"RAF Cardington started life as a private venture when Short Brothers bought land there to build airships for the Admiralty. They constructed a 700-foot-long (210 m) Airship hangar (the No. 1 Shed) in 1915 to enable them to build two rigid airships, the R-31 and the R-32. Shorts also built a housing estate, opposite the site, which they named Shortstown. Most of the former RAF station is actually in the parish of Eastcotts, as is the settlement of Shortstown[1]. In the 1950s, during the time of National Service, RAF Cardington was the reception unit, where thousands of conscripts went to be issued with their kit. The Paratroop Regiment were stationed there as one of the hangers housed the balloons from which trainees made their first drops. In 1954 RAF Maitenance Command used Shed No.1 for their rehearsals for the Royal Tournament.
Today the site is almost as it was constructed and planned back in 1916. It is also intended that airship activity of a kind will return in the form of the new AHT Museum to be situated at Cardington, returning many of the original artefacts.
Airships have also returned to Cardington in the form of ATG Group who are developing the AT 10 airship and the huge SKYCAT. Prototypes can be seen on occasion flying from shed number 1 where the R101 was constructed.
Following the collapse of ATG, the future of shed 1 remains uncertain. Shed 2, was sold to Warner Brothers and used as film set for the film "Batman Begins". This shed remains up for sale by the film company".
Recently went to Cardington to see the old Airship hangers. You really have to be there to appreciate the actual size of these things, they are huge!
Unfortunatly with lots of 'activity' around I wasn't able to get any shots of the inside and time was quite limited outside.
These particular photos were taken using an iPhone4S and Olloclip wide-angle lens.
Today the site is almost as it was constructed and planned back in 1916. It is also intended that airship activity of a kind will return in the form of the new AHT Museum to be situated at Cardington, returning many of the original artefacts.
Airships have also returned to Cardington in the form of ATG Group who are developing the AT 10 airship and the huge SKYCAT. Prototypes can be seen on occasion flying from shed number 1 where the R101 was constructed.
Following the collapse of ATG, the future of shed 1 remains uncertain. Shed 2, was sold to Warner Brothers and used as film set for the film "Batman Begins". This shed remains up for sale by the film company".
Recently went to Cardington to see the old Airship hangers. You really have to be there to appreciate the actual size of these things, they are huge!
Unfortunatly with lots of 'activity' around I wasn't able to get any shots of the inside and time was quite limited outside.
These particular photos were taken using an iPhone4S and Olloclip wide-angle lens.
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