Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 1427648
Hob Uid: 1427648
Location : North Somerset Weston-Super-Mare
Grid Ref : ST3419159482
Summary : A 20th century helicopter test site is visible as structures on aerial photographs. The Helicopter test site is located within the former Oldmixon shadow factory at the former RAF Weston super Mare airfield. The site consists of two helicopter test rigs and a rotor test tower. These were first used by the Bristol Aircraft Ltd until it was taken over by Westland Helicopters in 1960. One of the test rigs and the rotor test tower remained extant on aerial photographs taken in 1969. The test rig was subsequently demolished and replaced by another by 1989. Only the rotor test tower remains extant now within the modern industrial unit, Weston Euro Park.
More information : Type 22 pillbox. Weston-super-Mare airport. (1) The pillbox (referred to by the above authority) (1) has been mapped as part of the Mendip AONB NMP aerial survey and is in fact a rotor test tower designed and built by Bristol Aircraft Ltd to test helicopter rotor blades but has been mistaken for a hexagonal Type 22 pillbox. There is no Second World War pillbox on or near the site before 1960. The test tower appears to no longer be in use by 1989 but remains extant now within the modern industrial unit Weston Euro Park. Two other 20th century helicopter test structures are visible on aerial photographs within the Helicopter test site, which is located within the former Oldmixon shadow factory at the former RAF Weston super Mare airfield. The site consists of two helicopter test rigs and the rotor test tower described above. These were first built and used by the Bristol Aircraft Ltd until it was taken over by Westland Helicopters in 1960. The test rig located at ST 3411 5948 remained extant on aerial photographs taken in 1969 but was subsequently demolished and replaced by another by 1989. The other rig centred at ST 3428 5949 was removed by 1989. (1-5)

Sources :

Source Number : 1
Source :
Source details : The two databases developed by the Project can be searched on-line through the Archaeology Data Service at http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/specColl/dob/index.cfm
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Source Number : 2
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Source details : NMR RAF/58/3905 (F42) 0196-0197 02-NOV-1960
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : OS/89071 330-331 08-APR-1989
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : RAF/3G/TUD/UK/15/21 5253-5254 13-JAN-1946
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Source Number : 5
Source :
Source details : Smith, A.M (ed.) (1957) Bristol 192 Test Rig. vol 72,No 2552.
Page(s) : 942
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Vol(s) : 72

Monument Types:

Monument Period Name : 20th Century
Display Date : 20th Century
Monument End Date : 2000
Monument Start Date : 1901
Monument Type : Pillbox (Type FW3/22), Helicopter Test Site, Helicopter Test Rig, Rotor Test Tower
Evidence : Structure, Destroyed Monument

Components and Objects:

Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : DoB Anti Invasion Database UID
External Cross Reference Number : S0013527
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (North Somerset)
External Cross Reference Number : 41231
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (North Somerset)
External Cross Reference Number : 41060
External Cross Reference Notes :

External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : ST 35 NW 70
External Cross Reference Notes :

Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : MEASURED SURVEY
Start Date : 1995-04-01
End Date : 2002-03-01

Associated Activities :
Activity type : AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH INTERPRETATION
Start Date : 2006-02-01
End Date : 2009-05-01

Historic England Research Records

Monument Number 1427648