This page summarises the main standard RAF, USAAF (and related) control tower and watch office designs used from the First World War, the Second World War, and through to the early Cold War. Most of these buildings were built to standard plans, identified by drawing numbers (for example 12779/41). Surviving examples often show local alterations, wartime expedients, and post-war upgrades, so treat the notes below as a guide rather than a perfect “spotters’ chart”.
Please note, this page is very much under construction and will have photos and plans added in the future.
1914–1939 control tower types
Watch office with tower (‘Fort’ type)
Plan types: 1959/34 and 207/36 (towered); 2062/34 (without tower)
Overview: the first widely standardised pre-war watch office, used across the RAF Expansion period (40+ stations).
Plan type: 1959/34 typically brick, typically pre-cast concrete
Overview: Many were modified over time, and some had the tower removed and a larger control room added later (4698/43)
Examples: RAF Bicester; RAF Driffield (modified)
Service flying training school watch office
Plan type: 5740/36
Overview: built in small numbers (five known) for service flying training schools before the Second World War.
Examples: RAF Shawbury
Watch office with met section (art deco style)
Plan type: 2328/39 (concrete) and 5845/39 (brick)
Overview: a permanent-station Expansion period design with distinctive “liner” styling. Key identifiers are a balcony supported by a forward-projecting ground floor, rounded upper corners, porthole-style windows are noted on examples.
Examples: RAF Kirton in Lindsey
1940–1945 control tower types
Watch office with met section (wartime large type)
Plan type: 518/40 and 8936/40
Overview: the largest common wartime style, developed from the 5845/39 concept. There were some differences in the types; 518/40: timber first floor and balcony, 8936/40: timber used for the balcony and control-room floor only
Examples: RAF Ibsley
Watch office for all commands (wartime standard)
Plan type: 12779/41
Overview: originally intended for training airfields, then adopted widely as the standard watch office (except satellite fields) from late 1943. Key identifier are a tall rear staircase window (about eight feet) then later variants modified to 15371/41 (smaller front windows), modified to 343/43 (medium windows)
Examples: RAF Duxford (12779/41); RAF Rougham (15371/41); RAF East Kirkby (343/43)
Watch office for all commands (later wartime replacement)
Plan type: 343/43
Overview: replaced 12779/41 after 1943 and is often seen as a conversion rather than a completely new build. Key identifiers are reduced-size lower front windows, smaller rear staircase window (about four feet)
Examples: RAF Martlesham Heath
Day fighter stations
Fighter satellite watch office (basic type)
Plan type: 17658/40
Overview: the simplest satellite-field watch office, frequently extended or replaced as operational demands grew.
Examples: RAF Condover
Fighter satellite watch office (first extension)
Plan type: 1536/42
Overview: an early upgrade to 17658/40, adding a switch room on one side.
Examples: RAF Ludham
Fighter satellite watch office (extended and raised)
Plan type: 7332/42
Overview: expanded ground floor plus a new first floor added to the earlier basic layout.
Examples: RAF Balado Bridge
Night fighter stations
Night fighter station watch office (first standard type)
Plan type: 12096/41
Overview: the initial standardised watch office for night fighter stations.
Examples: RAF Twinwood Farm
Night fighter station watch office (replacement types)
Plan types: 15684/41 and 16560/41
Overview: follow-on designs replacing 12096/41.
Examples: RAF Zeals
Night fighter station watch office (limited-build type)
Plan type: FCW4514
Overview: details unclear in the surviving summary; only six are noted as built.
Examples: RAF Melbourne
Bomber stations
Bomber satellite type A
Plan types: 15898/40, 15956/40, 17821/40
Overview: plan numbers recorded; descriptive details weren’t included in the captured page text, so it’s worth adding your own research note here.
Examples: RAF Grafton Underwood
Bomber satellite type B
Plan type: 7345/41
Overview: plan number recorded; description not captured in the source text.
Examples: RAF Tibenham
Bomber and OTU satellite (later standard)
Plan type: 13726/41
Overview: introduced as a replacement for earlier bomber satellite designs.
Examples: RAF Finmere
Royal Naval Air Service designs
Watch office (early to mid-war standard)
Overview: three-storey watch office used as the standard early to mid-war design.
Examples: HMS Godwit
Watch office (late-war standard)
Overview: three-storey watch office used as the late-war design.
1945–1960 control tower types
Very heavy bomber station control tower (late wartime design)
Plan type: 294/45
Overview: a three-storey design, noted as the last wartime type. Built at Heathrow, Lakenheath, Marham, Sculthorpe and West Raynham.
Examples: RAF West Raynham
Control tower (Korean War era)
Plan type: 5223a/51
Overview: designed during the Korean War period and built at several key stations including Biggin Hill, Brize Norton, Fairford, Greenham Common, Mildenhall, North Weald and Upper Heyford.
Examples: RAF Greenham Common
Control tower for V bomber stations
Overview: two-storey type built only at Gaydon and Wittering (1953–55).
Examples: RAF Gaydon
Control tower, vertical split control type
Plan type: 2548c/55
Overview: two-storey post-war design and the most common of the period (17 built).
Examples: RAF Manby
Local control, side-by-side type
Plan type: 7378a/55
Overview: single-storey design recorded as built only at Swinderby and Waddington.
Examples: RAF Swinderby