Brooklands Aviation - Aircraft Repair, Northampton

[YellowPinkie]

This site, now manufactures cardboard boxes, but was originally operated by Brooklands Aviation during WWII. The buildings are obviously of hangar like construction and the large doors remain, though are now walls if you catch my drift.

http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepat...=17&oz=10&gt=1

The attached photos are hanging in the staff canteen, which I have taken photos of, so there is some glare on the glass. If anyone is interested I can ask if I can get proper copies. Walking round the site, it is still possible to identify where these photographs were taken.

Only one serial, ME898, is visibile; has anyone got any history on that airframe, a date for when it may heve been in here for overhaul, what it's fate was during or after the war?

[Ossington_2008]

Best I can do: ME898 was one of a batch of 600 Wellington Xs, XIIIs and XVs delivered between Dec 43 & Jul 44. It was a Mk XIII, only served with 6 OTU and was struck off charge 27/4/45. Isn't Air-Britain wonderful?
I have seen at least some of the photos before, IIRC, in the excellent "Aviation in Northamptonshire" my copy is buried in the loft but if no-one else replies, I'll check the captions for you when it surfaces.

[buccaneer66]

I have that book I'll have a look later.

[YellowPinkie]

Wow, that was a quick response! Thanks for the info. Any captions you can provide would be helpful.

A friend works there and when the factory is shut down (rarely) it's quite easy to transport yourself back in time...

[norwichpaul]

They look like three B1s

[P Bellamy]

There's another, smaller, hangar on site.
It still had one of the door rails in place last time I went past.

Good "birds-eye" views of the place in Bing btw.

[YellowPinkie]

They use that for storing pallets and stuff now. Not sure what it would have been used for 'back in the day', but it's only big enough for one Tiger Moth. (Not that I've tried to fit one in...)

[vrufus]

My father did his Ab initio pilot training at Brooklands, Sywell in the first part of 1936 before being posted to Abu Sueir in Egypt to complete training.

Can anyone tell me if records exist still of the intakes at Sywell for these pre-war courses?

[Jenna]

Missed this one the first time...

This is the Brooklands Aviation Ltd, 'Buttocks Booth' site, in later life BA turned it over to manufacturing boats of all things!

[YellowPinkie]

My father did his Ab initio pilot training at Brooklands, Sywell in the first part of 1936 before being posted to Abu Sueir in Egypt to complete training.

Can anyone tell me if records exist still of the intakes at Sywell for these pre-war courses?

My great uncle learned to fly at Sywell EFTS during the war. We took him back a couple of years ago to revisit. Museum couldn't be less bothered, very disappointing.

Give it a go by all means, but don't expect much...