Tommy Sopwith’s speech at the Plaque unveiling ceremony, 20th September 2014.

Sopwith Tabloid marking 100 years of aviation in Kingston A century ago the Sopwith Aircraft Company made history in front of Turks Boat Builders with their famous aeroplane, the Tabloid. In September, with the support of Creed-Miles, Kingston Aviation celebrated this landmark moment in Britain’s race to the skies by building an accurate replica of Sir Thomas Sopwith’s floatplane, the first British aircraft to win an international air race.Many preparations went into readying the scene for the big event. And it was only appropriate that the re-enactment of the test flight would take place directly in front of the same historic building where the original Tabloid had earned its wings, known today as the Albany Boathouse. The biplane arrived in pieces, requiring that a crack team of aviation enthusiasts piece her together prior to positioning. No expenses were spared in building an accurate replica, to the extent that Tommy Sopwith, who was on hand for the event, commented that the workmanship was “bloody marvellous” and that his old man would have been immensely proud.Finally, the replica Tabloid was ready to go to the water’s edge. To mark the historic occasion, Creed-Miles presented Tommy, the son of Britain’s famed aviation mastermind, with a limited edition print of the historic Turks Boat Builders building.There was then time for photo opportunities with the fully assembled craft and for Kingston Aviation to unveil the historical marker and commemorative plaque. It was a great day for everyone involved and we were thrilled to have been given the chance to pitch in and participate in a very special day for Kingston upon Thames.

Tommy Sopwith opens the KIngston Aviation Festival (Running time 17 minutes) Footage of ‘young’ Tommy Sopwith opening the Kingston Aviation Festival on the 2nd June 2012. The three day festival was held in Kingston upon Thames Market Place and marked the centenary of Sir Thomas Sopwith bringing his aircraft manufacturing concern to the ‘Skating Rink’ in Canbury Park Road, Kingston in 1912.

Sir Thomas Sopwith documentary (Running time 29 minutes) This is a BBC documentary on the life of Sir Thomas Sopwith containing early film and an interview with Sopwith in old age. It contains Sopwith’s well known riposte to Raymond Baxter’s question, ‘To what do you attribute your great success’. His reply, ‘Pure Luck’.Sir Thomas Sopwith lived from the first days of flight through to the jet age. He died in 1989 aged 101. This film was made in 1984.

Centenary Art Exhibition (Running time 6 minutes) As well as the Aviation Festival in June 2012, a number of other events were held to mark the centenary of the aviation industry coming to Kingston. One of these was an Art Exhibition held at Kingston Museum and featuring aviation art of many famous Sopwith and Hawker aircraft. This short film by Brooklands volunteer Andy Lambert records the event.

Harrier – 1988 Documentary This rather old documentary from YouTube contains good quality film of all phases of Harrier development including footage from Dunsfold and a small amount from Richmond Road.The primary focus however is on the first generation of the Harrier jumpjet – from the P.1127 prototypes through to the Sea Harrier FRS.Mk 1.Running time 61 minutes.

The Hawker Hunter Definitive Documentary This documentary of the highly successful Hawker Hunter is introduced by Bill Bedford, former Hawker Chief Test Pilot.Running time 60 minutes.

A Celebration of Sopwith and Hawker aircraft in the air (Running time 8 minutes) A combination of various clips by Andy Lambert showing Sopwith and Hawker aircraft flying, It was created for the centenary celebration held in Kingston in 2012.

Hawker Aircraft/British Aerospace Factory, Richmond Road Ham (Running time 6 minutes) This short video shows parts of the old Richmond Road factory just prior to demolition in 1993. It was built as National Aircraft Factory No. 2 during the First World War and was used by Sopwith Aviation. The factory was taken over by Leyland Motors in 1920 but was bought back by Hawker Aircraft in 1948. The frontage was completely rebuilt in the late 1950s and the building became a Kingston landmark. It became part of British Aerospace when the aviation industry was nationalized in 1977 and was finally closed in 1992.

Cliff Bore – How it started (Running time 12 minutes) Cliff Bore, aircraft designer, explains how he was inspired. Extracts from an interview and from his book.

Sopwith Camel engine runs at Brooklands (Running time 6 minutes) This is a close up of engine runs on the Brooklands Museum rotary-engined Sopwith Camel. It was filmed at the Morris and Austin day at Brooklands Museum in 2012.

