Is this a Fairey story?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Is this a Fairey story?
Been thumbing through the latest Aeroplane with an article about the Swordfish...
This has caused some grinding of rusty, neglected cogs in the archives area of my brain and retrieved a memory of a blackish hangar with "Fairey" written on it... Those recollections place it at Heathrow in the late 70s and visible form the Queen's Building.
Am I right? Or am I thinking of somewhere else...?
I do distinctly recall the Air India hangar roughly where VAEL is now.
Cheers
Treadders
This has caused some grinding of rusty, neglected cogs in the archives area of my brain and retrieved a memory of a blackish hangar with "Fairey" written on it... Those recollections place it at Heathrow in the late 70s and visible form the Queen's Building.
Am I right? Or am I thinking of somewhere else...?
I do distinctly recall the Air India hangar roughly where VAEL is now.
Cheers
Treadders
Gnome de PPRuNe
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That sounds authentic T_M - can't see the pic, my defences are less severe at home, so hoepfully I can have a gander later on.
Cheers
Cheers
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Wasn't Heathrow built on what was originally Heston airfield, which was Fairey's 'home base'??
I\'ve been going through the Skyliners book of pix taken at LHR in 1962. There\'s no Fairey hangar in sight, but a very large black one on the South Side with HUNTING-CLAN written across it in big white letters, except the -CLAN is very faint.
Is this the one you were thinking of?
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I'm with Kolibear. My gran lived in Heston and I recall visits to her both during and after the war, and of seeing Lancaster's, and Lancastians, on finals to 'Hounslow Heath' I think it was. On a trip on the bike I would cycle round the byways for two or three miles and there was this lovely white building (painted white after the war) which belonged to Fairey's. Hunting was much much later.
I believe the M4 Heston Services are built on the site of Heston airfield. There used to be old aerial photos of the airfield and surroundings on the wall of the restaurant on the westbound side (the new building put up after the original westbound services were destroyed by fire) some years ago; possibly they are still there.
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Kolibear and PPrune Pop
I was a Fairey Aviation apprentice from late 47 to Dec 51. The apprentice school was at Heston and I used to cycle to work every day fom Hayes. Faireys didn't have a very big presence, but The Heston Aircraft company were there and were producing the Heston AOP, a twin boom job with a rear mounted pusher
piston engine mounted between the booms. I think they only built one or maybe two airframes and it never came to a firm order. It used to cruise round over Faireys main factory at Hayes at around 1500 ft. making a noise like a buzz saw and flew very slowly. The apprentice school then (around 1948) moved to Hayes. All our final assembly of the Firefly was completed at White Waltham. During my time we were making the Firefly and Gannet and the Experimental Dept was producing the Gyrodyne, and if my memory serves me right, the Rotordyne. That gorgeous FD2 came later, but my failing memory tells me that was done at Manchester.
Every lunchtime it was on the bikes down the road for a quick half hour at LHR taking pics of Lancastrians, Yorks and Tudors as well as Lincolns on ferry to Argentina. I still have the pics of most of the aircraft of BSAA that disappeared in the Carribean.
In those days you could wander all over the maintenance area on the East side. Anyway I digress. Happy Days. So Heston definitely north east of LHR.
I was a Fairey Aviation apprentice from late 47 to Dec 51. The apprentice school was at Heston and I used to cycle to work every day fom Hayes. Faireys didn't have a very big presence, but The Heston Aircraft company were there and were producing the Heston AOP, a twin boom job with a rear mounted pusher
piston engine mounted between the booms. I think they only built one or maybe two airframes and it never came to a firm order. It used to cruise round over Faireys main factory at Hayes at around 1500 ft. making a noise like a buzz saw and flew very slowly. The apprentice school then (around 1948) moved to Hayes. All our final assembly of the Firefly was completed at White Waltham. During my time we were making the Firefly and Gannet and the Experimental Dept was producing the Gyrodyne, and if my memory serves me right, the Rotordyne. That gorgeous FD2 came later, but my failing memory tells me that was done at Manchester.
Every lunchtime it was on the bikes down the road for a quick half hour at LHR taking pics of Lancastrians, Yorks and Tudors as well as Lincolns on ferry to Argentina. I still have the pics of most of the aircraft of BSAA that disappeared in the Carribean.
