Geograph IrelandLatest Images by Amanda Kerr-Munslow
https://www.geograph.ie/
2024-03-28T23:32:01+00:00text/html2006-08-30T11:38:24+00:00https://www.geograph.ie/profile/7311Amanda Kerr-Munslow52.108072 -0.422821TL0846 : Cardington Airfield Airship Sheds - near Shortstown, Beds
https://www.geograph.ie/photo/228829
From 1918 airships were built and maintained at Cardington Airfield. These sheds housed the R100 and R101, famous large airships. During the second world war the sheds were used to house barrage balloons and for training their operating crews. The site has been used for meteorological research for over 50 years, being in a suitable wide open space with few hills locally (these sheds are the biggest problem for measuring turbulence). From 1970 to around 2005 the sheds were used by the Fire Research Station and then by several parts of the Building Research Establishment. The square is 29-30m above mean sea level. The sheds are 55m high and about 247m long by 83m across.