It was interesting to see the information here – which I came across whilst researching BEA apprentices. I worked upon one of the original ,maybe one of the first Kittiwakes.

It was built in a compound set aside for the purpose in the East hangers of the BEA Engineering Base, Hatton Cross LHR.

My memory is a bit vague on the details of the airframe work but many of the panels, wing sections etc. were all built onsite.

Bert Page, the apprentice instructor who was in charge of this project also ran the various gliding camps for BEA apprentices which took place at Booker Aerodrome near High Wycombe.

I was an avionics apprentice with BEA from 1964 to 1969 and my contribution to the Kittiwake was the build and installation of its electrical, instrument, and comms systems. It was all pretty basic as our Kittiwake was designed as a glider tug and was powered by an RR Continental engine – can’t remember the HP.

A friend of mine, also a BEA apprentice from the 1964 intake, built the fin and rudder and reminded me that the nose leg was very flimsy and collapsed damaging the prop.

Large numbers of pop rivets were also employed on this build – not sure if that would have continued.

The great day was the test flight, at which all apprentices involved attended along with most of the engineering base. As I remember the Kittiwake took off, not from the main runways but from one of the taxiways near the hanger.