This big firm made everything electrical from massive turbines to electric domestic meters. This last big building housed hundreds of women and girls. When our guide took us to study the methods there, seeing two 18 years olds in suits raised a load of catcalling. To use an American expression - ”There was a “hootin and a hollerin” like you would not believe. “

When we had spare time and were on our own, we used to take a trip through that place just for the hell of it.

When we returned, the firm did not know what to do with us. We pottered about doing some planning and in September the war started. We thought we would be better off in the design dept. Right there and then we needed advice, which no one thought to give us. This was a pet project of the Works Super. He will not see it fail. However we opted to go to design. The man who took my place many years later became the Works Super.

Now to the drawing office and modifications to the Lysander. One was to fix a ladder to the side and the plane painted all black. They became the “Moon Planes”, landing in darkened fields guided and by the French resistance. Drop off an agent and pick up another and sneaking back at low altitude.

One day I had just straightened up from being bent over my drawing when there was a bang. Powdered glass was over my desk and in my mouth. There was a hole in the window alongside me. Peering through to the hanger below, I saw a Whirlwind ready for delivery, with fuel pouring out from many holes. Looking up, I saw that there was a hole in the roof. It seemed that an anti-aircraft gun crew were practicing on the other side of the airdrome and they let one off. It was the only thing they hit during the whole war. The chunk of hot shrapnel which sailed past my head I kept for many years. If I had not straightened up when I did, I would have had to go through life with a hole in my head.

In 1940, there were air raids during the day. There were two types of warning. “Yellow” indicated that they were about, with us going to shelters as an option. “Red” meant a raid was imminent. After a while one got used to the routine - a stroll in the sun most times. However one time all hell broke loose. You should see the acceleration of the strollers.

At this time (1941) there was intelligence that Junkers had developed a pressurized high altitude Bomber, A request to Westlands to build a twin engine high altitude fighter resulted in the development of the Welkin. The disruption of the work due to air raids resulted in the move to Compton House, five miles away on the Sherborne road.

Westlands had some daylight bombings. Low level skip bombing before the barrage balloons were deployed. One bomb skipped along the road and hit an admin building killing a man. Bombers buzzed the field sometimes. After the main turning point of the War on Sept.15, it was all night bombing well into 1943. The Welkin had two new Rolls Griffon engines blown super charged for over 44,000 ft. In what looked like a Bomb bay were four 35 mm cannons. Now the pressure cabin was developed from scratch. A firm was established called “Normalair”. It was successful and eventually teamed up with Garret of the USA and was the forerunner of today’s pressurization of aircraft.

Of interest, the test pilot said that flying above 42,000 ft. he could see framed in his windshield the whole of S.W. England down to Cornwall. The Germans abandoned high altitude bombing efforts, so the production run of the Welkin was limited. In late 1943, jet engines were in. Our Boss set about designing a light twinjet bomber. At this time Westlands was bought out by the Scottish John Brown Shipyard. The concept of a twin jet bomber was too advanced to interest the Air Ministry. The shipbuilders were not going to spend their money on such a thing. However the Navy and R.A.F wanted a new fighter bomber based upon the new R.R. massive Eagle engine of 3,500 .H.P. A joint venture with a positive order.

Mr. Petter said (rightly) that propellers are out of mode. He quit and took his bomber with him to English Electric at Preston. They wanted to build a design team. So the Canberra was born. So successful that the US Air Force wanted it and had it built at the Martin aircraft plant at Baltimore. I had worked on it somewhat designing a low drag fuselage.

So at Westlands we went to work on the Wyvern. It was massive. The engine drove two 4 bladed contra rotating propellers. A silly thing happened. There was a bulkhead in front of the pilot, of a bullet proof thickness. It performed a good structural thing too. However the Royal Navy and the RAF could not agree on the thickness required. It became so heated that the RAF withdrew and so it was to be a Royal Navy plane only. The Royal Navy was a difficult outfit. One group was urging us to save weight. A following group wanted it to carry a larger torpedo. By now we were back at the factory, from the country estate. The war was nearly over and by then I was a senior stress man so called. I had responsibility for most of the Wyvern fuselage after the cockpit. I varied the thickness of metal, thicker on the sides and less top and bottom. It had never been done before but it saved weight. No one could object.

Here is a little side story showing the benefits of a small firm where one is well known. Sometimes I would get a call to the shops where something had gone wrong. Looking at the problem I could easily fix it. However I would look grave and worrisome. I would tell the Foreman that I would see what I could do. Of course I came back with a repair solution. The Foreman breathed again. Then I would say, “By the way, I have a special bracket I want to make. Can you advise me? The foreman said, “Let me have it.” And in no time I have a bracket, sand blown, high black finish etc. I could never do that at Boeing.

At this time we had a Wyvern set back. The test pilot had to make a wheels-up landing. Now you have seen propeller driven planes do this where when the blade tips hit the ground, they bend and thrash until they stop. With contra props, as soon as they tip and start to bend, they lock solid. The enormous force tore the massive engine out and killed our pilot. He was a popular man, Eric Gardner.

Well into1946 Armstrong Sidley built a turboprop which had the same power as the RR. Eagle, but it was lighter. Goodbye to the last of the big piston engines.

Installing this turboprop drove me up the wall. The exhaust went under the pilot and out of the side of the fuselage right where I had a bulkhead take most of the wing load. I remembered the early days of the girder type fuselage Hawker planes of 1936. I built a cross structure to take the load from one side to the other.

The main production lines from 1943 to the end of War was for Seafires. (Royal Navy Spitfires)

1946 was a domestic tough time. Food was scarcer and everything heavily rationed. The lend lease from the US stopped when the war ended in 1945. I was married with a youngster. The near future looked bleak. The Canadian province of Ontario wanted an influx of English speaking immigrants and they subsidized an airfare. I decided to try it. After 11 years with Westlands, I wanted more experience. Outside Toronto was the Avro Plant which during the war made over a thousand Lysanders. They had embarked upon building a long range twin jet fighter, and a four jet airliner.

I flew ahead on a non pressurized DC 4, at 7,000 ft. The heating failed. The first stop was Shannon, Ireland. I saw real food in plenty. The next stop was Newfoundland and then finally Toronto. 25 hours - sure is different today. Then I got established in Toronto, my family followed but came by boat.

I know I meandered somewhat, but it is what I remember over the 11 years. I did get the sought after experience, from its “the coming thing” to what we see today.

The decision I made standing knee deep in the headmaster’s carpet was the right one.

I counted 18 planes I was involved with design wise, and three sub launched Missiles.

We all live on our memories - may all yours be good.

Walt.