National Aircraft Factory No.2 (Heaton Chapel

1910s

National Aircraft Factories (NAF) were established in 1917 in response to a sudden expansion of the aircraft building programme. This led to a change from a policy of distributing work among a large number of small producers, to concentrate instead on large aircraft production centres.

In September 1917 it was decided to create three National Aircraft Factories. Initially Croydon (NAF No.1), Richmond (NAF No.2), and Aintree (NAF No.3) were selected, but Heaton Chapel was substituted for Richmond. Crossley Motors who had experience of building aero-engines were invited to manage production of single-engine Airco DH.9 and twin-engined DH.10 bomber aircraft, designed by Geoffrey de Havilland.

Additional land next to to Crossley's Heaton Chapel site was purchased and the road extended to it given the name Burnham Road. The name however, which could be easily mis-understood as 'burn em' was considered inappropriate for an aircraft manufacturer so the name was changed to Crossley Road.

Work began in October 1917 building a new manufacturing facility covering almost 25 acres. An airfield was also created at the southern end of the adjacent Cringle Fields. Construction was interrupted by the extensive excavation required and delays in the supply of steelwork and building materials.


Although the agreement for Crossley's to manage the site was due to start on 1st November 1917, they actually began production on 31st October at Belle Vue's aircraft component and training centre, the Kings Hall and skating rink.

Within 9 months the factory had employed 1,600 men and 940 women, it was described by Government officials as "the finest of its class in the world".

In July 1918, the factory was extended for the manufacture of ABC Motor's Dragonfly radial engines in addition to DH.9s and DH.10s aircraft.

The first completed DH.9 (serial D1001) left the factory on 16th March 1918 and was towed to railway sidings in Levenshulme for delivery to No.2 (Northern) Aircraft Depot at Coal Aston near Sheffield.

It was an incredible achievement that about 400 DH.9s were delivered before the Armistice on 11th November 1918. DH.10 production was much less with seven being completed before production was cancelled.

Cringle Fields airfield was little used though the second DH.10 (serial F532) crashed on take-off in February 1919. After aircraft production stopped the factory returned to Crossley for vehicle manufacturing.

(Monochrome Photographs L - R)
DH.9 production line with a single DH.10
The first completed Airco DH.9
Airco DH.10