noyes44 Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Hi everyone, I recently discovered that the remains of the WWII airfield at Llandow, South Wales, were to be turned in to a housing development. When I found out that none of the wartime structures were to be saved I decided to act. The top half of a Pickett-Hamilton Fort has been lying on part of the old runway for decades. As this section of the runway is owned by a model flying club I asked if I could have the pillbox before it was destroyed, along with their runway, as part of the redevelopment. To my surprise they agreed. The pillbox was collected yesterday and transported to my back garden. I must say I'm pretty chuffed. The story is featured in today's South Wales Echo newspaper. If the rest of the airfield is now destroyed at least this small piece will survive to remind people of its existance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noyes44 Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 For some reason the only photo that uploaded was the one of the pillbox in its original position on the old runway. Sadly the ones showing it being transported and placed in my garden didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Brilliant stuff, I read this in the Metro Glasgow today which picked it it! Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LACKIE14 Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 we all need one of those at present to escape the school holidays (even just a wee 5mins) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noyes44 Posted July 9, 2009 Author Share Posted July 9, 2009 I'm afraid it doesn't keep the children out. My two spend more time in it than I do. Greg, did you say the story was in the Metro Glasgow newspaper?! The pillbox has probably had more people showing an interest in it in the last few days than it ever has in the last couple of decades whilst sat at the end of the old runway. At least I now have somwhere safe from the wife. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Yes! Was in the Metro newspaper in one of their 'interesting news from around the country' type pages... possibly went across the UK as a story but swear up and down it was in print here! Just curious few things... 1. how in the world did you move it? It must weigh a ton or more! 2. Anything on the inside for mounting or such or is it just a shell? Curious what kind of gun mounts it might take, my guess would be a Bren or 30 Cal Browning??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noyes44 Posted July 14, 2009 Author Share Posted July 14, 2009 Yes! Was in the Metro newspaper in one of their 'interesting news from around the country' type pages... possibly went across the UK as a story but swear up and down it was in print here! Just curious few things... 1. how in the world did you move it? It must weigh a ton or more! 2. Anything on the inside for mounting or such or is it just a shell? Curious what kind of gun mounts it might take, my guess would be a Bren or 30 Cal Browning??? A local car recovery firm helped me move it. Initially they used a hiab, However, as it weighed nearly five tons the lifting arm wasn't able to get it over my back garden wall. Therefore, they had to get a larger truck with a larger lifting arm. As there was some publicity for the firm involved they gave me a good deal. There were a few hairy moments, especially when the fort swung over the top of my conservatory! Beneath each gun apeture two metal bolts protrude from the wall internally. I'm guessing that these supported some sort of gun mount. So far I haven't been able to find any wartime photo's of the inside of a P-H Fort to confirm this. All sources I've read said they were defended with light machine guns, so I'm guessing they mean Bren's. I've found one photo of a P-H Fort in it's raised position with a Bren lying on the ground next to it. Another curiosity are the horizontal rectangular holes in the side of the roof. These lead from the outside to the inside. My own theory is that they were for periscopes, like the ones used in WWII British tanks. Each hole lies exactly halfway between two gun apetures. This would allow the periscopes could cover the fort's blind spots. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted July 14, 2009 Share Posted July 14, 2009 I am not so sure they are for periscopes since looking at photos of complete forts I see the 'vents' but no periscopes. Assuming the fort was assembled in parts, the top would need lowering into the pit. Could these holes be some sort of grab spots for the crane to lower the fort into position from? since the forts sat flush with the ground there would not have been grabs on the roof to do this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny Andrew Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 Excellent Noyes ,can't get much better than that can you have another go at loading the other photos would love to see them, plus a photo of the holes you think may be for a periscope. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAF635SQ Posted July 15, 2009 Share Posted July 15, 2009 wow your really lucky! i can only dream for a genuine WW2 pillbox 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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