Radford Aerodrome

May have to delete these. From "We Re-invented the Wheel" by Ron Vice. Stories of Dunlop Aviation in Coventry.

Radford aerodrome bottom of Owenford Rd.

Details of Radford aerodrome personnel, Great War.

MDT, Saturday June 29, 1935: The top picture was taken just after a charge of explosives had been fired, and the lower illustration shows another group of ferro-concrete remnants of hangars collapsing after a further explosion. Explosions reminiscent of of gunfire have revived War memories and created considerable mystification among people living within a wide radius of the Radford Road, Coventry. Although the explosions are not caused by gunfire, they are not unconnected with war. During the War the old Radford Aerodrome was built to meet war-time needs. A considerable portion of the aerodrome site is covered with ferro-concrete foundations, portions of hangars, ammunition dumps, and defensive emplacements. Now this relic of the War is being removed, nearly seventeen years after the close of hostilities. With the clearing of the Radford Aerodrome site and the gradual elimination of the hutments which provided what were intended to be temporary dwellings for munition workers, the last of the more visible and ugly features of the War will disappear from Coventry at last. So thoroughly was the work done in putting in the various concrete works in connection with the Radford Aerodrome that powerful pneumatic drills are having to be assisted by the use of explosive. In a good many places those engaged in clearing the site are finding anything from 10 to 20 tons of concrete. The quantity and strength of the concrete revealed has taken the demolition contractors by surprise. The workmanship now disclosed is first-class, and the preservation and obvious powers of durability in face of all kinds of weather is a fine tribute to the effectiveness of ferro-concrete in building works. The intermittent explosions heard are caused by the use of gelignite. Only by this means can the site be cleared in anything like reasonable time and with any real degree of success. So in addition to the destruction of War-time relics by means which have their part in war, Coventry is also having the somewhat unusual experience of blasting operations in its midst. At present the future of the site is not definitely decided, but it is being cleared to facilitate developments which it is hoped to achieve there. The contractor, Mr J G Gray, of Coventry, estimates that it will take at least two months of intensely hard work to free the site of the vast quantity of concrete which honeycombs it.