Wind tunnels, Farnborough Heritage

Building R136 is integral with building R133 and together they house three wind tunnels, powered from a shared motor room. R136 houses the 111.5 x 8.5ft low speed wind tunnel, the circulating airduct is vividly expressed in the external form of the building.

The wind tunnel is currently equipped with a rolling road produced by McClaren Racing, which was used by Bennetton to test F1 racing cars in the 1990s.

The original floor balance remains in the building, which is a sophisticated piece of equipment, floating on air bearings and providing electrical readout.

R136 was decommissioned by the MoD in 1998. Previous uses for the wind tunnel were aircraft mode tests, weapon systems and vortex flap research, testing Post Office telegraph wires and drag tests on Olympic skiers.