The West Berkshire Historic Environment Record (HER) is the primary index of the physical remains of past human activity in the unitary authority of West Berkshire Council. Limited elements of the West Berkshire HER are available online via the Heritage Gateway, therefore it is not suitable for use in desk-based studies associated with development, planning and land-use changes, and does not meet the requirements of paragraph 194 of the National Planning Policy Framework (2021: 56). Please read
the important guidance on the use of the West Berkshire HER data. For these purposes and all other commercial enquiries, please contact the Archaeology team and complete our
online HER enquiry form.
HER Number | MWB20643 |
---|
Record Type | Monument |
---|
Name | Fire plane, RAF Greenham Common |
---|
Summary
Locally listed mock up metal plane in fenced circular compound on military air base, used for fire fighting training in late 1980s
Monument Type(s):
- FIREPLANE (Late 20th century - Present - 1986 AD to 1992 AD)
Full Description
A mock up metal plane in the form of a Lockheed C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft was made by Ray Theodore Welding in Newbury (at a cost of £15,000) and installed at Greenham Common airbase in August 1986 <5>. The structure is c 14m in length and is located in a fenced circular compound and was used for fire fighting training by airfield fire crews and Newbury Fire Brigade <5><6>. It was fitted with dummy seats and passengers prior to a training exercise and was linked with a pipeline allowing the fuselage to be sprayed with aviation fuel <5>. The circular compound is shown on the 1994 masterplan of RAF Greenham, labelled 'Fire fighting exercise area' (RAF Greenham Common Masterplan Sheet 5 of 7) <1>.
The plane is clearly seen on 21st century air photographs <2><3>. It was added to the Local List of Heritage Assets in 2017 <4> as a unique example of Cold War heritage.
Sources and further reading
<01> | Berkshire Archaeological Services. 2011. Historical Environmental Survey and Management Plan for Greenham and Crookham Commons. 2011 WBC Network. Gazetteer ID 461. [Unpublished document / SWB148355] http://www.westcombe.org.uk/appindex.html (Accessed 07/09/2015) |
<02> | GeoInformation Group. 08/04/2003. West Berkshire Council Aerial Survey 2003 (digital aerial photographs). Aerial Photo. Digital. 1:7000. [Photograph / SWB146766] |
<03> | 2010. West Berkshire Council Aerial Survey 2010 (digital aerial photographs). Aerial Photo. Digital. [Photograph / SWB148137] |
<04> | West Berkshire Council. 2015-. West Berkshire District Council in partnership with the West Berkshire Heritage Forum - Local List of Heritage Assets. pdf online. 17/00012/LOCAL. [Unpublished document / SWB148860] https://info.westberks.gov.uk/locallist (Accessed on 01/06/2022) |
<05> | Sayers, J J. 2006. In Defense (sic) of Freedom; A History of RAF Greenham Common. www.lulu.com ID 310488. [Unpublished document / SWB146796] https://www.lulu.com/en/gb/shop/jj-sayers/in-defense-of-freedom-a-history-of-raf-greenham-common/paperback/product-qwvvkk.html?page=1&pageSize=4 (Second edition 2021 (accessed on 16/02/2021)) |
<06> | Hawkings, D. 2003. Greenham: a common inheritance. http://www.greenham-common.org.uk. Accessed 20/03/2008. [Website / SWB13700] http://www.greenham-common.org.uk (Accessed 11/01/2012) |
Related Monuments
MWB6570 | Greenham Common Airbase (RAF Greenham Common) (Monument) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
EWB1256 | Historical Environmental Survey and Management Plan for Greenham and Crookham Commons |
If you have any comments or new information about this record, please email us.
Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.