Just a word on how British airbases were supplied with aviation fuel: according to the Official War History "Oil" starting in 1938 the British built a network of pipelines which distributed fuel from ports, refineries, (eg; Stanlow), through a series of Air Force Distribution Centres - small, well protected fuel bunkers, to airfields (p.64). The airfields themselves did not store large quantities of fuel;
from The Battle of Britain Then and Now Vol V.:
Debden: Sector Station had fuel storage for 72,000 gallons or 228 tons.(p. 190)
Kenley, Sector Station, had fuel storage for 35,000 gallons or 110 tons (p. 46) - with two to three squadrons operating from a sector station how long would it take to use up the fuel stored on site?
Westhampnett, had storage for 24,000 gallons of aviation fuel, or 76 tons (p. 42):
Many of the smaller airbases did not have fixed fuel storage, relying on petrol bowsers (tanker trucks to Americans).
The unit responsible in 1940 for the distribution of Aviation Spirit and Explosives was 42 Maintenance Group, which was formed in Jan 1939
http://www.rafweb.org/Grp04.htm
04-07-2012, 07:44 AM
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