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New webpage: 'USAFE TAB-VEE shelters and their genesis'


Rob de Bie

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Over the last few months, I've been working on a webpage about USAFE TAB-VEE shelters and their genesis. In the past there were some threads about aircraft shelters, in which I participated too, but they generally contained little solid data. My breakthrough was finding great aerial photos of the Soesterberg shelters under construction. Here's one:

 

tabvee-08.jpg

 

Then fellow modeller Larry Engesath sent me basic shelter construction drawings from his time at Zweibrucken.

 

tabvee-20.jpg

 

I started researching and found a ton of open sources, that made the genesis of the USAFE shelters clear. I even performed a rather laborious shelter census using Google Earth. And lastly, I found drawings of a Lahr shelter, that looks a lot like the last type built by USAFE. All in all it's quite a read, but I hope you'll like it!

 

https://robdebie.home.xs4all.nl/models/tabvee.htm

 

Now let the shelter modelling begin!!

 

Rob

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When I arrived at RAF Upper Heyford in 1980, our shelters were just plain concrete color. Then, contractors sprayed some sort of brown coating over them. Don't think it was paint. Not really sure what it was. 

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1 hour ago, Slater said:

When I arrived at RAF Upper Heyford in 1980, our shelters were just plain concrete color. Then, contractors sprayed some sort of brown coating over them. Don't think it was paint. Not really sure what it was. 

Thanks! Can I add that to the webpage? Also, do you remember the difference between the two types of shelters? Upper Heyford was unique in having 31 second generation shelters.

 

Rob

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The Norwegian ones differ quite a bit, as they have the doors fold inwards and down into the floor. rather than slide. Probably so that snow clearing is made easier. Also the gate/door seems to be placed at the very front of the shelter. they have an earlier type that are more triangular as well.

 

Cheers

H.

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2 hours ago, Rob de Bie said:

Thanks! Can I add that to the webpage? Also, do you remember the difference between the two types of shelters? Upper Heyford was unique in having 31 second generation shelters.

 

Rob

No problem. As far as the shelters, it's been a lot of years and I don't really recall any of the differences. Sorry.

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3 hours ago, Winnie said:

The Norwegian ones differ quite a bit, as they have the doors fold inwards and down into the floor. rather than slide. Probably so that snow clearing is made easier. Also the gate/door seems to be placed at the very front of the shelter. they have an earlier type that are more triangular as well.

Here in the Netherlands we built a similar design. I think I read somewhere that the USAF called them 'a Norwegian type'. The snow factor is a good one, I never thought about that. I'm researching the Dutch / Norwegian shelter too, but there is very little open source material.

 

Rob

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3 hours ago, Patrick Martin said:

Have a look at Baden-Soellingen and Lahr.  Many at Baden are still there.  The smaller were called HAS and the larger HAMS.

PM

Yep, I already took a peek at both via Google Earth. At Baden-Soellingen I also see earth-covered shelters, like the German Luftwaffe used. At Lahr I see only what looks like the USAFE 3rd generation shelters.


Rob

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3 hours ago, Slater said:

No problem. As far as the shelters, it's been a lot of years and I don't really recall any of the differences. Sorry.

No problem! I already wondered who would see or notice the difference between the 2nd and 3rd generation shelters. I noted that the doors of the 2nd generation are smaller than the arc, so there's a partial front wall too. Quite peculiar design if you ask me.

 

Rob

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Hi Rob, here are a couple of HAS pics from Bade, this one was taken in 93 just before the base was shut down:

 

CF-18A_439_sq_(23780173449).jpg?15981549

 

Here is another one, going by the config probably 1985 and it's a 409 Squadron a/c, note the napalm skirt on the HAS door, they were added around '85-86:

 

18449668_10155089517272881_2819556696282

 

these were the ones that were there when i was posted to Baden 83-87 none were earth covered at that time.

 

Jari

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9 hours ago, Finn said:

Hi Rob, here are a couple of HAS pics from Bade, this one was taken in 93 just before the base was shut down:

 

Here is another one, going by the config probably 1985 and it's a 409 Squadron a/c, note the napalm skirt on the HAS door, they were added around '85-86:

 

these were the ones that were there when i was posted to Baden 83-87 none were earth covered at that time.

Thanks! I can only see your first photo, and that shelter that looks a lot like the Luftwaffe design, with 'Dutch doors'. And those are earth-covered, hence my assumption.

 

2009_06_25_ETSL_A02.jpg


Rob

 

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Really useful those, I’d made myself some RAF shelters from lasercut ply and based on these drawings it looks like a fairly easy bit of adaptation to make the USAFE and Luftwaffe ones (now the harder job of figuring out space for them)

 

 

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Nice page & getting all of the reference material together.   There are a couple of nice variations - the extra wide U2/TR-1 shelters and the RAF version with different rear vents, or filtration and the annex with fuel and ground power.

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15 hours ago, bar side said:

Nice page & getting all of the reference material together.   There are a couple of nice variations - the extra wide U2/TR-1 shelters and the RAF version with different rear vents, or filtration and the annex with fuel and ground power.

Thanks! I'll leave the RAF shelters for someone else to figure out. I spent a lot of hours on the current page, and it's time for some actual modelling now!


Rob

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2 hours ago, Hook said:

Nice page, Rob! I still have this somewhere in the stash, the shelter is a bit underscale compared with 1/72nd:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/topics/topic.php?id=156996

The link shows an ejection seat, but you probably aimed for the Revell shelter?

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-04389-shelter-and-ground-plate--950227

 

I had one, but sold it some time ago. I regret that now of course. I would love to know the dimensions of the 'arch' for example.

 

Rob

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47 minutes ago, Rob de Bie said:

The link shows an ejection seat, but you probably aimed for the Revell shelter?

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-04389-shelter-and-ground-plate--950227

 

I had one, but sold it some time ago. I regret that now of course. I would love to know the dimensions of the 'arch' for example.

 

Rob

I've read elsewhere that the Revell shelter is something closer to HO (1:87) than 1/72 scale.  If I can find my set in the stash I'll have to check against your dimensions.

 

It may be elsewhere on the site, but I notice the Scalemates "kit history" didn't show the more recent reissue that paired the original set with Revell's two-seat Eurofighter Typhoon.

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19 hours ago, Rob de Bie said:

The link shows an ejection seat, but you probably aimed for the Revell shelter?

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-04389-shelter-and-ground-plate--950227

Almost!:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-04376-eurofighter-typhoon-and-shelter-groundplate-and-ground-support-equipment--103683

 

I could measure the bits this weekend. 

19 hours ago, CT7567 said:

t may be elsewhere on the site, but I notice the Scalemates "kit history" didn't show the more recent reissue that paired the original set with Revell's two-seat Eurofighter Typhoon.

Correct link above, including the Tiffie for two. The 1/87th rings a bell with me too.

 

Oh well. At least I should be able to fit a Starfighter in there. 

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

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On 9/1/2020 at 12:48 AM, Julien said:

@Rob de Bie do you want all the pictures I have taken of the Tab Vees at RAF Bentwaters? also some from RAF Lakenheath?

Sorry for the delayed reply, but yes please! There's always something new to see and learn. My e-mail address is robdebie at xs4all dot nl. Thanks in advance!

 

Rob

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  • 3 months later...
On 31/08/2020 at 23:48, Julien said:

@Rob de Bie do you want all the pictures I have taken of the Tab Vees at RAF Bentwaters? also some from RAF Lakenheath?

@Julien don't suppose I could ask you to send me those pics too - I've an idea bouncing around my head that I'm trying to get reference material for.

 

Cheers 

 

David

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