Kirklees aircraft-building club faces eviction in middle of Sopwith Camel project

Nov 16 2009 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Do you have room for a First World War figher plane?

The plane will then be sent to the Shuttleworth Collection in Bedfordshire, which is funding its construction.

John said: “It’s a museum of flyable airplanes dating from before the Second World War. They hold air shows throughout the summer.”

But the uncompleted plane will have to be put in storage unless a new workshop can be found.

John said: “It would have to go down to be stored in Shuttleworth’s, but they have more than 30 planes to service.

“It could be quite a number of years until it’s finished.”

John explained his fascination with planes began with his father’s World War Two service in the thick of the aerial action.

“I’ve been interested in aircraft all my life because my father was a rear gunner on Lancasters during the Second World War,” he said.

John joined Northern Aeroplane Workshops in 1997 to help work on the First World War fighter.

He said: “The Sopwith Camel was designed in 1916 and went into production right away because it was a lot faster and more manoeuvrable than the Sopwith Pup.

“It was very tricky to take-off and land because it had a tendency to swing round. But, if you became experienced, it was a beautiful aeroplane to fly and the Germans couldn’t match it for manoeuvrability.”

He added he has the utmost admiration for the brave pilots who flew them.

“When you think, these guys sat in the cockpit surrounded by inflammable fabric, being shot at and juggling two levers to keep the engine running.’’

Northern Aeroplane Workshops was founded in 1973 and has built working replicas of the Sopwith Triplane and the Bristol MIC monoplane which are now based at the Shuttleworth Collection.

Anyone who can help John find a new workshop can call him on 01484 518302.

Story of the Sopwith Camel

The Sopwith Camel shot down 1,294 German planes during the First World War – more than any other Allied aircraft.

The Camel got its name from its twin machine guns.

The single-seater plane had a wingspan of 28ft and could fly for two-and-a-half hours.

Some 413 Camel pilots were killed in action, with another 385 dying in accidents.