Virtual Tour - Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE)

You've made it to the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE), the home of aviation development and history in Britain, and now developed into the modern Farnborough Business Airport and Farnborough Business Park and venue for the biennial international airshow. Whilst the original site remains as the airport, many of the old buildings and factories have now gone. Images 5-16 show some of the former RAE buildings in 1998. A larger RAE gallery with additional descriptions is available in the Aviation gallery. Where to now? Next to the entrance to the RAE is the old Swan Inn with Farnborough Common behind, and the old RAE South Gate close by, with Trenchard House and the RFC Barracks a little further along, and the Farnborough Road running down one side of the old RAE site with Castleden Hall, Oak Road, and Belgrave House School also nearby. The Farnborough and Cove War Memorial Hospital is close by to the East. To the North is Farnborough Recreation Centre and the old sites of Pinehurst Corner and Pinehurst Barracks and the former sites of Cove Radio Station, Whitehall Farm, Southwood House, the National Gas Turbine Establishment (NGTE), and Southwood camp. Pick where you want to go next from the menu on the right.  Take a look at images 18 and 33 for an authentic 'now and then' comparison. Click on an image to see how the site of the RAE has changed over the years. (Remember to scroll down to see the larger images). 1. 1910 2. 1910 3. 1913 4. 1913 5. 1915 6. 1916 7. 1916 8. 1918 9. 1919 10. 1955 11. 1955 12 1998 13. 1998 14. 1998 15. 1998 16. 1998 17. 1998 18. 1998 19. 1998 20. 1998 21. 1998 22. 1998 23. 1998 24. 2007 25. 2007 26. 2007 27. 2007 28. 2007 29. 2007 30. 2008 31. 2008 32. 2008 33. 2008 34. 2008 35. 2008 36. 2008 37. 2008 38. 2008 39. 2008 40. 2008 41. 2008 42. 2008 43. 2008 44. 2008 45. 2008 Click on an image to begin the tour. The scan of image 1 is copyright of Richard. Images and thumbnails 1, 4, 9-11 are reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection. Original copyright to image 2 lay with WHA. The scan of image 2 is copyright of Dave Raynes. The copyright owner to image 5 is unknown with the scan being copyright of Dave Raynes. Original copyright to image 6 lay with AW Hunt of Farnborough. Efforts were made to establish copyright provisions. The copyright to images 3, 7-8 is unknown. Efforts were made to establish copyright provisions. If you feel copyright has been breached please contact us. Images and thumbnails 12-23 are reproduced by permission of English Heritage NMR. ©Crown Copyright NMR. Images and thumbnails 30-44 are reproduced courtesy of Clive Molyneux. Click on the date to purchase a copy directly from the Francis Frith Collection. Email this page to a friend or social bookmark and share it with: Read about social bookmarking on wikipedia Powered by Bookmarkz [Note: you must register with the sites above in order to use them]

Where to next? Make a selection Belgrave House Castleden Hall Cove Radio Station Farnboro Common Farnborough Road Fowler Road Hillside Convent NGTE Oak Road Pinehurst barracks Pinehurst corner RAE Assembly hall Old RAE entrance RAE south gate Recreation centre RFC Barracks Southwood camp Southwood House The Swan Inn Tarn Close War Hospital Whitehall Farm Tour Quick jump Make a selection Cove Farnborough Park Farnborough Street North Camp North Farnborough Rafborough South Farnborough West Heath Add to this page Have you got a photograph of this part of Farnborough that you'd like to share and see appear here? Maybe you've got a memory of relating to this part of town? Why not share with it everyone by submitting it to the Historic Farnborough site.

Legal Statements | Acknowledgements | Contact us | © 2007-09 Historic Farnborough
Page last updated: 22/05/09