I suppose this query has been sparked in part by the recent documentary about wartime Wellington production, which portayed a hard working, dedicated workforce giving up precious spare hours to build a bomber in record time. The programme, like most of its type, suggests that the civilian workforce were toiling hard and loyally to provide “our boys” with the tools to do their job.
However, I suspect that in practice, things weren’t always as harmonious as these old propaganda films suggest.
I’ve seen occasional references to strikes in parts of the British aircraft industry during the war. For example, many years ago, I read of a study of the strikes which plagued Avro’s Lancaster production, but I’ve never been able to find a copy of it.
I’d be interested to read a comprehensive review of the actions and their effects upon production, if such exists.
Can anyone point me at such a study, or failing that, has anyone any anecdotal evidence they can repeat please?
Also, what about sabotage, was it widespread and what might have triggered it?
All leads welcomed!
By: ZRX61 - 11th October 2010 at 15:42
As I understand it, the shift is on, more fighting is being done by drones than manned aeroplanes.
A rethorical question, “In general terms,how long can a drone stay aloft compared to a manned aeroplane?”
Another rethorical question “Which is the most cost effective?”
They are the typical drivers that are powering the shift and that puts the focus back to my original point, the people at home are directly involved in the killings and that drives yet another set of ponderables.
cheers
cheers
However, your wild claim of 40,000 drones in the Afghan/Pakistan area amounts to one drone for every 2 troops on the ground which is frankly ridiculous.
By: Frazer Nash - 11th October 2010 at 11:46
Quite a few drones on this thread………..:p
By: Graham Adlam - 11th October 2010 at 11:33
Industrial action, British aircraft industry, WWII? here we go again Allan are you applying some sort of accent that others cannot understand???:rolleyes:
I think I’ll drag my drone out of the shed, its controlled by my computer so I can kill anyone I want at a distance, I have a target in mind just get my coords from google earth. As soon as I have done I am going on strike.
By: Proctor VH-AHY - 10th October 2010 at 22:55
Those ones aren’t dropping bombs on kids or launching missiles at them….The actual number of operational drones dropping bombs or launching missiles is in the dozens.. NOT 40,000..
As I understand it, the shift is on, more fighting is being done by drones than manned aeroplanes.
A rethorical question, “In general terms,how long can a drone stay aloft compared to a manned aeroplane?”
Another rethorical question “Which is the most cost effective?”
They are the typical drivers that are powering the shift and that puts the focus back to my original point, the people at home are directly involved in the killings and that drives yet another set of ponderables.
cheers
cheers
By: ZRX61 - 8th October 2010 at 15:05
Union membership was was a ‘requirment’ or else it seems, certainly this was the still the case when I finished my apprenticeship circa 1975. Anyone know if this still applied to the vast numbers of ‘new’ aircraft industry workers during WW2?
Chumpy.
I found an old WWII newsparer & in the “vacancies” section they list different wages for:
Local Males
Out of town males
Females
Coloureds…
By: Graham Adlam - 8th October 2010 at 11:46
Program on sky right now World at war.
By: steve_p - 6th October 2010 at 17:30
The image of “New Propellor” is interesting. I didn’t realise Bleriot’s had a factory in England (East Anglia) during the war – anyone know what they produced?
Roger Smith.
Defiants? I Wonder if the artist meant to write Boulton & Paul?
By: RPSmith - 6th October 2010 at 15:08
The image of “New Propellor” is interesting. I didn’t realise Bleriot’s had a factory in England (East Anglia) during the war – anyone know what they produced?
Roger Smith.
By: ZRX61 - 6th October 2010 at 06:42
The source is the ABC (The Australian National Radio/TV/Internet Broadcaster).
The drones included vehicles that detect roadside bombs and defuse them, ones that detect land mines etc – the list grows every month. It is a paradym shift much the same as aircraft were to the navel battleships, machine guns were to calvery charges.
