Blast pen
Encyclopedia
A blast pen was a specially constructed E-shaped double bay at British RAF
World War 2
fighter station
s, being either 150 feet (45.7 m) or 190 feet (57.9 m) wide and 80 feet (24.4 m) front-to-back, accommodating aircraft for safe-keeping against bomb blasts and splinters during enemy air-attacks.
Although the pens were open to the sky the projecting sidewalls preserved the aircraft from lateral damage, with 12 inches (304.8 mm) thick, 9 feet (2.7 m) high concrete centres, and banked-up earth on either side, forming a roughly triangular section 18 feet (5.5 m) wide at their base. The longer spine section behind the parking areas usually encloses a narrow corridor for aircrew and servicing personnel to use as an air raid shelters.
Examples may still be seen at the present Kenley Aerodrome
and at North Weald aerodrome in Essex
close to "The Squadron" bar, some pens have had their second bay removed over the years, thus becoming U-shaped.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
World War 2
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
fighter station
RAF Fighter Command Order of Battle 1940
This article lists the RAF Fighter Command order of battle at 15 September 1940, during the Battle of Britain.-Fighter Command:RAF Fighter Command Headquarters was located at RAF Bentley Priory, near Stanmore in North London. The Commanding Officer was Air Marshal Hugh C.T...
s, being either 150 feet (45.7 m) or 190 feet (57.9 m) wide and 80 feet (24.4 m) front-to-back, accommodating aircraft for safe-keeping against bomb blasts and splinters during enemy air-attacks.
Although the pens were open to the sky the projecting sidewalls preserved the aircraft from lateral damage, with 12 inches (304.8 mm) thick, 9 feet (2.7 m) high concrete centres, and banked-up earth on either side, forming a roughly triangular section 18 feet (5.5 m) wide at their base. The longer spine section behind the parking areas usually encloses a narrow corridor for aircrew and servicing personnel to use as an air raid shelters.
Examples may still be seen at the present Kenley Aerodrome
RAF Kenley
The former Royal Air Force Station Kenley, more commonly known as RAF Kenley was a station of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I and the RAF in World War II. It is located near Kenley, London, England.-History:...
and at North Weald aerodrome in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
close to "The Squadron" bar, some pens have had their second bay removed over the years, thus becoming U-shaped.