Monument record MBC48574 - SECOND WORLD WAR AIR GUNNERY AND BOMBING RANGE, BRACKNELL HOUSE

A Second World War air gunnery and bombing range is visible on historic aerial photographs and remote sensing data and was mapped as part of the Aylesbury Vale Aerial Investigation and Mapping project (EBC18604). Located in fields W of Hogshaw Road but with an entrance opposite Bracknell House and centred at SP 76007 24766, the bombing range comprises a bombing range observation post about 5 x 3.5 metres, adjacent to which is a large concrete white-painted pointed directional arrow and three small square markers that probably comprised of reversible reflective signal discs to allow a range of codes to be communicated to incoming aircraft. A further rectangular building about 7 x 2.5 metres sits some way to the rear. The range control buildings are accessed by a 145 metres long linear trackway from Hogshaw Road. Some 660 metres WSW from the direction arrow and centred at SP 75358 24608 is the bombing range target, a circular white coloured or painted ring structure about 1 metre in width and about 36 metres in diameter, within which is a white coloured triangular structure whose three corners connect with the outer circle, the SW and SE facing sides being 32 metres long and the N facing side being 28 metres long. The range marker structures and the rectangular building have been demolished by 1949, whilst the direction arrow remains visible until 1959. The observation post building and the target remain visible on aerial photographs taken in 1961 but have been demolished by 1973, though the target remains visible as a cropmark (1-6).