Bristol Connies
BOAC American Aircraft Engineering Centre moved in 1949 from Montreal to Filton, alongside Line 3 HQ, staying there to 1954.
In 1946 Canada was evolving (DC-4, to be) C-4M under licence, France was exploring a DC-6 licence, and UK one for Bristol Connie. That would have been L-649/Centaurus, L-849/Theseus and is my greatest what if in UK Aero. That came to Cabinet (Cripps, MP for Bristol East, there as President of the Board of Trade) for Approval of the $ spend (set-up/royalty/parts), 22/4/47 precisely as we addressed the prospect of collapse of £1:$4. US Reconstruction Loan of July,1946 carried a commitment to render £ convertible within 12 months. Its C$ element included an offer, accepted by Govt. July,1948, for C-4M airframes for BOAC, where engines would be £.
Cabinet judged other things, like food, and timber for housing, took higher call on UK's feeble $ capacity. Each actual import of $-denominated aircraft, like BOAC's L-049s, was close-fought, required to be evidently self-$-financed from ticket sales. £ was made convertible 15/7/47, reneged on after a month as it gurgled. It was devalued £1:$2.8 in 1949 and :$2.4 in 1967, but not made freely convertible until 1979.