Part One – Sir Sydney Camm Centre opening. Running time – 21 minutes. This is a film of a round table discussion held to mark the opening of the Sir Sydney Camm Centre at Kingston University on 25th March 2010.The conversation here focuses on portraying Camm as he was via personal anecdotes and why he should be better remembered than perhaps he is.Participants are -:Ambrose Barber, Ray Searle, John Farley, Derek Sims, Duncan Simpson, Gordon Jefferson, David Edwards and Harry Frazer-Mitchell. The facilitator is Brian Cathcart of Kingston University.

Part Two – Sir Sydney Camm Centre opening. Running time – 21 minutes. The conversation here covers what were the hallmarks of a Camm-designed aeroplane – with contributions from the two test pilots. Also, how Camm managed to surround himself with talented people, many of whom went on to achieve great things in the aircraft industry.

Part Three – Sir Sydney Camm Centre opening. Running time – 21 minutes. Topics covered in this section are how Camm’s teams produced practical and simple designs. And what an aerospace student of today can learn from Camm’s life and work.

Part Four – Sir Sydney Camm Centre opening. Running time – 14 minutes. The conversation ends with a discussion of what was Camm’s best aircraft and with some questions from the audience.

Kermie Cam – Sopwith Snipe – Part 1 You Are There! We finally got things sorted out on the Sopwith Snipe, and it was time to take her up on her maiden flights at Fantasy of Flight. I figured why not throw a Kermie Cam on and take you along. Parts 1 and 2 feature an in depth pre-flight, warm up and taxi, including a singing wire to deal with… and then its up and away in Part 3. Hope you enjoy the ride. – Kermit Weeks (20130811) For more information on Fantasy of Flight, and other aircraft in Kermit’s collection, visit… http://www.fantasyofflight.com Subscribe to Kermit’s videos… http://www.youtube.com/user/KermitWeeksBlogVideo Follow Kermit on Facebook… https://www.facebook.com/KermitWeeks

Kermie Cam – Sopwith Snipe – Part 2 You Are There! We finally got things sorted out on the Sopwith Snipe, and it was time to take her up on her maiden flights at Fantasy of Flight. I figured why not throw a Kermie Cam on and take you along. Parts 1 and 2 feature an in depth pre-flight, warm up and taxi, including a singing wire to deal with… and then its up and away in Part 3. Hope you enjoy the ride. – Kermit Weeks (20130811) For more information on Fantasy of Flight, and other aircraft in Kermit’s collection, visit… http://www.fantasyofflight.com Subscribe to Kermit’s videos… http://www.youtube.com/user/KermitWeeksBlogVideo Follow Kermit on Facebook… https://www.facebook.com/KermitWeeks

Kermie Cam – Sopwith Snipe – Part 3 You Are There! We finally got things sorted out on the Sopwith Snipe, and it was time to take her up on her maiden flights at Fantasy of Flight. I figured why not throw a Kermie Cam on and take you along. Parts 1 and 2 feature an in depth pre-flight, warm up and taxi, including a singing wire to deal with… and then its up and away in Part 3. Hope you enjoy the ride. – Kermit Weeks (20130811) For more information on Fantasy of Flight, and other aircraft in Kermit’s collection, visit… http://www.fantasyofflight.com Subscribe to Kermit’s videos… http://www.youtube.com/user/KermitWeeksBlogVideo Follow Kermit on Facebook… https://www.facebook.com/KermitWeeks

Sopwith Snipe – First Flights – Day One Kermit Weeks takes the Sopwith Snipe up for its first flights at Fantasy of Flight. This beautiful reproduction was built by The Vintage Aviator Limited in New Zealand, but is powered by an original, vintage Bentley engine. Enjoy some take offs, landings and flybys from the ground in this two day, two part series… then go over to Kermit Weeks Youtube channel and watch from the cockpit in the three part Sopwith Snipe Kermie Cam. Kermie Cam – Sopwith Snipe – Part One… http://youtu.be/fUQCqSw-Yds For more information on Fantasy of Flight, and other aircraft in Kermit’s collection, visit… http://www.fantasyofflight.com Subscribe to Kermit’s videos… http://www.youtube.com/user/KermitWeeksBlogVideo Follow Kermit on Facebook… https://www.facebook.com/KermitWeeks

