Shadow Factory Casualty

Monday 20^th October 1936

A flicker of trouble passed across the generally happy scene of the shadow factory programme of the Air Ministry under which established, large manufacturer in the automotive sector built military aircraft factories alongside their existing plants to provide extra capacity. One of the participating companies – fortunately one of the smaller ones – pulled out of the scheme just as it was being awarded a firm production contract.

Behind this lay the sad story of Wolseley, one of the pioneers of the British car and aircraft industries. It was well passed its pre First World War heyday and struggled on as a minor subsidiary of the giant Vickers combine. It had decided to abandon all aero engine work and was soon to vanish entirely.