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Painted in oils on canvas. 1998. 450mm x 600mm. |
‘First flight’When the Supermarine works at Southampton was bombed in October 1940, production of Spitfires was diversified to other parts of the country and Reading became one of the main manufacturing centres. Production of the main aircraft components was carried out at Vincent’s Garage in Station Square, Great Western Motors’ Garage in Vastern Road and a factory in Star Road, Caversham. On completion, these main components were transported by low-loader lorries, known as ‘Queen Marys’, to a small RAF airfield at Crazies Hill, on the hill above Wargrave - although it was always known as Henley airfield. There, in a hangar of the same type as the one currently housing the Museum of Berkshire Aviation, final assembly was carried out. The painting shows a Spitfire destined for a Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron climbing away towards Henley on its first test flight. Afterwards, it would almost certainly be delivered by an A.T.A. pilot to one of the R.A.F.’s storage unit or to its operational squadron. Later in the war, Newbury also became a production centre for Spitfires and the components from there and from Reading were taken to the airfield at Aldermaston for final assembly. ____________________ |