Sopwith Snipe – First Flights – Day Two Kermit Weeks takes the Sopwith Snipe up for its first flights at Fantasy of Flight. This beautiful reproduction was built by The Vintage Aviator Limited in New Zealand, but is powered by an original, vintage Bentley engine. Enjoy some take offs, landings and flybys from the ground in this two day, two part series… then go over to Kermit Weeks Youtube channel and watch from the cockpit in the three part Sopwith Snipe Kermie Cam. Kermie Cam – Sopwith Snipe – Part One… http://youtu.be/fUQCqSw-Yds For more information on Fantasy of Flight, and other aircraft in Kermit’s collection, visit… http://www.fantasyofflight.com Subscribe to Kermit’s videos… http://www.youtube.com/user/KermitWeeksBlogVideo Follow Kermit on Facebook… https://www.facebook.com/KermitWeeks

Kingston Aviation Story Part 1 – The Pioneering Years 1910 – 1913 (Running time 18 minutes) Topics covered -: Introduction to Kingston Aviation – Tom Sopwith – Sopwith’s first flight – The young Sydney Camm – The Sopwith School of Flying – Fred Sigrist – Major Hugh Trenchard – Harry Hawker – The Sopwith Hybrid – Sopwith Aviation moves to Kingston – The Skating Rink – Trucking aircraft to Brooklands – Flotation testing on the Thames – ‘Buttons’ – The Sopwith Bat Boat – The Mortimer Singer Competition – The ‘gang’ – How Sopwith Aviation became successful – The Daily Mail ‘Circuit of Britain’ race – The Sopwith Tabloid – The Schneider Trophy 1914 – Howard Pixton – Sopwith Aviation on the eve of the First World War.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 2 – The First World War 1914 – 1918 (Running time 29 minutes) Topics covered -:The need to mass produce aircraft for the war – Development of the Canbury Park Road ‘island’ site – Sopwith Aviation becomes a major local employer – The drafting of women into the workforce – New role of aircraft in warfare – The ‘trade’ and the Royal Aircraft Factory – Principles of aerial warfare – Use of aircraft for reconnaissance and spotting – Use of aircraft to attack ground targets – Strategic bombing – Development of interceptor fighter aircraft – Dogfights – Aces – Concept of air superiority – Anthony Fokker – The synchronization gear – The ‘Fokker Scourge’ – Sopwith 1½ Strutter – Tactics used in dogfights – The Sopwith Pup – Use of aircraft at sea – First landing on a ship underway – The Sopwith Triplane – ‘Bloody April’ – Manfred Von Richthofen – Pilots fear of fire – Parachutes – The Sopwith Camel – Ships Camels – The Tondern raid – Use of Camels against Zeppelins – Use of Camels from lighters – Visit of the King and Queen to Canbury Park Road – The Drawing Office – Sopwith Aviation staff – Frank Spriggs – Need to build more aircraft for victory – Winston Churchill and National Aircraft Factories – Production at Ham works – Sopwith Snipes and Salamanders – End of the war in 1918 – Sopwith Aviation’s contribution to the war effort – The Royal Air Force – Recognition for ‘the gang’.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 3 – From Sopwith Aviation to Hawker Engineering 1919 – 1921 (Running time 8 minutes) Topics covered -: The post-war market downturn – Sopwith Aviation civil aircraft not successful – New London showroom – The Sopwith Atlantic – The Atlantic crossing attempt, 1919 – The return of Harry Hawker and Mackenzie Grieve – Alcock and Brown’s successful crossing – Sopwith Aviation closes – Horsley Towers – Formation of H.G. Hawker Engineering – Motorcycle production at Canbury Park Road – Harry Hawker filled – Hawker’s funeral and tributes to him.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 4 – The inter-war biplane era 1922 – 1934 (Running time 18 minutes) Running time: 18 minutes Topics covered -: Need for new types of aircraft by 1922 – Operational requirements and specifications – the Hawker Woodcock – Fred Raynham – Sydney Camm – Camm at Martinsyde – how Camm joined Hawkers – the Hawker Cygnet – George Bulman, Chief Test Pilot – Camm promoted to Chief Designer – The Hawker Horsley – The World Long Distance Record – Metal construction – the Camm/Sigrist system of airframe construction – the Hawker Hart and its variants – the Trenchard Doctrine, ‘the bomber will always get through’ – the Drawing Offrice – how Camm ran the Design Department – the wit of Sydney Camm – the Hawker Fury and its variants – the ‘RAF choice’ – change of name to Hawker Aircraft Ltd. – Sopwith and the America’s Cup – acquisition of Gloster Aircraft – develoment of Brooklands – Hawker Siddeley Aircraft.