Former RAF aircraft dispersal area - design suggests Cold War

 closed / former military, historical layer / disappeared object

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The three-runway layout of the airfield suggests it was there much earlier than the Cold War, - probably of WW2 vintage, when tailwheel aircraft needed runways better aligned to the wind. Later, heavier, nose-wheel-equipped aircraft are better able to cope with crosswinds and a single runway became the norm after the 1950's. The evidence of numerous dispersed concrete aircraft stands and a weapons storage area suggests that this was intended as a dispersal base for bomber aircraft, and only used for occasional exercises. Bomber aircraft dispersed here from their main bases brought their weapons with them, so elaborate weapons storage facilities were not required. Dispersal policy was that only a few aircraft were dispersed to any single location, so an enemy attack on the base was not able to destroy more that the few bombers dispersed there. Probably no more than two bombers at any one time.