Good Evening Ladies and Gentleman,
I just wondered if I could pick your knowledgable brains as something has been bugging me for the best part of a week. My father a few weeks ago handed me a book that he found on Amazon as he knows that I love all things aviation related. The book called Dandelion by somebody Hoffen (the first name will come to me in a mo) goes in to quite a lot of depth regarding war time Britain and the construction of Spit’s and Stirlings…….However, the book (although a novel) goes into plenty of detail explaining that in Wiltshire, Spit’s and Stirlings were made under the same roof (surely this is not the case) Does anyone know of such a place that existed?
Also, although a very small point, Hoffen in a chapter describes an American B-17 landing in Wiltshire. The author explains that the pilot deployed the undercarrige via a lever above his head, I’m sure I have seen on Memphis belle that the under carrige lever is infact positioned next to the throttle quadrant – Is this another error in the book?
Regardless of any potential mistakes, still a great read – prob’s best aviation related book I have read in a long time.
By: hindenburg - 27th April 2010 at 23:16
Sold an `Aircraft inspectors` book who worked at South Marston,had both Stirlings and Spits in it.
By: alertken - 27th April 2010 at 21:14
Honda’s Swindon site was opened in 1940 as Ministry of Aircraft Production Agency Factory, South Marston. On one site Phillips & Powis A/c assembled 488 Miles Master II/602 Master III until 1942. Short’s dispersed here after Rochester was bombed in 1940 and assembled 294 Stirling I, 124 Stirling III. They were Nationalised as incompetent in December,1942 and the type was assigned for phase out by Armstrong Whitworth, who flew 108 Stirling III in 1943. Vickers-Armstrongs, by then the effective controller of Supermarine, arrived in September,1942, co-ordinating Spitfire output with Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory. The first from S.Marston was January,1944. So, while Spit+Stirling were not “under one roof”, it’s close enough for a work of fiction. Early Swifts and last Spits were under this one roof in 1949.
By: Gavin.H - 27th April 2010 at 20:57
Thanks Bill, could it be Honda you were thinking of?
Regards
Gav
By: Ballykellybrat - 27th April 2010 at 20:54
South Marston, 3 miles to NE of Swindon. The shadow factory here built Stirlings from 1941 & Castle Bromwich used it for Spitfire work. Not sure whether there was an overlap of the two though. Now a car factory (Nissan?)
Bill
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April 27, 2010 at 8:25 pm