Fairey Aviation at Heaton Chapel

1930s 1940s

Founded in 1915 by Charles Richard Fairey (later Sir Richard) and Belgian engineer Ernest Oscar Tips, the Fairey Aviation Company
was a British aircraft manufacturer. Initially based in Hayes, Middlesex, due to large Military Contracts it expanded by acquiring the
former National Aircraft Factory site at Heaton Chapel which had become Crossley Motors and later the Willys Overland Crossley
factory.

The business was incorporated as the Stockport Aviation Company Ltd on 11th February 1936. Flight test facilities were at Barton
Aerodrome until new facilities were built at Manchester's Ringway Airport, the first phase opening in June 1937.

The first aircraft to be produced at Heaton Chapel since the end of the First World War was the Fairey Hendon Mk.II. In all 14 Hendons were built and moved by road for flight testing at Barton Aerodrome. The Hendon was the first all-metal construction low-wing monoplane to enter service with the RAF and served between 1936 and 1939.

The company rapidly expanded its northern organisation. New assembly sheds were built at Ringway, the Burtonwood Repair Depot near Warrington was managed for the Ministry of Aircraft Production until the United States Army Air Force took over in 1943 and ancillary and repair plants established including works at Warrington, Stretton, Reddish and the bus depot at Parrs Wood in Didsbury.

A large order of Merlin engined Fairey Battles was placed and the first aircraft was test-flown at Barton on the 14th April 1937 with deliveries commencing to the RAF in May. Twenty one aircraft were flown at Barton before testing was transferred to the new aerodrome at Ringway.

Stockport built Fairey Battle scored 'firsts' in WW2. One being the first British aircraft to shoot down the enemy which was
Messerschmitt Bf109 over Northern France. The other first was the award of advancing German army in Belgium.

(Monochrome Photograph Bottom Left) - Fairey Battles at Heaton Chapel
(Monochrome Photograph Top Right) - Fairey Hendon at Barton
(Monochrome Photograph Bottom Right) - Fairey Battle