Dumbarton
DUMBARTON: Blackburn shadow aircraft factory and flying boat launching site
Operated by: Blackburn Aircraft
Manufacturing: Blackburn Aircraft
Location: Just N of the river Clyde, S of Dumbarton town centre
Period of operation: 1938 to 1945
A MICHAEL T HOLDER GALLERY
In late 2023 it was pointed out to me by Mr Graham Frost, a great friend of this 'Guide', that the slipway for the Blackburn factory still exists. Looking at my 'Guide' I saw that I had the location listed, but with scant information, let alone any illustrations. So, I sent a request to Mike Holder, another great friend of this 'Guide' and very expert in investigations producing maps and pictures etc, to see if he could find anything? This is the result, which I trust you will agree, is way beyond anything I might have hoped for.
A SHORT INTRODUCTION
Short Bros needed to find a subcontractor to help manufacture demand for their Sunderland flying boat for the RAF, which first flew in October 1937. The Blackburn factory at BROUGH being not able to cope. This new factory was the solution. But, apart from building Sunderlands for Short Bros, they also used this factory to manufacture their own designs. This included landplanes which were loaded onto a barge to cross the Clyde for INCHINNAN.
Blackburn also had their own ideas about improving flying boat design, and the first major result was the Blackburn B-20 built here.This type first flying in 1940 with a very novel approach, having a retractable float/hull. A concept not having much appeal to the RAF and Air Ministry.
A NEW FACTORY IS PLANNED
It is often stated that the U.K. was ill equipped and unprepared for WW2. Maybe it was to some extent, I have no idea, but the aviation industry was getting prepared even by 1936. This is well illustrated here, when, in 1937, a shadow factory for Blackburn was commissioned.
This article in two parts was published in the Hull Daily Mail on the 7th November 1936. The short article was published in the Edinburgh Evening News on the 16th December 1936.
This Article One was published in the Port Glasgow Express on the 20th January 1937. Article Two was published in the Aberdeen Press and Journal on the 15th July 1937.
The short article was published in the Sunday Mail (Glasgow) on the 12th June 1938.
THE FACTORY DID NOT HAVE A HAPPY START
Almost from the time it started producing aircraft, trade union industrial disputes plagued aircraft production. Here are a few examples. This said, once WW2 started, it appears the workforce decided to really get behind the war effort to defeat the Nazi regime in Germany.
Short article One was published in the Aberdeen Press and Journal on the 24th February 1938. Short article Two was published in the Edinburgh Evening News on the 19th November 1938. Short article Three was published in The Scotsman on the 23rd November 1938. Short article Four was also published in The Scotsman, but this time on the 27th January 1939.
These items were obtained from Blackburn Aircraft since 1909 by A J Jackson. Note the factory beyond in Photo Two.
THE BLACKBURN B-49 PROJECT
These items are also obtained from Blackburn Aircraft since 1909 by A J Jackson.
For me at least, the basic concept and layout similarities are very close to the Saunders Roe Princess, although they took it to another more advanced level.
The Factory One picture was obtained from Secret Scotland with the factory itself superimposed. Factory Two is from Google Earth © c.2002 with the factory superimposed.
THE BLACKBURN B.26 BOTHA
Photo One is from Blackburn Aircraft since 1909 by A J Jackson, as is the excerpt. Photo Two was obtained from Wikipedia.
Right from the start the B.26 Botha was not a success, with a couple of major shortcomings. It was underpowered and had control in flight issues. The latter being resolved it seems, but not the former. It did enter service as a reconnaissance and torpedo bomber, but was quickly withdrawn to serve in secondary roles such as training and target towing. Nevertheless some 580 were built, 380 at BROUGH and 200 here. Those produced here were put onto a barge to cross the Clyde to INCHINNAN.
THE SLIPWAY
The Google Earth © detail is c.2002. Slipway One and Two were obtained from Secret Scotland.
THE BLACKBURN ROC FLOATPLANE
This photo and the excerpt are both from Blackburn Aircraft since 1909 by A J Jackson.
The excerpt is from Geograph.org. The area view is from my Google Earth © derived database. The excerpt does contain one very major error, stating that Sunderland flying boats were built "entirely at this site". In fact they were also built in the Shorts factories in Rochester, (KENT), Belfast and at White Cross Bay on Lake Windermere in the Lake District.
THE SHORT S.25 SUNDERLAND
Perhaps largely overlooked today, the Short Sunderland, with around 750 being built, was a major contributor to the Allies winning WW2. Not least because of the vital role it played in the 'Battle of the Atlantic'. Indeed, the Sunderland was the only effective long range aircraft Coastal Command had until the arrival of the two types from Consolidated in the USA. The PBY-5 Catalina flying boat, and the land based B-24 Liberator.
When operating in areas within reach of German land based aircraft, it was nicknamed by the Luftwaffe as the "Flying Porcupine". Indeed, if it could get down low enough over the sea, it could defend itself admirably, gaining much respect from the German pilots. I would highly recommend looking into the operational history.
Obtained from the Daily Record, Photo One was taken early 1940s, Photos Two and Three in October 1945. Photo Four was obtained from International Air Power Review published in 2003.
NOTES: It appears that during WW2 this Blackburn factory built either 240, 250 or 260 Short Sunderlands depending on which account you prefer to believe.
MY COMMENT
When first making this listing several years ago I made these notes: "There is one account I found that says that this factory suffered from severe industrial disputes and strikes and one might be tempted to consider this as being most unpatriotic. On one occassion it seems, it was the management that closed the factory." See above for much more info.
I suppose this situation has to be viewed in the light of recent history at that time. Not only was it barely twenty years since the end of World War One but the workers on the Clyde has suffered greatly during the Great Depression. Now all of a sudden, it was all hands to the pumps to support the war effort. Small wonder then that not only here, but throughout most of industrial Britain, these workers were hardly impressed by the call from the politicians to fully support yet another looming major war.
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