Monument record 8136/1/11 - Aircraft holding pads and taxiway, RAF Croughton

Aircraft holding pads and a taxiway were recorded RAF Croughton airfield. The features date to 1940, which survive as hard landscape features.

{1} The hardstandings recorded in the site comprise two circular concrete dispersals, identified as "Frying Pan" standings. This specific typology as standardised by RAF Bomber Command in August 1940, with specifications calling for concrete circles of 125ft (38.1m) diameter, linked to the perimeter track by 15ft (4.6m) access lanes. These standings were typically arranged in "clutches" of three, a layout designed to disperse aircraft against enemy bombing while maintaining operational access. The exclusive use of mass concrete observed on site, rather than asphalt, combined with the circular geometry strongly suggests these features date to the 1940-1941 construction phase. By late 1942, the introduction of heavy bombers necessitated a shift to "Loop" standings (rectilinear tarmac loops), as the heavy aircraft struggled to turn tightly on the earlier circular concrete pans. The survival of "Frying Pan" dispersals at RAF Croughton therefore represents a distinct, earlier phase of the airfield's operational history. A taxiway spur extends eastwards from the main track, leading to a further hardstanding now occupied by modern structures.

<1> David Williams and Stephanie Blues, 2026, Archaeological Services WYAS Report No. 4433 RAF Croughton Main Gate, Brackley (Report). SNN117122.

Record last edited

Jul 13 2026 9:23AM