In those days you could wander all over the maintenance area on the East side. Anyway I digress. Happy Days. So Heston definitely north east of LHR.
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Bof, thank you for that. The mists of time fade the memory but you always know for sure that parts of it are as crystal clear as ever. Sitting on a swing in gran's garden and watching the Lancs and Lancastrians just a mile or so away is one such memory.
How about getting those pics out and placing above in our own archive. They will be much appreciated.
Thanks again.
PPP
Maybe one of your famous airfield visits eh Doc? I'll be up for it, no matter what's left!
How about getting those pics out and placing above in our own archive. They will be much appreciated.
Thanks again.
PPP
Maybe one of your famous airfield visits eh Doc? I'll be up for it, no matter what's left!
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Bof, thank you for that. The mists of time fade the memory but you always know for sure that parts of it are as crystal clear as ever. Sitting on a swing in gran's garden and watching the Lancs and Lancastrians just a mile or so away is one such memory.
How about getting those pics out and placing above in our own archive. They will be much appreciated.
Thanks again.
PPP
Maybe one of your famous airfield visits eh Doc? I'll be up for it, no matter what's left!
How about getting those pics out and placing above in our own archive. They will be much appreciated.
Thanks again.
PPP
Maybe one of your famous airfield visits eh Doc? I'll be up for it, no matter what's left!
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Thanks for the replies folks, unfortunately still can't see Tiger_Mate's pic for some infinitely cunning reason.
Reckon that I must have seen a picture of the Manchester hangar in the past and my mind has superimposed it over that of the Hunting hangar at LHR, which I do now recall, full of HS125s, the Shell GII and, no doubt, Tim Mills' beloved Falcon 20s!
Research has revealed a Fairey hangar adjacent to the central area at Heathrow up to 1964, when it was demolished to make way for further development - think that this may be it? Not that I recall it personally, I was born in '64!
Bof, totally agree with PPP, please share your photos of that era with us!
Which reminds me: I have two reels of 16mm cine film shot in the 1950s bearing the enigmatic scribble "LAP" (London Airport?) and "Air Display". I will hie them down to Jessops for transfer to VHS or CD.
Cheers
Treadders
Reckon that I must have seen a picture of the Manchester hangar in the past and my mind has superimposed it over that of the Hunting hangar at LHR, which I do now recall, full of HS125s, the Shell GII and, no doubt, Tim Mills' beloved Falcon 20s!
Research has revealed a Fairey hangar adjacent to the central area at Heathrow up to 1964, when it was demolished to make way for further development - think that this may be it? Not that I recall it personally, I was born in '64!
Bof, totally agree with PPP, please share your photos of that era with us!
Which reminds me: I have two reels of 16mm cine film shot in the 1950s bearing the enigmatic scribble "LAP" (London Airport?) and "Air Display". I will hie them down to Jessops for transfer to VHS or CD.
Cheers
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I can confirm there was a building (possibly a hangar) to the North of the A4 and well to the East of Heathrow with large FAIREY letters on it. IOW not the one 'converted to a fire hall' on the airport.
I stopped flying ex-LHR in the late 60's but I think it was still there then.
I stopped flying ex-LHR in the late 60's but I think it was still there then.
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You can see the picture here:
Manchester Airport
There is a small black hangar in the background with Fairey Aviation and the logo painted on it. Fairey assembled aircraft there during WWII and the hangars behind still bare the wartime paint.
Alternate link
If it all fails than airliners dot net word search "Ringway" years "all of the 60`s"
Manchester Airport
There is a small black hangar in the background with Fairey Aviation and the logo painted on it. Fairey assembled aircraft there during WWII and the hangars behind still bare the wartime paint.
Alternate link
If it all fails than airliners dot net word search "Ringway" years "all of the 60`s"
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Many thanks Tiger_Mate, got there with the third link! Not the hangar that I am thinking of though, I suppose I should accept that time and advancing age have indeed corrupted my brain....
