Group. This would replace the wooden sheds built alongside the Byfleet Banking in the early days of flying. This new building would cover an area of some 46,000sq ft and provided space for five rows of Hurricane fuselage assembly lines as well as a fabric and dope shop. The building came in to use in May 1935. Ready
At this time work on the Hawker prototype F36/34 was underway, its designer Sydney Camm in overall charge. After the wings had been at- tached to the centre section of the fuselage and a Watts two-bladed propeller fixed to the front of the Rolls-Royce Merlin C engine, everything was ready for the running tests. The aircraft was given a coat of silver paint with RAF roundels on the wings and fuselage, which also carried the serial number K5083.
By the time Camm’s new monoplane prototype was approaching its first flight there were three pilots engaged in flight testing for the Hawker company at Brooklands – ‘George’ Bulman, Philip Lucas and John Hindmarsh. ‘Johnny’ Hindmarsh had another connection with Brooklands – as a racing driver. He was somewhat unique as he only took part in long distance events for sports cars, such as the Junior Car Club’s Double 12 races in 1930 and 1931, driving a Talbot, and the BRDC 500 Mile Races from 1930 to 1932 (Talbot) and in 1934 (Singer). Although not placed in any of these events, his appearances at Le Mans were more successful. In the 1930 24-hour race he drove a Talbot into fourth place, retired in 1931 (Talbot) and 1934 (Singer) but came first the fol- lowing year driving a Lagonda with Louis Fontes. Hindmarsh, who lived in Cobham, was married in September 1931 to another racing driver with a Brooklands history – Violet Cordery. After flying army co-operation aircraft for the RAF, in
35
The final production Hurricane – PZ835 ‘Last of the Many’ being rolled out from the Hawker factory at Langley on 27th July 1944 (Brooklands Society Archive).
February 1935 he joined Hawker’s as a produc- tion test pilot. On 6th September 1938, whilst testing a Hurricane (L1652) he crashed to his death on St George’s Hill, Weybridge. On the morning of Wednesday 6th November 1935, three years earlier, the prototype, K5083, with ‘George’ Bulman at the controls was ready to venture out on to the Brooklands grass airfield. ‘
...the tarpaulins were removed and the Hawker fighter was taken out of the Brooklands hangar. It was a clear day and the silver plane glistened in the faint, wintry sun. A few of the Hawker staff whistled in appreciation of the sight of the solid but graceful machine, ready for her first flight.’ Hurricane by Leo McKinstry, Murray 2000
Sydney Camm had driven over from Kingston to witness this momentous event. It was just 11 months since the issue of the first drawings in the Design Office. One witness, Bob Shaw ’an old Sopwith ‘boy’‘ recalled the sight of the ‘little silver monoplane with its brightly polished cowling panels and huge Watts propeller seemingly turn- ing very slowly... the tremendous roar from the Merlin as Bulman thundered across the aero- drome, tail lifting and off and away, low over the banking of the motor track in no time at all. For more than half-an-hour we waited George’s return and then, there he was turning in, side- slipping crab-wise over the road, once more the big propeller turning ever so slowly – as if the engine was no more than ticking over; a burst of throttle as he kicked the aircraft straight, a moment of almost silence as the plane seemed to lose speed quickly, and then the tail dropped a
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
