In message , Keith Willshaw
writes

"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

Me, too. For English Electric in '49. File and scraper work. And plenty
of 'Blue'.

Mike
--
M.J.Powell