Photos of a huge WW.2 aircraft graveyard in Arizona in 1947
Discussion
I have often been in Kingman AZ on old Route 66, but had no idea that this ever existed....now all gone away........
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TJk1jqzjYU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TJk1jqzjYU
I remember reading an article (a few years ago so slightly hazy memory on the details) about an american chap who post war purchased a very large number of aircraft in 'storage' like in the video for something silly like $200,000. He first drained all the fuel tanks of the remaining few gallons in each aircraft and in selling the fuel on immidiately made his intial investment back. He then began scrapping the aircraft and made a small fortune in aluminium and other metals. Korea rolled around suddenly the air force was looking urgently for parts for some aircraft (P-51 maybe) so he sold various components which he hadn't scrapped to them at prices many times what he paid for them. Overall a good earner for a few years!
Can't remember any names/details so if anyone has a link it would be appreciated.
Can't remember any names/details so if anyone has a link it would be appreciated.
The second worst airliner accident in the UK (after the Staines Trident crash and ignoring Lockerbie - which wasn't an accident) happened at Llandow.
An Avro Tudor with 83 people on board, crashed returning from Dublin in 1950. It was a rugby charter flight and most of the 80 who died were Welsh club rugby players.
An Avro Tudor with 83 people on board, crashed returning from Dublin in 1950. It was a rugby charter flight and most of the 80 who died were Welsh club rugby players.
clarkey said:
I'm not sure if its true, but I was told slough trading estate started this way too - he bought the land as a storage yard full with ex-military vehicles and things, gradually sold it all, and then built a trading estate on it when it was empty. Could be b*llocks of course.
Yep its true,the estate was built in great haste in 1918 but the war finished before it was completed.It was then used to rebuild and repair all the surplus vehicles for disposal.it was then acquired by the Slough Trading Estate Company who sold off all the spare parts and build factories Lola cars were based there and build the GT 40's there for Ford and Thunderbirds was also filmed there.
topsparks said:
clarkey said:
I'm not sure if its true, but I was told slough trading estate started this way too - he bought the land as a storage yard full with ex-military vehicles and things, gradually sold it all, and then built a trading estate on it when it was empty. Could be b*llocks of course.
Yep its true,the estate was built in great haste in 1918 but the war finished before it was completed.It was then used to rebuild and repair all the surplus vehicles for disposal.it was then acquired by the Slough Trading Estate Company who sold off all the spare parts and build factories Lola cars were based there and build the GT 40's there for Ford and Thunderbirds was also filmed there.topsparks said:
Yep its true,the estate was built in great haste in 1918 but the war finished before it was completed.It was then used to rebuild and repair all the surplus vehicles for disposal.it was then acquired by the Slough Trading Estate Company who sold off all the spare parts and build factories Lola cars were based there and build the GT 40's there for Ford and Thunderbirds was also filmed there.
In its heyday in the 50's & 60's, it was the largest industrial estate in Europe, generating its own power & using steam for district heating. A lot of proper industry was based there, actually making things. ML Aviation made delivery systems for RAF ordnance.
There were also some interesting architectural firsts, one of which was the upside down pyramid which is their HQ building.
The power station has used coal, oil, gas & s
te as fuels. There used to be rail lines criss crossing the estate but were gradually removed throughout the 80's & 90's.(hows the house build going?)
Slightly of tangent but I also used to watch the Victors being scrapped and used for fire practice at RAF St Athan, which is only a stones throw from llandow, was a very sad sight. I doubt any bits of those can be found locally any more either.
They used to look like burned out sperm whales.
They used to look like burned out sperm whales.
Smiler. said:
In its heyday in the 50's & 60's, it was the largest industrial estate in Europe, generating its own power & using steam for district heating.
A lot of proper industry was based there, actually making things. ML Aviation made delivery systems for RAF ordnance.
There were also some interesting architectural firsts, one of which was the upside down pyramid which is their HQ building.
The power station has used coal, oil, gas & ste as fuels. There used to be rail lines criss crossing the estate but were gradually removed throughout the 80's & 90's.
(hows the house build going?)
Finally got permission to demolish and re-build,just need to find the funds!A lot of proper industry was based there, actually making things. ML Aviation made delivery systems for RAF ordnance.
There were also some interesting architectural firsts, one of which was the upside down pyramid which is their HQ building.
The power station has used coal, oil, gas & s
te as fuels. There used to be rail lines criss crossing the estate but were gradually removed throughout the 80's & 90's.(hows the house build going?)
Eric Mc said:
Hawkers had a manufacturing plant and airfield very close by, at Langley.
Map of grass runway,my first house was in the middle of the main runway!
Never knew these boys were there,I had Don Bennets daughter in my shop recently,she told me she used to sell tickets in a tent at Heathrow and still has the cutlery her mother bought from Harrods for the Airline!
Plan of main buildings,you could still see the remains of the camouflage paint on the building until the day they were demolished.The plant was bought by Ford Trucks after Hawkers moved to Dunsfold as it had a concrete runway and many of the workers went from building aircraft to trucks!
Edited by topsparks on Friday 7th December 20:34
Edited by topsparks on Friday 7th December 20:35
The first Hawker Hunters were built there then transported to Dunsfold for final assembly and test flying.The runway was too close to Heathrow as their circuits conflicted.
I was brought up in Richings Park(backing on to the old runway) and my next door neighbour was the ARP warden for the area during the war,he told me that one aircraft crashed on the estate and several house's were damaged by bombs,I have pics somewhere of my old neighbours house that was partially demolished by a stray bomb and we used to play in the cellars of the old pilots mess which was Bathurst House that was flattened by the Luftwaffe.My friend lived in a house down Sutton Lane where Rolland Beamont used to stay(page 29 of his book Fighter test pilot)
I was brought up in Richings Park(backing on to the old runway) and my next door neighbour was the ARP warden for the area during the war,he told me that one aircraft crashed on the estate and several house's were damaged by bombs,I have pics somewhere of my old neighbours house that was partially demolished by a stray bomb and we used to play in the cellars of the old pilots mess which was Bathurst House that was flattened by the Luftwaffe.My friend lived in a house down Sutton Lane where Rolland Beamont used to stay(page 29 of his book Fighter test pilot)
Smiler. said:
Top work James (I see where the "top" comes from) 
When did the factory move to Dunsfold?
Ford bought part of the site in 1949,runway closed in 1951,but was still used by 124SQN ATC for glider flying which my dad can remember watching! until 1955 Hawkers moved out in 1951 when Ford took over the whole site.When did the factory move to Dunsfold?
topsparks said:
Smiler. said:
Top work James (I see where the "top" comes from)
When did the factory move to Dunsfold?
Ford bought part of the site in 1949,runway closed in 1951,but was still used by 124SQN ATC for glider flying which my dad can remember watching! until 1955 Hawkers moved out in 1951 when Ford took over the whole site.When did the factory move to Dunsfold?
In other news, I have got permission to build an extension (office)to my garage - start early 2013.
It's not huge, but is Twyford within your delivery range?
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