Bellman hanger
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[edit] Bellman Hangers
UK designed portable hanger.
[edit] Origins of Transportable Hangers
During the First World War and for some time after, the only successful transportable hangar design was the Bessonneau. This could be very quickly erected and secured to provide adequate shelter for a few small aeroplanes. But with post-war increases in the number and size of aeroplanes, the need for larger transportable accommodation soon became apparent. The Air Ministry therefore issued a specification in 1936 covering the dimensions and requirements for a light transportable shed for use in war. It had to be end-opening with doors at both ends, be capable of mass production and have interchangeable parts to permit rapid erection and dismantling with minimal permanent foundations. This specification was submitted to various designers and eventually two different designs were presented - the Bellman and the Callender Hanger.
An example of each was erected at two demonstration sites (airfields) in the north-east: at Thornaby an Air Ministry design was built (later to be known as the Bellman hangar) and at Usworth a Callender Cable & Construction design was built (later to be known as the Callender-Hamilton hangar). Eventually, in 1938, the Bellman design was chosen as the standard Air Ministry wartime transportable shed but Callender-Hamilton hangars were also purchased in small numbers for RNASs until superseded by a new hangar type in 1943.
[edit] The Bellman Hanger
The Bellman Hanger was designed in 1936 by the Directorate of Works' structural engineer, N. S. Bellman, as a temporary hangar capable of being erected or dismantled by unskilled labour with simple equipment and to be easily transportable. Commercial manufacturing rights were acquired by Head Wrightson & Co of Teesdale Iron Works, Thornaby-on-Tees. By November 1938, 10 had been supplied to Russia!
The Bellman hangar was constructed on a unit system of rolled steel sections, both walls and roof using the same standard units joined at the junction of wall and roof by a standard corner unit. The time taken for 12 men to erect the hangar at Thornaby, including levelling the ground, laying door tracks, erecting the steelwork, and fitting oiled canvas Callender doors, was 500 man-hours. Two light jib derricks using timber poles were required to erect the fabricated and side members. The roof trusses were assembled on the ground before being lifted into position.
As a result of the bad winter of 1937 when a number of transportable Bellman hangars at Thornaby were damaged after a heavy sent to severe fall of snow, production Bellmans were modified slightly to new unit c have steel-framed and steel-clad doors.
During the period 1938-40 some 400 Bellman hangars were built. They The new proved to be invaluable in the early part of the war. They met an increasing demand not only to supplement permanent hangars but also to provide the total hangar the total hanger requirements for many temporary Armament Training Elementary Flying Training and Air Navigation Schools
Hangers were purchased in bulk and in 1938 a central parts, storage depot was established at No. 3 MU at Milton, Oxfordshire. The parts for 40 Bellmans were stored in two specially built Bellman sheds for issue in the event of war. When all the hangars had been dispatched, the two sheds The sheds were used for storing spare parts.
[edit] Bellman Hangers in Australia
Bellman’s were produced in Australia from c. 1939 – 1945 by Lysaght’s. They were designed as easily transportable, temporary hangars which could be erected using unskilled labour. They were used on war time airfields constructed across Australia particularly training airfields.
RAAF Wagga (Forest Hill) has some 14 surviving Bellman Hangers.
A Bellman hanger survives at Maryborough Airport in Qld.
About 6 were at Tottenham RAAF stores - but may have been removed by now
There were at least three at Point Cook (RAAF Williams)
Two at Fishermen's Bend (Vic)
One at Benalla airport, (Vic)
[edit] References
2002 World War II Hangars -Guide to Hangar Identification Technical Bulletin 02/02, Defence Estates, Ministry of Defence UK
Francis, P. 1996 British Military Airfield Architecture: from Airships to the Jet Age. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Limited (pp100-101)