ZRX61 I guess you will need to get yourself a bit more up-to-date. Even my local airfield has a number of UAV’s operating from it (Boeing ScanEagles).
cheers
Those ones aren’t dropping bombs on kids or launching missiles at them….The actual number of operational drones dropping bombs or launching missiles is in the dozens.. NOT 40,000..
By: Arabella-Cox - 5th October 2010 at 23:59
…only if it serves British beer! :p
By: Frazer Nash - 5th October 2010 at 23:10
You Frazer Nash, are probably reading these posts in Australian and can get Proctor’s drift. I’m reading them in English and they hurt my eyes.
Ha! I rather like that, must remember it for future occasions! Very well put.
Right. Down to the pub??
By: chumpy - 5th October 2010 at 22:23
Some while back I picked up a 1936 vintage union newsletter the ‘New Propellor’..Organ of the aircraft shop stewards national council.
Makes for interesting reading, dim view of the vast profits made by the aircraft industry bosses. Articles relating to union action at various factory’s around the country..support for the legitimate goverment in Spain etc….Only slightly left of centre!!
Union membership was was a ‘requirment’ or else it seems, certainly this was the still the case when I finished my apprenticeship circa 1975. Anyone know if this still applied to the vast numbers of ‘new’ aircraft industry workers during WW2?
Chumpy.
By: Pondskater - 5th October 2010 at 21:40
Some detail on the Henshaw/Spitfire incidents here: http://spitfireforums.com/index.php?topic=198.0;prev_next=prev#new
– at the foot of the thread.
Interesting. I haven’t found any more on that but did find an apparent spying incident at Crewe, an employee imprisoned for having a cine film of aircraft engines. Also in Hansard.
It highlights the two possible offences – these incidents were prosecuted under the Defence Regulations. There was also the Treachery Act for more serious incidents.
By: D1566 - 5th October 2010 at 17:19
I read that as well, but it was a long time ago and I can’t remember where- as I recall, the pilot earned about £6 a week, the worker £8.
Mike
I think it was in Larry Forresters Biog of R.R.S.Tuck ‘Fly for Your Life’
By: masr - 5th October 2010 at 17:04
I unremember the source, but there was a nice quote from a wartime RAF pilot who had been comparing (unfavourably) his daily pay rate with an airfield construction worker .
“Ah” said the construction worker “but of course, I have to work through air raids”.
Probably apocryphal but none the less amusing.
I read that as well, but it was a long time ago and I can’t remember where- as I recall, the pilot earned about £6 a week, the worker £8.
Mike
By: Creaking Door - 5th October 2010 at 16:04
Interesting photo, highly unlikely to be rooted in sabotage though…
Agreed, but almost impossible to detect once assembled and apparently not detrimental to engine function either (at least in the short term). I removed this bearing from part of the engine of Hurricane P3830, piloted by Pilot Officer R.A.Kings of 238 Squadron, that was shot-down on the 26th September 1940.
By: 12jaguar - 5th October 2010 at 15:24
Interesting photo, highly unlikely to be rooted in sabotage though. We still get instances today of incorrectly manufactured items despite the advent of ‘good’ Quality Control Systems. Anyone familiar with the RAF F760 defect investigation will be all to aware of some of the defects that slip the net and still get fitted to aircraft.
By: Creaking Door - 5th October 2010 at 15:12
Right engine…..but not from the camshaft (turning faster ;))…
…and yes, one of the rollers was missing! 😮
By: D1566 - 5th October 2010 at 15:03
The sabotage or mistake theme is interesting. Here is a photograph of a bearing from a wartime aircraft in exactly the condition (apart from washing in petrol) it was removed from a sub-assembly. See the problem?
I’ll post full details later but does anybody care to guess which bearing it is?
Missing roller – Merlin Camshaft?
By: Beermat - 5th October 2010 at 14:57
Some detail on the Henshaw/Spitfire incidents here: http://spitfireforums.com/index.php?topic=198.0;prev_next=prev#new
– at the foot of the thread.
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September 29, 2010 at 12:15 pm