Boscombe Down, RAF Odiham and RAF Lasham Airfield Layouts

[LukeFF]

Of all the British airfields I've researched for BoN, these are the two I've struggled with to find good, reliable overhead images of what they looked like during WWII. Concerning Odiham, I have practically nothing to go on, save for one oblique image from the early 1950s. As for Lasham, I have what I think is a diagram of its early 1940s layout, but I would like to be certain.

 

Can anyone help out with what these 2 airfields looked like during the war?

Edited January 12, 2020 by LukeFF

[56RAF_Stickz]

Do not know whether you have seen this site, has photo of lasham in 1942 (obviously a bit early for BoN). But there is alate photo of same field and does not look a lot different generally. Main site also includes Odiham also but no pictures from then.

http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/airfields/las.html

Edited December 14, 2019 by 56RAF_Stickz
extra

[LukeFF]

1 hour ago, 56RAF_Stickz said:

Do not know whether you have seen this site, has photo of lasham in 1942 (obviously a bit early for BoN). But there is alate photo of same field and does not look a lot different generally. Main site also includes Odiham also but no pictures from then.

http://www.hampshireairfields.co.uk/airfields/las.html

 

Yes, I have, and it's a great resource. It looks like the current layout of Odiham hasn't changed much since the 40s, so if nothing else turns up I think we can get it looking reasonably like it did back then. 

[Hoots]

Lasham has a very active gliding club that maintains a museum, it’s of gliding but they may have some old pics of the airfield? Migiht be worth asking. 

 

http://www.glidingheritage.org.uk

[busdriver]

@LukeFF sorry didn't see this sooner...not that this is time sensitive.

 

I have this resource. 

 

 

And this is what it shows for Lasham...

 

 

And Odiham...

 

[LukeFF]

@busdriver, thank you!!! That is very, very helpful. 

[MiloMorai]

Question

 

landing area: concrete and wood chippings

 

I see wood chippings in flower beds and around the trunks of trees. What would their use be in a landing area?

[Dakpilot]

Wood chips as an agregrate in concrete is a thing, apparently with greater strength than straight concrete. 

 

There was also Pycrete, ice and wood chips intended for use in giant aircraft carrier during the war. (never actually used) 

 

I guess it may have been used as a short term measure with easy to procure materials..? 

 

Purely guessing 

 

Cheers, Dakpilot 

[MiloMorai]

On 1/9/2020 at 3:14 AM, Dakpilot said:

Wood chips as an agregrate in concrete is a thing, apparently with greater strength than straight concrete. 

 

So a substitute for crushed stone then. Yes straight concrete is not that strong.

[MiloMorai]

Found out the wood chips were used to break up the shininess of runways under moonlight.

[thrila]

I don't know if you are aware but crecy has a series of books on RAF airfields: Action Stations

 

[LukeFF]

14 minutes ago, thrila said:

I don't know if you are aware but crecy has a series of books on RAF airfields: Action Stations

 

Thanks! Probably a bit out of my price range, but I did pick up a used copy of the book @busdriver quoted above. It's a tremendously helpful resource. ??

 

[Raptorattacker]

@LukeFF 

Is THIS any help?

[DD_Arthur]

Hey thats brilliant Rap.  I now know a lot more about Odiham.

 

During the BoN period it would appear to have been stuffed full of Spitfires, Mustangs, Typhoons, Mosquitos and seventy-six WAAFs

[LukeFF]

6 hours ago, Raptorattacker said:

@LukeFF 

Is THIS any help?

 

That is, thank you very much!

[LukeFF]

Does anyone have any good layout images of what Boscombe Down looked like in late 1944? I have some recon photos of what it looked like in 1940 and one diagram showing the runway that was built some time after that, but more info would be great.

[Raptorattacker]

10 hours ago, DD_Arthur said:

During the BoN period it would appear to have been stuffed full of Spitfires, Mustangs, Typhoons, Mosquitos and seventy-six WAAFs

SEVENTY SIX WAAF's??? The POOR girls, I bet they had a lock on their bedroom door?!!