watch room above.