Rob de Bie Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 I'm researching the TAB-VEE shelters on European air bases, and saw something interesting in Google Earth. For each group of say 15 standard 100' shelters, there is one 150' version. Some examples: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ramstein+Air+Base/@49.4256957,7.5689107,263m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x479674d1b564a3b7:0x8ab9f92dc7234016!8m2!3d49.440024!4d7.5972524 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Spangdahlem,+Germany/@49.9826508,6.6934991,368m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47bfd026f428e44b:0x422d4d510db0d70!8m2!3d49.985679!4d6.684338 What was the purpose of these longer shelters? Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
andyf117 Posted August 11, 2020 Share Posted August 11, 2020 (edited) There was a previous discussion with some useful info here: http://www.arcforums.com/forums/air/index.php?/topic/172396-tab-v-aircraft-shelter/&do=findComment&comment=1614253 Edited August 11, 2020 by andyf117 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob de Bie Posted August 11, 2020 Author Share Posted August 11, 2020 Yep, I participated in that thread, but it doesn't discuss the longer sheltes. I found an intermedate length version too, roughly 125 ft. So there's the standard 100' one, and the 125' and 150' specials. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AFammo65 Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 My guess. Was stationed at Spang many eons ago. The Weapons Release Shop, Munitions Control, and Maintenance Supervisor's Office were located in "office space" in an lengthened Tab Vee. This functional area provided hardened and thus "survivable" space for such facilities. Other lengthened shelters probably also contained "hardened office space" for aircraft maintenance/security functions requiring such space while still allowing aircraft to be parked inside. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JMB Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 I know at Bitburg in the early 89-90 timeframe that extra space was used for spare parts/mmo. I guess they considered it backup from the main supply building Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob de Bie Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 Thanks AFammo65 and JMB! That makes a lot of sense. Do you possibly remember how they solved the exhaust gas problem? In standard-length shelters there's always an exhaust opening at the rear. That seems difficult or impossible here. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JMB Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 If I remember correctly, there was no jet assigned to the arch. It was parts and allot of age equipment in there.........I was on 008 at the time and i was assigned three archs down from that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob de Bie Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 3 hours ago, JMB said: If I remember correctly, there was no jet assigned to the arch. It was parts and allot of age equipment in there.........I was on 008 at the time and i was assigned three archs down from that. Can you still find your shelter on Google Earth? There has been a lot of reconstruction and demolition since it was turned into a business area. In the stand-alone version of Google Earth I can go back to 2009, and I count 66 shelters / shelters being demolished / demolished shelters. But maybe there were more, I see some empty spots that suggest to be former shelter sites. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JMB Posted August 12, 2020 Share Posted August 12, 2020 The "maintenance" arch was 49DEG 57'18.90" N 6DEG 34'24.80" E My arch was 49DEG 57'14.10" N 6DEG 34'19.50" E I never really thought about it being "bigger" than the other archs. On the ground I didn't pay much attention to it. I'm just saying that arch had no aircraft assigned and was what it was. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob de Bie Posted August 12, 2020 Author Share Posted August 12, 2020 Nice to see that 'your' shelter survives in a good condition 🙂 And thanks for the additional details. Rob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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