RNAS Lee - The Airfield Research Group

Office and workshop facilities are located on the side elevations. These were in the form of
single-storey annexes either side with a two-storey centre section on the airfield elevation - but
this was omitted here. Rooms included separate crew and locker rooms, ground equipment
stores, flight equipment stores, heating chamber and gun cleaning room.
This hangar was seriously damaged during the raid on 16 August 1940, with the result that the
complete roof had to be replaced.
The door gantries have now been removed.
� NGR: SU 5583 0140 (68)
4. 4.17 4.
Inflammable Inflammable Inflammable Store Store (70)
(70)
Details unknown, but as construction is similar to buildings 60 and 94, this could have been used
during WWII as an air-raid shelter. It is located on the western side of the main stores (71).
� NGR: SU 5590 0135 (70)
4. 4.18 4.
Main Main Stores Stores (MASIB MASIB MASIB) MASIB (71)
Located facing Implacable Road, this is an example of the smaller, single squadron version of a
typical 1920s RAF main stores. It was designed for the storage of both technical and nontechnical
equipment with sections dedicated to engine and airframe components. Non-technical
stores included barrack type stores such as clothing.
Built of 9in brick in 19-bays with internal piers supporting steel trusses, the building was originally
clad with slate.
After 1943 it was extended with the addition of a Romney type hut. Romney huts were designed
by the Directorate of Fortifications and Works as a storage hut, but were also used on RNAS
stations as cinemas (including the one at Lee). They are semi-circular in-section and are built of
2.5in. tubular steel ribs curved to a radius of 17ft-6in, spaced at 8ft centres and clad with
corrugated iron. Huts were normally 12-bays long, but in this case the length is 64ft (8-bays).
The main stores at Lee-on-Solent is the only single squadron version that survives today. Larger
examples can be seen at Bicester, Hendon and Upper Heyford.
� NGR: SU 5593 0133 (71)
4. 4.19 4.
Type Type Type ‘C’ ‘C’ Aeroplane Aeroplane Shed Shed 2029/34 2029/34 (Dunning (Dunning Hangar) Hangar) (73) (73)
(73)
Leading up to the planning stage of the first scheme of RAF expansion in 1934, when numerous
new stations of permanent construction were being planned, it had been identified that a new
standard RAF hangar for housing larger types of heavy bomber aircraft would be required. After
initial investigations with a prototype type ‘B’ aeroplane shed at Martlesham Heath, it was
estimated that the new shed would require a clear span of 150ft, a clear length of 300ft and a
clear height of 35ft. These dimensions allowed new specifications to be issued to aircraft
manufacturers to design heavy bomber aircraft with wing spans greater than 100ft. The hangar
design chosen to meet these requirements became known as the Type ‘C’ aircraft shed. The
first two of this type were erected at Gosport and Northolt, and after many improvements, these
became the standard RAF hangar of the inter-war period.
Sheds of this type were erected on nearly all of the early Expansion Period aerodromes. It was
common practice to erect either four or five hangars at new bomber stations, typically, fighter
stations had up to three sheds. A maximum of three were built on existing stations to supplement
unsatisfactory aeroplane sheds. A total of 146 type ‘C’ aircraft sheds were built in Britain at 72
sites; of these 73 were of the later austerity type. Nine sheds similar to that at Lee-on-Solent
have been demolished and ten of the later type have been removed.
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