Until a few years ago, nobody knew what the dome was used for.
Some thought it was used for night navigation training by projecting stars on the dome.
Others thought it was used as a torpedo-attack trainer.
Some even suggested that it was built by Bernard Matthews poultry farm to rear turkeys.
It was one of 43 Dome Trainers built around the country.
The Langham Dome Trainer stands 25 feet tall and 40 feet wide.
For its time, it was a very sophisticated training simulator.
The Dome Trainer was designed by naval officer Henry Stephens.
Eventually, the idea of the Dome Trainer came to him.
Photo credit:langhamdome.org
How the projection and gun system worked, based on a sketch by Frank Phillipson.
Eventually, 43 such trainers were built across the UK including one at Langham which survives today.
Aircraft were faster, more maneuverable, more heavily armed and much more difficult to defend against.
The Langham Dome Trainer was listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument in 1986.
Last year, the concrete structure was restored, painted over white and a museum was installed inside.
The museum inside the Dome today.
Photo credit:forum.keypublishing.com
The concrete runway of RAF Langham.
Photo credit:www.iconicaircraft.co.uk
Buildings of the old air force base.
Photo credit:www.iconicaircraft.co.uk
Sources:World War II Heritage/langhamdome.org/Eastern Daily Press/Wikipedia/BBC
