Field capacity to repair, overhall, reconstuct, and build airplanes in W.W.I.I.

I'm kind of starting this thread over.

The USAAF established maintenance depots called the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Base
Air Depots at Burtonwood, Warton and Langford Lodge. For typical activities
see:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/local...ro/facts.shtml

and the related links found on those pages.

These were the sites for heavy maintenance for aircraft and ground support
equipment.

In addition there were Strategic Air Depots designed to do the same tasks on
a smaller scale (Burtonwood was the largest air base in Europe). These were
located at Honington, Little Staughton, Watton and Wattisham (1st SAD, 2nd
SAD, 3rd SAD, 4th SAD with a 5th SAD later located in France. These were
the

These depots serviced both US and UK aircraft.

A little selective Googling on these names will give you additional history.

Source: USAAF HANDBOOK 1939-1945 by Martin W Bowman and Google.

As you will see, these organizations were highly developed and the
'blacksmith shop' approach envisioned earlier in the thread was not a
necessary thing although local innovation may have resulted in numerous 'war
stories'.

Tex Houston

"Tex Houston" wrote in message
...
I'm kind of starting this thread over.

The USAAF established maintenance depots called the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Base
Air Depots at Burtonwood, Warton and Langford Lodge. For typical
activities
see:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/local...ro/facts.shtml

and the related links found on those pages.

These were the sites for heavy maintenance for aircraft and ground support
equipment.

In addition there were Strategic Air Depots designed to do the same tasks
on
a smaller scale (Burtonwood was the largest air base in Europe). These
were
located at Honington, Little Staughton, Watton and Wattisham (1st SAD, 2nd
SAD, 3rd SAD, 4th SAD with a 5th SAD later located in France. These were
the

These depots serviced both US and UK aircraft.

A little selective Googling on these names will give you additional
history.

Source: USAAF HANDBOOK 1939-1945 by Martin W Bowman and Google.

As you will see, these organizations were highly developed and the
'blacksmith shop' approach envisioned earlier in the thread was not a
necessary thing although local innovation may have resulted in numerous
'war
stories'.


Thanks Tex

I've already pointed to Mr Freck that the RAF established a specialist
repair organisation for aircraft damaged beyond the ability of the
squadron's to repair them in 1940.

Marshalls at Cambridge repaired or rebuilt over 5000 aircraft
during the war and still are a major repairer doing work for
both the civil and military sector.

They were test flying one of the RAF's new C-130's today in fact.

Keith

In message , Keith Willshaw
writes

"Tex Houston" wrote in message
...
I'm kind of starting this thread over.

The USAAF established maintenance depots called the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Base
Air Depots at Burtonwood, Warton and Langford Lodge. For typical
activities
see:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/local...an_connection/
burtonwood/intro/facts.shtml

and the related links found on those pages.

These were the sites for heavy maintenance for aircraft and ground support
equipment.

In addition there were Strategic Air Depots designed to do the same tasks
on
a smaller scale (Burtonwood was the largest air base in Europe). These
were
located at Honington, Little Staughton, Watton and Wattisham (1st SAD, 2nd
SAD, 3rd SAD, 4th SAD with a 5th SAD later located in France. These were
the

These depots serviced both US and UK aircraft.

A little selective Googling on these names will give you additional
history.

Source: USAAF HANDBOOK 1939-1945 by Martin W Bowman and Google.

As you will see, these organizations were highly developed and the
'blacksmith shop' approach envisioned earlier in the thread was not a
necessary thing although local innovation may have resulted in numerous
'war
stories'.


Thanks Tex

I've already pointed to Mr Freck that the RAF established a specialist
repair organisation for aircraft damaged beyond the ability of the
squadron's to repair them in 1940.

Marshalls at Cambridge repaired or rebuilt over 5000 aircraft
during the war and still are a major repairer doing work for
both the civil and military sector.

I wonder if that's the same Marshalls who made my Flight Sergeant groan
and hold his head in his hands when he found out that a new A/C had come
from Marshalls?

Mike
--
M.J.Powell

"John Freck" wrote in message
om...
A question has come up on anoouhter thread: Did airbases during
W.W.I.I have mini-factories near-by able to assemble airplanes from a
combination of recylced parts, mini-milled machine parts (ferrous
parts and aluminium parts, but not organic parts), and new spare
parts?

Here's a couple of things I've picked from books and museums....