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 5A – The development of the Hawker Hurricane 1935 – 1939 (Running time 14 minutes) opics covered -:Plans for a Hawker monoplane – Supermarine monoplanes win the Schneider Trophy – Monoplane airliners – German re-armament with monoplane fighters – The Rolls-Royce Merlin engine – Hawker monoplane based on biplane technology – First flight of the Hurricane, 1935 – Government slow in committing to an order – Sopwith orders production to begin at company’s own risk – First production Hurricanes well received – Development of the Langley factory – Government recognizes need for fighter production – Re-organisation of the RAF – Sir Hugh Dowding heads Fighter Command – Rivalry between Hawker and Supermarine – Problems with Spitfire production – Hurricane becomes the world’s fastest fighter – Munich Crisis, 1938 – Frank Spriggs tasked to maximise Hurricane production – Hurricane production at Gloucester – Hurricane production in Cananda headed by Elsie MacGill – Outbreak of World War Two, 1939 – Churchill returns to power – Lord Beaverbrook becomes Minister of Aircraft Production – Battle of France – Dowding desperate to minimize fighter loses – Fall of France, 1940 – Churchill’s ‘Finest Hour’ speach.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 5B – The Hurricane in the Battle of Britain and beyond, 1940 – 1945 (Running time 15 minutes) Operation Sealion – Numbers of aircraft on the British and German sides – Fighter Command and the Dowding System – Opening phase of the Battle of Britain – Hurricane’s tight turning circle – Eagle Day and attacks on RAF infrastructure – The robustness of the Hurricane – Pilot loses – Luftwaffe attacks on London – The ‘Big Wing’ – Battle of Britain Day, 15th September 1940 – Victory in the Battle of Britain – The Hurricane and the Spitfire – Sydney Camm, ‘This Man Saved Britain’ – Hurricane night patrols during the Blitz – Hurricane developed in the ground attack role – ‘Catafighters’, Hurricanes in the Battle of the North Atlantic – Sea Hurricanes – Hurricanes in the Red Air Force – ‘Tankbusters’, Hurricanes in the North Africa campaign – Hurricanes in the Burma campaign – Hurricane production finishes in 1944 – An essentially ‘British’ aircraft.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 6 – Hawker Aircraft Ltd. during World War Two, 1940 – 1945 (Running time 9 minutes) Attacks on aircraft factories – Design Department moves to Claremont House – ‘Roy’ Chaplin and the ‘bright young men’ – Robert Lickley and academic engineers – John Fozard and Ralph Hooper – The Hawker Typhoon – The death of test pilots – The Typhoon as a ground attack fighter – The Hawker Tempest – V.1. flying bombs – The Tempest in the push for Berlin – Churchill on the importance of air superiority – The contribution of aircraft to the WW2 victory – Production at Hawker factories in WW2 – ‘It was hard work in the war time factories’ – Frank Spriggs and wartime management – Memories of wartime camaraderie – Aircraft industry is Britain’s largest industry at the end of the war.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 7 – The Jet Age, 1945 – 1948 (Running time 12 minutes) Post war austerity – The Atlee government cuts back on aircraft development – Frank Whittle and the jet engine – The Gloster Meteor – Early Hawker jet designs – The Hawker Sea Fury – Bill Humble – Churchill’s ‘iron curtain’ speech – The Cold War – Britain’s nuclear deterrent – Fears for a Third World War – NATO and the re-deployment of air forces – The V-Force – Supersonic flight – The Miles M.52 – The U.S. supersonic programme – The Korean War – The Sea Fury in action in Korea – The Bay of Pigs – The P.1040 is Hawker’s first jet – The Hawker Sea Hawk – The Canbury Park Road factory in the late 1940s – John Lidbury – The closure of Langley – The move back to Ham Works, Richmond Road – Hawker takes over Dunsfold Aerodrome.