Morris Minor Owners Club

I'm sure, some where in Spitfire history production, Lord Nuffield played a part
Any clues anyone ? Did he build a production line/ factory in Birmingham ?

over 50% of all spitfires ever made came from Castle Bromwich in the east of birmingham. Nuffield had the experience of mass production so he was put in charge of procurement

Ah ha, I knew there was a connection. Thank you.

1098 wrote:I'm sure, some where in Spitfire history production, Lord Nuffield played a part
Any clues anyone ? Did he build a production line/ factory in Birmingham ?

Morris had purchased Wolseley Motors as early as 1927.
This was significant as the purchase included Wolseley Aero Engines,He unsuccessfully tried to get the government of the day to equip planes with those power units, they were however technically behind others in the market.
He then offered to assemble other manufacturers complete engines, American or Bristol, but was again declined.
To say he was disappointed would be gross understatement.
He was offered a token scrap of meat as WW11 approached in the form of helping build parts for the Vickers Supermarine Spitfire by establishing a "shadow factory" at castle bromwich, where they also carried out a considerable Aeroplane repair operation during the war.
As war approached shadow factorys were to be established to build armaments in readiness.
Lord Nuffield did not like being told what to do,the Government of the day wanted parts manufacturers not Turn Key operations,Nuffield saw no logic in that,so they clashed.
In the event the Morris factories at castle bromwich produced more Bofors anti aircraft guns and American "cruiser tanks" than much else though.
The arguments between Vickers and Castle Bromwich during production meant that the first Spitty was delivered in June 1940, then a total of 650 had been delivered by April 1941 and despite all the initial difficulties 11,939 were produced there out of a total of 20,443 as Lambretta Lad suggested.
They also built Avro Lancasters in their spare time
Sources
Wolseley Radial Aero Engines by Peter Seymour and Nuffield a biography by Martin Adeney.

Well, thank you so much. Much more informed.

And now - there are people off to Burma to dig up some brand new ones that were buried there towards the end of the war to keep them away from the Japs.. If they are successful we could see a whole squadron of them flying over Britain!

And - Just Jane (NX611) is to be made airworthy too! One more Lanc in the air ;)

bmcecosse wrote:And now - there are people off to Burma to dig up some brand new ones that were buried there towards the end of the war to keep them away from the Japs.. If they are successful we could see a whole squadron of them flying over Britain!

And the results of that sojourn I am really looking forward to.
I can only think the almost blanket ban on information is (I hope) because a TV production company is accompanying them on the dig.
That, preceeded by all the steam programmes currently being broadcast, is certainly spicing up the screen, even the missus is drawn to Portillos Great British Rail Journeys.

In fact the Avro Lancaster bomber that is part of the RAF Memorial Flight based at Coningsby, Lincs. was built at Castle Bromwich in 1945, but didn't see active service.

Anybody with high hopes that the 'lost' Spitfires will fly again is likely to be disappointed. We know how hard it is to get a 60 year old barn find roadworthy; just think about making something airworthy that has been buried for over half a century.

However if it is managed it will be a spectacular achievement.

Well, never say never. I guess they have to be found first. There's a vulcan bomber near me, the Woodford Vulcan,I see it most days. Also saw the Bomber found in Loch Ness, at Brooklands, Surrey. Is it a Wellington ? When I dug SLM 454,a 1956 Minor Mail van, out of it's resting place in Scotland, last year, I visted Loch Ness. By the road side there is a stone plaque, where the aircraft ditched.

If you are passing Castle Bromwich on the M6 it is well worth coming off at junction 5 then heading north you are immediatly presented with a most remarkable Spitfire sculpture recalling the association between the Spitfire and Castle Bromwich factory/airfield called 'Sentinel' and which was designed by Tim Tolkien. It is comprised of several representative Spitfires supported by their vapour trails. It always brings a lump to the throat when ever I see it. The traffic island that it sits on has been renamed Spitfire Island.

Thanks Philthehill, I'll check it out on the way to Cornbury Park, this year.

Where I live there is a disused ww2 airfield and there is supposed to be a load of planes and jeeps from ww2 buried somewhere on the airfield.

JOWETTJAVELIN wrote:Anybody with high hopes that the 'lost' Spitfires will fly again is likely to be disappointed. We know how hard it is to get a 60 year old barn find roadworthy; just think about making something airworthy that has been buried for over half a century.

However if it is managed it will be a spectacular achievement.

The parts were by all accounts, waxed, wrapped in grease paper with all their joints tarred prior to being sealed in water tight transport crates.
Of course a bit depends on how efficient the lads were that were instructed to carry out that operation,if it was their last job before being sent home after all they had been through, I would not blame anyone for not caring too much how well they were stored.
I imagine once they are home there will be a lot of people volunteering to help reassemble them, I wonder if the missus would give an indefinite weekend pass........?

Cosmoline is good stuff. They did know their stuff when putting these to 'bed'. Then again, this is 70 years later..

chesney wrote:Cosmoline is good stuff. They did know their stuff when putting these to 'bed'. Then again, this is 70 years later..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmoline
I always wondered what that stuff was.

1098
See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/castle_bromwich_aerodrome
for details

Thanks philthehill,had a good read,very interesting. All that British History,it's just so good. Hope they find the Spitfires,and it will be great if the Lincs based Lancaster hits the skies again. I do hope the Woodford Vulcan is saved. The aircraft factory,runway and land has been sold. Planning permission for around 800 homes to be built on the site, has more or less been given, and I certainly will never see any more RAF Nimrods take off.
Back to a Minor Theme, I heard once, on the Turkish side of Cyprus,a number of Minor LCV pick ups sit trapped in an underground car park. Would just love to go and see them !
Thanks to all, for information supplied.

i thought the thread was going to be about this..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ja ... ds-airport