The 'Block and Cube' test at RAF Halton involved each apprentice being given
a rough lump of one metal and a thin square of another, object being to
shape each piece using workshop tools that would available at any decent
base they might go on to serve at. The shapes had to be a perfect square
cube with a block it would sit in, all done to specifications and by hand.
I was told this would enable the manufacture of most, if not all, needed
parts that were otherwise unavailable.

During the Battle of Britain it was not unknown for damaged aircraft to be
cannibalised to provide spare parts for lesser damaged aircraft. This would
involve any part that would allow another machine to fly within safety
limits. 'Skies of Fire' by Alfred Price has a chapter about 266 Squadron who
flew Spitfires. The Engineering Officer broke his 'pet rule' about not
cannibalising aircraft to the extent he took a starboard wing from one
aircraft (the only undamaged part overall) to get another in the air.
I assume any damaged remains would have been taken away for further
repair/disposal at a different location when time allowed, as suggested by
other people here. Marshalls of Cambridge were involved in this and IIRC
there was a small airstrip somewhere in Anglia purely for a repair factory,
allowing previously damaged aircraft to fly out.

Nick

"M. J. Powell" wrote in message
...
In message , Keith Willshaw
writes


Marshalls at Cambridge repaired or rebuilt over 5000 aircraft
during the war and still are a major repairer doing work for
both the civil and military sector.

I wonder if that's the same Marshalls who made my Flight Sergeant groan
and hold his head in his hands when he found out that a new A/C had come
from Marshalls?



Very likely given the way their motor division services my car

Keith

PS I'm kidding guys be nice to my Vectra on its next service OK ?

"Nick Pedley" wrote in message
...

"John Freck" wrote in message
om...
A question has come up on anoouhter thread: Did airbases during
W.W.I.I have mini-factories near-by able to assemble airplanes from a
combination of recylced parts, mini-milled machine parts (ferrous
parts and aluminium parts, but not organic parts), and new spare
parts?

Here's a couple of things I've picked from books and museums....

The 'Block and Cube' test at RAF Halton involved each apprentice being
given
a rough lump of one metal and a thin square of another, object being to
shape each piece using workshop tools that would available at any decent
base they might go on to serve at. The shapes had to be a perfect square
cube with a block it would sit in, all done to specifications and by hand.
I was told this would enable the manufacture of most, if not all, needed
parts that were otherwise unavailable.


I did this as part of my mechanical fitters apprenticeship
for ICI in 1968. Its bloody har work and takes a LOT
of man hours

During the Battle of Britain it was not unknown for damaged aircraft to be
cannibalised to provide spare parts for lesser damaged aircraft. This
would
involve any part that would allow another machine to fly within safety
limits. 'Skies of Fire' by Alfred Price has a chapter about 266 Squadron
who
flew Spitfires. The Engineering Officer broke his 'pet rule' about not
cannibalising aircraft to the extent he took a starboard wing from one
aircraft (the only undamaged part overall) to get another in the air.
I assume any damaged remains would have been taken away for further
repair/disposal at a different location when time allowed, as suggested by
other people here. Marshalls of Cambridge were involved in this and IIRC
there was a small airstrip somewhere in Anglia purely for a repair
factory,
allowing previously damaged aircraft to fly out.

Nick



Marshalls are based at Cambridge Airport, the runway
can handle aircraft of all sizes, the refurbish 747's and
Tri-Stars there.

Keith

Keith Willshaw wrote:

I wonder if that's the same Marshalls who made my Flight Sergeant
groan and hold his head in his hands when he found out that a new
A/C had come from Marshalls?



Very likely given the way their motor division services my car

Keith

PS I'm kidding guys be nice to my Vectra on its next service OK ?

Dad gets a courtesy car when he takes his there for servicing, albeit a
lesser model and spec.
I wonder if the same applies for aircraft servicing, take in a C130 for a
couple of jobs and fly home in a spam can instead.

--
James...
http://www.jameshart.co.uk/

"Tex Houston" wrote in message ...


I'm kind of starting this thread over.

The USAAF established maintenance depots called the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Base
Air Depots at Burtonwood, Warton and Langford Lodge. For typical activities
see:

What you bring is just what I'm describing but huge and not small: *I
never said the USA and UK militaries couldn't have huge repair,
construction, assemble, and parts manufacturing.*



http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/local...ro/facts.shtml

Quite interesting that the RAF and USAFF were able to muster large
scale, I had only put forward small-scale,
labor, technological, industrial, and financial gaints. This
facialities had to be near major airbases? It is itself a military
facility or a manufacturers' facility?


and the related links found on those pages.

