Cardington Airship Hangers- Bedfordshire UK

CAF UK members took the opportunity to visit the historic Cardington Hangers in Bedfordshire UK.  This word renowned airship heritage hanger is a massive icon of the Bedfordshire skyline, and can be seen for miles around.

Cardington-Royal Airship Works

  The airships site was nationalised in April 1919, becoming known as the Royal Airship Works.

In preparation for the R101 project the No 1 shed was extended between October 1924 and March 1926; its roof was raised by 35 feet and its length increased to 812 feet. The No. 2 shed (Southern shed), which had originally been located at RNAS Pulham, Norfolk, was dismantled in 1928 and re-erected at Cardington.

After the crash of the R101, in October 1930, all work stopped in Britain on airships. Cardington then became a storage station.

In 1936/1937 Cardington started building barrage balloons; and it became the No 1 RAF Balloon Training Unit responsible for the storage and training of balloon operators and drivers. In 1943 until 1967 it was home to the RAF Meteorological research balloons-training unit, undertaking development and storage[ (after 1967 this was undertaken by the Royal Aircraft Establishment).

CAF UK members have visited a number of worldwide Blimp and Airship sites, check out the fascinating history of the Tillamook air sheds, in Oregon State USA.  One of the very few surviving examples of wooden constructed Blimp hangers in the world that is accessible to the public.

www.tillamookair.com