Hawker Siddeley is Nationalised

1970s

In the early 1970's the Manchester sites continued to produce aircraft, the missile business known as Hawker Siddeley Dynamics (HSD) ceased work at Woodford and closed a local office in Cheadle Hulme. Woodford gained a contract to convert 24 Handley Page Victor bombers to Air to Air Refuelling Tankers. The first conversion flew on 1st March 1972, and the final aircraft completed six years later. Chadderton commenced manufacturing of Airbus A300B wing components.

In 1973 Hawker Siddeley launched a new 70 seat airliner aimed at the civil regional market. Design work commenced at various HSA design offices including Woodford but the severe economic downturn as a result of the 1973 oil crisis caused the project to stop.

Development of the Nimrod continued mid-decade with MR1s being returned from the RAF for upgrade to the MR2 incorporating state of the art mission systems and thus becoming an incredibly capable Maritime Patrol Aircraft worthy of its nickname 'The Mighty Hunter'.

In March 1977 the UK MoD announced a decision to replace the Shackleton in its Aerial Early Warning (AEW) role with the Nimrod MK3 AEW. This would house GEC Avionics Ltd mission systems which would require significant airframe changes.

These changes were large radomes to the front and rear housing radar scanners. Woodford designed the airframe changes and the significant new structures were manufactured by Chadderton with installation at Woodford. The picture opposite shows the installation of the new structure to house the rear radar at Woodford.

(Colour Photograph showing) - Nimrod Mk3 AEW Modification at Woodford

The earlier concerns in 1958 of Hawker Siddeley Management about the prospect of nationalisation of the Aerospace Industry surfaced once again with the election of the new Labour Government in 1974.

The Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries act removed the aviation assets from Hawker Siddeley and whilst financial compensation was provided it spelled the end of Hawker Siddeley Aviation. On April 29th 1977 a merger of British Aircraft Corporation, Hawker Siddeley Aviation, Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and Scottish Aviation took place forming British Aerospace (BAe). Woodford and Chadderton had a new name over the gate.

One of the first actions of BAe was in 1978 to re-launch the 146 programme. Woodford recommenced the allocated design work and Chadderton started to prepare for the manufacture of the rear fuselage section with production starting in 1979.