Early 1920’s. The Bessonneau hangar was a portable timber and canvas aircraft hangar originally used by the French military and subsequently adopted by the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) during World War One. Many Bessonneau hangars were also subsequently used by the fledgling Royal Air Force (RAF), or at early civil aerodromes as temporary structures until more permanent facilities could be built. The four at the first Croydon Aerodrome were allocated to KLM, Handley Page, Instone and Daimler.