Cheers
Treadders
Cheers
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Only one Falcon 20 in those days I think, Treaders. We had another couple later, one owned by Datsun UK, and one borrowed from France, French registered, which caused a certain amount of confusion when the French controller understandably answered us in their own language, and we had to ask for a translation! Not always ideal when going into Le Bourget on a busy day.
By then I think the Hunting hangar had been taken over by Terminal 4, and we lived in the new Fields Hangar. Great days. I did like the 125 as well, but F20 my favourite by far. Wish we had had a F50 in my day.
Tim
By then I think the Hunting hangar had been taken over by Terminal 4, and we lived in the new Fields Hangar. Great days. I did like the 125 as well, but F20 my favourite by far. Wish we had had a F50 in my day.
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PPrune Pop and Treaders
Re the pics. All in black and white I'm afraid. Let me have a search for the negs. If no joy I'll scan them in to the PC and txfer to this thread. Cheers Bof
Re the pics. All in black and white I'm afraid. Let me have a search for the negs. If no joy I'll scan them in to the PC and txfer to this thread. Cheers Bof
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The above posts have it about right - Heston is now under the M4 services and the Parkway Trading Estate - the main road leading into the latter is still called Aerodrome Rd. Some remnants still exist as part of the trading estate.
Heathrow was developed from Fairy's Great Western Aerodrome - originally it was going to be a bomber base ( I think) but by the time construction was advanced enough for use, the war was drawing to a conclusion and it was clearly not needed for offensive operations, and instead was designated as the new London Airport.
Well, it seems I had it close:
This is an interesting twist -
http://www.heathrow-airport-parking-...throw-history/
Heathrow was developed from Fairy's Great Western Aerodrome - originally it was going to be a bomber base ( I think) but by the time construction was advanced enough for use, the war was drawing to a conclusion and it was clearly not needed for offensive operations, and instead was designated as the new London Airport.
Well, it seems I had it close:
This is an interesting twist -
http://www.heathrow-airport-parking-...throw-history/
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You're not imagining it treadigraph. There was a big black hangar type building with "Fairey" on it in big white letters located in an open area off the back road from Hayes to Southall. It was visible from the old British Airways club that was over that way. I believe it was associated with their hydraulics business. Its hard to imagine today, but there was quite a lot of aircraft manufacturing going on down that way until the seventies. Westland built Puma helicopters in Hayes.
Gnome de PPRuNe
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That must be the one - probably saw a photo of it...
Cheers for your replies folks and looking forward to Bof's period pics!
Cheers for your replies folks and looking forward to Bof's period pics!
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Fairey hangar
Just to muddy the waters a bit, I do recall seeing an article in an aviation mag a few years ago, about early Heathrow.
The FAIREY hangar did exixt on the south side for some time, it was pre war, and its continued existence was due to some legal wrangle the Fairey's had with the air ministry. This went on for years, and the hangar was finally demolished sometime in the mid sixties I think. I used to live around that part of the world for about 20 years at various RAF locations, and I used to fly models at Cranford park, whiuch is just across the road from the old Heston aerodrome. the model club had been in existence since 1933, and pre war, was allowed to fly on Heston at weekends i beleive! (the owner was also a keen model flyer) I always thought it was strange being allowed to fly models so close to Heathrow ( about a mile north of the BA hangars) but I was told we had been there longer than Heathrow had, so we had sort of grandfather rights! good to see some Heston stuff on here, wasnt it where Chamberlain waved his piece of paper in 1938?
The FAIREY hangar did exixt on the south side for some time, it was pre war, and its continued existence was due to some legal wrangle the Fairey's had with the air ministry. This went on for years, and the hangar was finally demolished sometime in the mid sixties I think. I used to live around that part of the world for about 20 years at various RAF locations, and I used to fly models at Cranford park, whiuch is just across the road from the old Heston aerodrome. the model club had been in existence since 1933, and pre war, was allowed to fly on Heston at weekends i beleive! (the owner was also a keen model flyer) I always thought it was strange being allowed to fly models so close to Heathrow ( about a mile north of the BA hangars) but I was told we had been there longer than Heathrow had, so we had sort of grandfather rights! good to see some Heston stuff on here, wasnt it where Chamberlain waved his piece of paper in 1938?