Blast Pens @ R.A.F. Kenley
I have only been here the once to RAF Kenley and so not be fooled , there were hardly anybody here when I took the shot . However , within a couple of hours the place was heaving , some to watch the BBMF flypast of The Lancaster , Hurricane and Spitfire . The date is August 18th - The Hardest Day , and some others were here to remember those that served that day at the Memorial that is just off shot to the right ( please see shot in first comment box ) . I was hoping to meet up with my flickr friend Don who was also here , but as it was we missed each other unfortunately, but we must have been in the same area as we both took an almost identical capture of the BBMF as they flew over .
Because of the virus the event was cancelled this year --maybe next year !!
The hardest fought day of the Battle was Sunday 18th August. On this day the Luftwaffe tried its utmost to destroy our fighter airfields flying 850 sorties involving 2200 aircrew. The RAF resisted with equal vigour flying 927 sorties involving 600 aircrew.
Between lunchtime and teatime, three big Luftwaffe raids were attempted. The targets were the airfields at Kenley, Biggin Hill, Gosport, Ford, Thorney Island, Hornchurch and North Weald, and the radar station at Poling. Although the last wave failed to reach its targets, which were obscured by cloud, the fighting was no less fierce along the route.
The RAF and Fleet Air Arm lost altogether 68 aircraft, 31 in air combat. 69 German aircraft were destroyed or damaged beyond repair
A blast pen was a specially constructed E-shaped double bay at British RAF World War 2 fighter stations, being either 150 feet (46 m) or 190 feet (58 m) wide and 80 feet (24 m) front-to-back, accommodating aircraft for safe-keeping against bomb blasts and shrapnel during regular enemy air-attacks.
Although the pens were open to the sky, the projecting sidewalls preserved the aircraft from all lateral damage, with 12-inch (300 mm) thick, 9 feet (2.7 m) high concrete centres, and banked-up earth on either side, forming a roughly triangular section 18 feet (5.5 m) wide at their base. The longer spine section behind the parking areas usually encloses a narrow corridor for aircrew and servicing personnel to employ as an air raid shelter.
Existing examples may still be seen at the present Kenley Aerodrome and at North Weald Airfield, although some pens have had their second bay removed over the years, thus becoming U-shaped rather than E-shaped. There are also a large number at the former RAF Catterick, and some at RAF Wittering. The Imperial War Museum Duxford has one that is accessible to the public. While common on Fighter Command airfields, other RAF Stations such as RAF Benson and RAF Brize Norton did not have any blast pens.
Blast Pens @ R.A.F. Kenley
I have only been here the once to RAF Kenley and so not be fooled , there were hardly anybody here when I took the shot . However , within a couple of hours the place was heaving , some to watch the BBMF flypast of The Lancaster , Hurricane and Spitfire . The date is August 18th - The Hardest Day , and some others were here to remember those that served that day at the Memorial that is just off shot to the right ( please see shot in first comment box ) . I was hoping to meet up with my flickr friend Don who was also here , but as it was we missed each other unfortunately, but we must have been in the same area as we both took an almost identical capture of the BBMF as they flew over .
Because of the virus the event was cancelled this year --maybe next year !!
The hardest fought day of the Battle was Sunday 18th August. On this day the Luftwaffe tried its utmost to destroy our fighter airfields flying 850 sorties involving 2200 aircrew. The RAF resisted with equal vigour flying 927 sorties involving 600 aircrew.
Between lunchtime and teatime, three big Luftwaffe raids were attempted. The targets were the airfields at Kenley, Biggin Hill, Gosport, Ford, Thorney Island, Hornchurch and North Weald, and the radar station at Poling. Although the last wave failed to reach its targets, which were obscured by cloud, the fighting was no less fierce along the route.
The RAF and Fleet Air Arm lost altogether 68 aircraft, 31 in air combat. 69 German aircraft were destroyed or damaged beyond repair
A blast pen was a specially constructed E-shaped double bay at British RAF World War 2 fighter stations, being either 150 feet (46 m) or 190 feet (58 m) wide and 80 feet (24 m) front-to-back, accommodating aircraft for safe-keeping against bomb blasts and shrapnel during regular enemy air-attacks.
Although the pens were open to the sky, the projecting sidewalls preserved the aircraft from all lateral damage, with 12-inch (300 mm) thick, 9 feet (2.7 m) high concrete centres, and banked-up earth on either side, forming a roughly triangular section 18 feet (5.5 m) wide at their base. The longer spine section behind the parking areas usually encloses a narrow corridor for aircrew and servicing personnel to employ as an air raid shelter.
Existing examples may still be seen at the present Kenley Aerodrome and at North Weald Airfield, although some pens have had their second bay removed over the years, thus becoming U-shaped rather than E-shaped. There are also a large number at the former RAF Catterick, and some at RAF Wittering. The Imperial War Museum Duxford has one that is accessible to the public. While common on Fighter Command airfields, other RAF Stations such as RAF Benson and RAF Brize Norton did not have any blast pens.