Monument Number 1440792 |
Hob Uid: 1440792 | |
Location : Oxfordshire Cherwell Launton
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Grid Ref : SP5941324338 |
Summary : A defended air raid shelter to the east of the Bicester Gliding Centre hangar, at the former RAF Bicester. It was built in the early stages of the war, possibly 1940-1941. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, brick and earth. This structure was intended to combine the roles of a pillbox and an air raid shelter: designed to give cover to defenders of the airfield against potential ground attack from paratroopers and also to afford protection from straffing and bombing from the air. It is included in one of the 16 Scheduled constraint areas at the former RAF airfield. It forms a pair with another such structure to the north, covering the hangar. The other 3 hangars also have a similar pattern of paired defended air raid shelters. |
More information : A defended air raid shelter at the former RAF Bicester. It was built in the early stages of the war, possibly 1940-1941. It is constructed of reinforced concrete, brick and earth. This structure was intended to combine the roles of a pillbox and an air raid shelter: designed to give cover to defenders of the airfield against potential ground attack from paratroopers and also to afford protection from straffing and bombing from the air. It is included in one of the 16 Scheduled constraint areas at the former RAF airfield: constraint area 5, centred on SP 59413 24338. It forms a pair with another such structure to the north, covering a hangar. The other 3 hangars of the technical site also have a similar pattern of paired defended air raid shelters. (1) |