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'The early beginning of Fields
sprang from the idea of an aircraft "service station,"
which was actually started in 1933 in a hangar on the north side
of Croydon Airport. At first they handled only light aircraft,
but in 1935 its premises were enlarged by taking over an adjoining
hangar and workshops, in which two new sections—one for
the overhaul of engines and the other a detail and sheet-metal
section—were introduced to complement the work of the repair
shops. The component section soon began to take shape as a production
division, and within a year was undertaking sub-contract work
for several clients. Expansion of sites away from Croydon started
at this time, and in 1936 the company became associated with,
and later controlled by, British Continental Airways, Ltd., who
operated regular services from Croydon to the Continent. This
association continued until 1937, when B.C.A. were merged into
British Airways. Besides overhaul and repair, aircraft were modified
and converted to a variety of special requirements. Many famous
record-breaking aircraft were among those so treated. The Bellanca
Irish Swoop which, although disqualified in the McRobertson race,
turned up later as Jim Mollison's record-breaking Flash, the
Japanese Divine Wind, and Dick Merril's Vultee (which made the
first direct commercial transatlantic flight) were among them.
In 1938, the company was acquired by Hunting and Son, Ltd., and
the name changed to Field Consolidated Aircraft Services, Ltd.,
thus becoming the first unit of the Hunting Aviation Group. During
the war years, Fields undertook large contracts for the overhaul
and reconditioning of military aircraft. These included Harts,
Battles, Oxfords and Wellingtons. Horsa gliders were also produced.
The production division played a major part in the manufacture
of Wellington, Warwick and Mosquito components, while the engine
division concentrated on the overhaul of Wright Cyclones. Much
of this work was carried out by Tollerton Aircraft Services,
at Nottingham, to which base staff had been transferred in 1939.
In 1940 two further hangars were added to the single one in which
activities had originally begun, and extensive repair or conversion
programmes got under way on such aircraft as Hampdens, Liberators,
Harrows, Bostons and Lancasters. During the whole war period
F.C.A.S. and its subsidiary T.A.S. had together handled the repair
or modification of approximately 3,000 aircraft, repaired 9,600
components, overhauled 2,250 Cyclone engines and manufactured
tools and components to a total value of £1,250,000. As
military requirements decreased, Fields gradually re-established
their pre-war civil aviation activities. The name "Consolidated"
was dropped in 1946 and Field Aircraft Service bases were set
up at conveniently situated airfields all over the country. The
company's post-war policy was to provide full repair and overhaul
facilities at a price which paid operators not to undertake their
own repairs or servicing.' |