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 8 – The Hawker Hunter, 1949 – 1960 (Running time 15 minutes) Swept wing jets – Early Hawker experimental jet designs – the P.1067 (Hunter prototype) – the world’s fastest fighter aircraft – Neville Duke and the Hawker Hunter – Sydney Camm, engineer or artist? – Churchill makes Hunter “Super Priority” aircraft – Hunter production – Problems with Mk 1s and Mk 2s – Planned supersonic Mk 3 – Government cuts end Mk 3 project – Sopwith and Camm knighted in Coromation honours list, 1953 – Sydney Camm always respects Tom Sopwith – Neville Duke takes World Air Speed Record in a Hunter, 1953 – Mk 4 and Mk 5 developments – Mk 6 Hunter becomes NATO aircraft and sells around the world – Mk 7 two seater Hunter – Sydney Camm’s aspiration to build a supersonic aircraft – The P.1121 – Duncan Sandys – 1957 Defence White Paper – Government scraps existing aircraft projects – P.1121 project scrapped – Damage done to British supersonic aircraft development – Consolidation of British aircraft industry – Hawker Siddeley and B.A.C. – Death of Fred Sigrist – Development of Richmond Road site by John Lidbury – Hawker move out of Canbury Park Rd.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 9 – Vertical Take Off and Landing, 1958 – 1965 (Running time 12 minutes) Sydney Camm dismayed by lack of government support – Strategic re-think at Kingston on future role of fighter aircraft – VSTOL and the ‘Flying Bedstead’ – Stanley Hooker and Ralph Hooper – The Pegasus engine and vectored thrust – The P,1127, a private venture – First tethered hover at Dunsfold – Bill Bedford – Further P.1127 development – First carrier landing on HMS Ark Royal – The Tripartite Evaluation Squadron – P.1127 renamed the Kestrel – NATO requirement for a VSTOL aircraft – John Fozard leads P.1154 development – No agreement over a common version for both the RAF and the Royal Navy – Labour Government of Harold Wilson comes to power in 1964 – The TSR-2 – Lobby in government for the American F-111 – Cancellation of the TSR-2 by Denis Healey, 1965 – P.1154 is cancelled in the same round of cuts – Policy of ‘cancel British, buy American’ – F-111 contract cancelled, 1968 – F-4 Phantoms ordered for the Royal Navy – P.1127 development kept low key – Success of Tripartite Squadron trials – American enthusiasm for the Kestrel – An advanced re-design of the Kestrel ordered for the RAF.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 10 – Harriers and Hawks, 1966 – 1986 (Running time 15 minutes) The Hawker Siddeley Harrier – Opposition to the aircraft in U.S. Congress – HSA Kingston – Tom Sopwith retires – Sydney Camm now ‘out of step’ with the times – Sydney Camm dies, 1966 – ‘The greatest designer of fighter aircraft the world has known’ – Full programme of works at Kingston – The Transatlantic Air Race, 1969 – Harrier ordered by US Marines as the AV-8A – The two seater Harrier – The need for a new jet trainer – Development and commercial success of the Hawk – USA buys the Hawk – The Hawk is the last entirely British built aircraft – All future projects will be international collaborations – Nationalization of British aircraft industry, 1977 – British Aerospace Kingston – Tom Sopwith opposed to nationalisation – Privatization under the Thatcher government – The Sea Harrier – The ‘ski jump’ – The Falklands Conflict, 1982 – Exceptional performance of Harriers in the Falklands – The lessons of the Falklands conflict – Margaret Thatcher visits BAe Kingston to a mixed reception, 1982 – The P.1216 remains a ‘drawing board aircraft’ – BAe Kingston and McDonnell Douglas develop a second generation of Harriers – The AV-8B and the Harrier 11 – British Harriers mothballed in 2011 – Harrier still in service 50 years after the first flight of the P.1127 – The Hawk adopted by the Red Arrows – The T-45A Goshawk adopted by the US Marines and another joint project with McDonnell Douglas.

Kingston Aviation Story Part 11 – The demise of BAe Kingston, 1987 – 1992 (Running time 7 minutes) Tom Sopwith’s 100 year birthday celebrations at Brooklands – Tom Sopwith dies in 1989, the ‘last of the pioneers’ – the reason for his outstanding success, ‘pure luck’ – The Cold War ends – The fall of the Berlin Wall – The ‘peace dividend’ means fewer fighter aircraft required – BAe decides to focus production on sites in the north – Closure of BAe Kingston, 1992 – Kingston loses its largest employer – Demolition of the Richmond Road site – The ‘end of an era’ at Kingston and tributes paid to 80 years of aircraft production – BAE Systems – Harriers and Hawks are still in service – Hurricane flies in Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – Kingston forgets its aviation heritage – Iconic buildings still remain – A proud heritage of aviation firsts.