No luck on the 'notables' but I did find a nice image of this aircraft in flight (Flintshire Records Office).
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Interesting....Both photos taken on the same day.
All I've found out about the people in the picture thus far is The Chester Observer no longer exists!
Onwards and upwards......Comment
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he ended up with a DFC too
Per Ardua
We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no ones beenComment
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It's VERY unusual.
The usual system was for the donor to receive a photograph (one) of their aircraft, produced under a pooled arrangement by the Air Ministry's Photographic Reproduction Branch or by the Ministry of Supply. The photographs of these aircraft were widely published in the press. The Ministry of Aircraft Production, later, from 1942 in cooperation with the Air Ministry's Press Office, provided updates of their exploits. I would expect that one photograph to look something like that you originally posted, but because it is clearly one of a series I suspect it is not an official presentation photograph at all, but rather one organised by the Vickers publicity department.
I think that much more of an event was made around the dedication of this Wellington because it had been paid for with monies raised by the Broughton workforce. I'm sure that this was seen as a very good propaganda opportunity.
Vickers pulled off another propaganda coup in 1943 when they built a Wellington in just under 24 hours. LN514 was also built at Broughton.Comment
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I have found some information on the notables. The Anglesey Archives state of the image posted by Ron:
"Standing in front: the works manager and his wife, the assistant manager and the test pilot wearing light coloured trousers."
Now we just need some names.Comment
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This https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_Wellington_LN514 suggests that the company test pilot was Gerald Whinney.
PeteComment
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This might be of further interest to members....
The names of the folks in the opening picture on this thread has been solved. Been a while, but I eventually got there, thanks to this book that came through the post today from ebay for £1.99 incl. p/p!
...and look what's on the back cover.
The players.
Left to right - Tommy Lucke, Vickers Test Pilot. Gordon Montgomery, Works Manager. Bernard Duncan, Superintendent and Miss Scott, a senior secretary. she cut the ribbon.
Of the £20,000 cost of the bomber, the Broughton work force raised £15,300. Vickers Ltd. providing the rest. pretty good going considering a worker's weekly wage at the time was around £2.10s.(£2.50)
This aircraft (R1333) crashed on Dec. 1940 during take off and never went on a bombing mission. It's replacement R1516, was given the same name, and was later lost on operations.
A few other facts I've gleaned during a flitting through the book....
5246 Wellington bombers were built at Broughton.
235 Lancasters, including the one still used with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. (PA474)
62 Mosquitos.
W R1296 was used in the film 'Target for Tonight' All the cast were the actual crew members going about their respective duties.
W L7818 was the aircraft New Zealander Sgt. James Allen Ward was flying in when he won a V.C. He crawled out onto the wing of his Wellington to extinguish a fire, enabling the aircraft to return safely.
W L7788 crashed in Holland and was repaired by the Germans and flew again in Luftwaffe markings......
Finally.....
Through other channels of enquiry, I found out the Welsh Dragon flag seen on the side of the Broughton Wellington, was painted on by one Stan Richards of Bangor, N. Wales.
Under the flag is a motto.
'Gwae I Chwi Frenin Y Gwiberod' which translated means (I hope!) 'Dawn to the King of Squirrels' - I don't know why either!
If any of the above is wrong, don't blame me. I'm just the typist!
Thanks to those who contributed their help and useful information after I posted my initial enquiry. All much appreciated.
So there you go. I'm off to have me a proper read of the book.
Your Servant,
Lord BeaverbrookComment
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Some great research and detective work all round!:thumb2:Comment
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Excellently done, though from the Minister for Aircraft Production I would expect no less.
It appears that the Welsh archive I quoted has miscaptioned the image, as Miss Scott would have been understandably surprised to find out that she was billed as Mrs Montgomery!
Cheers
Sir Alec CairncrossComment
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"Gwiberod" means adders (vipers), not squirrels! I think the motto is something like "Woe to you, you king of adders".
PeteComment
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Great to get a nice, combined result chaps. It's been an interesting exercise and I've learned new stuff to boot....
Thanks Sir Alec for helping to keep aircraft production producing!
Peter. The motto being - 'Never trust Google Translation'. Thank you for the correction to something more in keeping - squirrels indeed!
RonComment
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....just a quick add-on prompted by my wife.
I was reading to her the total number of aircraft built at Broughton. I mentioned the 65 Mosquitos built there. She asked if I remembered the one that used to operate out of Broughton (Or Hawarden ,as it was sometimes called) and how we watched as it regularly flew over our house. Yes I did, and what a wonderful sound the engines made!
Unfortunately it crashed and was destroyed at Barton Airfield nr. Manchester in 1996.Comment
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