These were the sites for heavy maintenance for aircraft and ground support
equipment.

In addition there were Strategic Air Depots designed to do the same tasks on
a smaller scale (Burtonwood was the largest air base in Europe). These were
located at Honington, Little Staughton, Watton and Wattisham (1st SAD, 2nd
SAD, 3rd SAD, 4th SAD with a 5th SAD later located in France. These were
the

Thank-you Tex. Burtonwood was the largest air base in Europe. My
only mistake, I'm gonna pay dearly for it too just see, is that I was
so timid as to put forward only "small factories" on major bases. Now
I have catagorical evidense of large-scale conprensive repair,
recycling, reconstruciton of all manner of aircraft all at once
occuring at one major air base and text stating smaller versions
existed on many bases.

My detractors will now claim a victory. ****ing fags they must be,
and on drugs too, I bet.

John Freck













These depots serviced both US and UK aircraft.

A little selective Googling on these names will give you additional history.

Source: USAAF HANDBOOK 1939-1945 by Martin W Bowman and Google.

As you will see, these organizations were highly developed and the
'blacksmith shop' approach envisioned earlier in the thread was not a
necessary thing although local innovation may have resulted in numerous 'war
stories'.

Tex Houston

"John Freck" wrote in message
om...
"Emmanuel Gustin" wrote in message
...
[snip]
Normal procedure was return to manufacturer and install
a replacement engine. Assembly of new engines was beyond
what would be possible on-base, and assembling one from
parts of damaged engines would be inviting disaster.


I think you must not be mechanically inclined. I don't know about
other industrial nations, but the USA is deep in mechanics. Mechanics
in the USA can make over $25/hr and with good amounts of over-time can
take home over $60,000. This means that they can have espeniive
hobbys. Just take a look at what you can get if you have a strong
middle class income and a willing to dispose of it. Small business
can make airplane parts, and assemble planes. I know people at work
who can assemble an engine. Being able to assemble an engine is very
basic to the 'mechanic'.

As an American with a lathe (two actually, 1 each metal & wood),
far more "shop" tools than most and a long history of working on cars,
I agree with them, you're barking up the wrong tree.

I'm fairly sure ever major naval combatant and suspect at least some of
the big ETO Air Force bases had machine shops; these shops would
not have been in the business of trying to build planes (even assembling
planes would have been up to others). Repairing or fabricating select parts,
sure, but there's no way one's going to take on a main spar or make an
engine crank from scratch, just too difficult to get right.

"John Freck" wrote in message
om...
"Tex Houston" wrote in message
...


I'm kind of starting this thread over.

The USAAF established maintenance depots called the 1st, 2nd and 3rd
Base
Air Depots at Burtonwood, Warton and Langford Lodge. For typical
activities
see:

What you bring is just what I'm describing but huge and not small: *I
never said the USA and UK militaries couldn't have huge repair,
construction, assemble, and parts manufacturing.*


Actually you claimed they had what you described as 'mini-mills'




http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/local...ro/facts.shtml

Quite interesting that the RAF and USAFF were able to muster large
scale, I had only put forward small-scale,

Quite so and you were wrong

labor, technological, industrial, and financial gaints. This
facialities had to be near major airbases?

In WW2 ANY point in Southern England was near a major
airbase, there are 4 ex airbases within 5 miles of my house
Bassingbourn, Tempsford, Gransden Lodge and Bourn

It is itself a military
facility or a manufacturers' facility?


Sometimes but in the UK it was most often a civilian
specialist aircraft repair company like Marshall's


and the related links found on those pages.

These were the sites for heavy maintenance for aircraft and ground
support
equipment.

In addition there were Strategic Air Depots designed to do the same
tasks on
a smaller scale (Burtonwood was the largest air base in Europe). These
were
located at Honington, Little Staughton, Watton and Wattisham (1st SAD,
2nd
SAD, 3rd SAD, 4th SAD with a 5th SAD later located in France. These
were
the

Thank-you Tex. Burtonwood was the largest air base in Europe. My
only mistake, I'm gonna pay dearly for it too just see, is that I was
so timid as to put forward only "small factories" on major bases. Now
I have catagorical evidense of large-scale conprensive repair,
recycling, reconstruciton of all manner of aircraft all at once
occuring at one major air base and text stating smaller versions
existed on many bases.


But not manufacture from scratch which was your claim

My detractors will now claim a victory. ****ing fags they must be,
and on drugs too, I bet.


How Juvenile

Keith