Airfield Photographs from 1970s and 1980s from the Collection of Steve Rickards

An E pen or blast pen showing the left arm end brick wall , width of brickwork at base (LHS projected to ground) 235.5inch, height 91.6inch with 4ft wide top (48.6inch) with a concrete spine placed in the top of the soil arm with pairs of steel bolts along it, size of wall and this spine was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council. The entrance in the left bay gives access to an air raid shelter between the two bays and also exits out to rear, the RHS entrance having no exit. Height to top of tall lintel 101inches. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern. See other photos of this sequence.

An E pen or blast pen showing the left arm end brick wall , width of brickwork at base (LHS projected to ground) 235.5inch, height 91.6inch with 4ft wide top (48.6inch) with a concrete spine placed in the top of the soil arm with pairs of steel bolts along it, size of wall and this spine was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council. The middle arm was built in 1941 and ends with a brick wall of height 90.7inch, 13.75 inch wide top and a 209.5 inch overall width at base. It is strengthened with a buttress and stay bar (behind buttress) running through. Originally a single brick wall with stepped walkthrough at rear existed in 1940. The entrance in the left bay gives access to an air raid shelter between the two bays and also exits out to rear, the RHS entrance having no exit. Height to top of tall lintel 101inches. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern. See other photos of this sequence.

An E pen or blast pen that protected aircraft from bomb blast, showing the middle arm. This arm was built in 1941 and ends with a brick wall of height 90.7inch, 13.75 inch wide top and a 209.5 inch overall width at base. It is strengthened with a buttress and stay bar (behind buttress) running through. Originally a single brick wall with stepped walkthrough at rear existed in 1940. Size of wall was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council. The entrance in the left bay gives access to an air raid shelter between the two bays and also exits out to rear, the RHS entrance having no exit. Height to top of tall lintel 101inches. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern. See other photos of this sequence.

An E pen or blast pen that protected aircraft from bomb blast, showing the middle arm. This arm was built in 1941 and ends with a brick wall of height 90.7inch, 13.75 inch wide top and a 209.5 inch overall width at base. It is strengthened with a buttress and stay bar (behind buttress) running through. Originally a single brick wall with stepped walkthrough at rear existed in 1940. Size of wall was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council. The entrance in the left bay gives access to an air raid shelter between the two bays and also exits out to rear, the RHS entrance having no exit. Height to top of tall lintel 101inches. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern. See other photos of this sequence.

An E pen or blast pen showing the right arm with end brick wall , width of brickwork at base (LHS projected to ground) 235.5inch, height 91.6inch with 4ft wide top (48.6inch) with a concrete spine placed in the top of the soil arm with pairs of steel bolts along it, size of wall and this spine was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council. The middle arm was built in 1941 and ends with a brick wall of height 90.7inch, 13.75 inch wide top and a 209.5 inch overall width at base. It is strengthened with a buttress and stay bar (behind buttress) running through. Originally a single brick wall with stepped walkthrough at rear existed in 1940. The entrance in the left bay gives access to an air raid shelter between the two bays and also exits out to rear, the RHS entrance having no exit. Height to top of tall lintel 101inches. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern. An Anti Aircraft concrete emplacement for pole mounted weapon sits atop rear corner. See other photos of this sequence.

An E pen or blast pen showing its entirety from the air, width of outer arms brickwork at base (LHS projected to ground) 235.5inch, height 91.6inch with 4ft wide top (48.6inch) with a concrete spine placed in the top of the soil arm with pairs of steel bolts along it, size of wall and this spine was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council. The middle arm was built in 1941 and ends with a brick wall of height 90.7inch, 13.75 inch wide top and a 209.5 inch overall width at base. It is strengthened with a buttress and stay bar (behind buttress) running through. Originally a single brick wall with stepped walkthrough at rear existed in 1940. The entrance in the left bay gives access to an air raid shelter between the two bays and also exits out to rear, the RHS entrance having no exit. Height to top of tall lintel 101inches. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern. An Anti Aircraft concrete emplacement for A pole mounted weapon sits atop rear corner.

An E pen or blast pen showing its entirety from the air, width of outer arms brickwork at base (LHS projected to ground) 235.5inch, height 91.6inch with 4ft wide top (48.6inch) with a concrete spine placed in the top of the soil arm with pairs of steel bolts along it, size of wall and this spine was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council. The middle arm was built in 1941 and ends with a brick wall of height 90.7inch, 13.75 inch wide top and a 209.5 inch overall width at base. It is strengthened with a buttress and stay bar (behind buttress) running through. Originally a single brick wall with stepped walkthrough at rear existed in 1940. The entrance in the left bay gives access to an air raid shelter between the two bays and also exits out to rear, the RHS entrance having no exit. Height to top of tall lintel 101inches. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern.

An E pen or blast pen showing its entirety, width of outer arms brickwork at base (LHS projected to ground) 235.5inch, height 91.6inch with 4ft wide top (48.6inch) with a concrete spine placed in the top of the soil arm with pairs of steel bolts along it, size of wall and this spine was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council. The middle arm was built in 1941 and ends with a brick wall of height 90.7inch, 13.75 inch wide top and a 209.5 inch overall width at base. It is strengthened with a buttress and stay bar (behind buttress) running through. Originally a single brick wall with stepped walkthrough at rear existed in 1940. The entrance in the left bay gives access to an air raid shelter between the two bays and also exits out to rear, the RHS entrance having no exit. Height to top of tall lintel 101inches. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern.

An E pen or blast pen that protected aircraft from bomb blast, showing the middle arm. This arm was built in 1941 and ends with a brick wall of height 90.7inch, 13.75 inch wide top and a 209.5 inch overall width at base. It is strengthened with a buttress and stay bar (behind buttress) running through. Originally a single brick wall with stepped walkthrough at rear existed in 1940. Size of wall was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern. See other photos of this sequence.

An E pen or blast pen that protected aircraft from bomb blast, showing the outer arm end wall. Width of brickwork at base (LHS projected to ground) taken at Hayes Lane was 235.5inch, height 91.6inch with 4ft wide top (48.6inch) with a concrete spine placed in the top of the soil arm with pairs of steel bolts along it, size of wall and this spine was seen on all the pens around the airfield perimeter track into the 1980s, before those on Common Land were demolished by the Council.. Mortar was cement based and Phorpres or Fletton bricks were used (from a recent study) and I can see Fletton have the same pattern. See other photos of this sequence.