Beardmore Aviation: The Story of a Scottish Industrial Giant's Aviation Activities
Catalogue record
- Author
- Charles E. MacKay
- Subject
- Scottish Aviation History
- Published
- 8 September 2012
- Publisher
- Charles E. MacKay Books
- Pages
- 238
- Format
- Paperback
- Size
- A5, 148 by 210 millimetres
- ISBN
- 9780957344303
Cite this book
MacKay, Charles E. (2012). Beardmore Aviation: The Story of a Scottish Industrial Giant's Aviation Activities. ISBN 9780957344303. https://charlesmackaybooks.com/books/beardmore-aviation
About this book
A study of aircraft production before and in World War One, including Admiralty procurement of airships. The study continues with the evolution of the aircraft carrier and early flight operations on carriers. The evolution of the Sopwith aircraft produced by Beardmore is included with Camel operations off cruisers and the carriers Argus and Furious. The book has accurate production figures deeply researched from the Beardmore archive records in Scotland and London with never before published with contract numbers.
Beardmore Aviation is profusely illustrated with many original images. Covering the aviation history of the Scottish company, William Beardmore & Co., Ltd from 1913 to 1930 at Dalmuir, Clydebank and Parkhead, Glasgow. Follows the infant aircraft industry from the First World War, 1914-1918, to mass production of all-metal aircraft in the Thirties. The book is broken into sections covering aircraft production, the aero-engines, the airships and an in depth history of the first aircraft carrier H.M.S. Argus. The book gives an insight to the production programmes of aero-engines and aeroplanes in the First World War by the British Ministry of Munitions for the air services including the infant Royal Air Force (RAF). It also covers early aircraft trials on carriers by the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) The book covers the pre-war DFW and ends with the mighty Beardmore Inflexible. Airships and the Admiralty airship programme are not neglected and includes a description of airship and aircraft production at Inchinnan. Covers the early military history of Renfrew Airport in the First World War to the foundation of the Auxiliary Air Force in the twenties.
Read the full description
Each section is supported by tables of statistics and the book has a comprehensive bibliography and appendix. It sheds light on the Beardmore Tornado engine and the R101 disaster and the evolution of the aircraft carrier. All aspects originally researched with the book receiving five star reviews. 238 Pages profusely illustrated in 61000 words and has proved an excellent reference work for students, historians and general readers alike. Printed 2012 (once) 2013 (three times) 2014 (once) 2015 (once) 2017 (once) now in continuous print due to demand
The book has engine and airframe totals and production figures for the First world War which are rarely published
This is not a compendium of Wikipedia articles, this is an original work and is not an on-demand print or a compilation of search answers from web sites
· Has the history of the deployment of the Sopwith Pup and the Sopwith Camel with the R.N.A.S. with combat details and early aircraft carrier deployment. The tests on H.M.S. Furious and the Tondern raid are covered. Includes the loss of Dunning on the hybrid carrier Furious. Other aircraft are included such as the Wight Seaplane, the Nieuport XII, the pre war D.F.W.s the B.E.2C culminating in the production of the Handley Page V1500. Beardmore designs are included including many of the projected aircraft.
· Describes in detail the interception and shooting down of the Zeppelin L53 on 11 August 1918 by Stuart Culley in the Beardmore Camel N6812 which is preserved in the Imperial War Museum.
· Covers the development of the Handley Page V1500 and the Rolls Royce Eagle aero-engine. Its deployment with the Independent Air Force and Afghanistan and in France at St Blin with the American Army Air Service.
· Investigates aero-engine development by the Ministry of Munitions at Arrol Johnston and Siddeley Deasy. Covers the aero-engine programmes with statistics, never before published.
· An in-depth history of H.M.S. Argus from 1918 to her scrapping in 1946 including Chanak, Shanghai and Operations Torch and Harpoon. Covering the first aircraft carrier landings by Bell-Davis from RAF Turnhouse and ends with the last flight of a Swordfish in September 1944. There are details of her after action damage in Operation Torch
· Has the history of the airship and the four airships built at Inchinnan including R.34 and R.36. It also cover the manufacture of kite balloons deployed on ships.
· Has the history of the British Rohrbach Inverness and Inflexible all metal aircraft.
· The aero-engine section has the history of the Beardmore Tornado and its influence of the R101 airship disaster. The Beardmore 120/160 h.p. engine and the aircraft it powered are included. This includes the deployment of the American F.E.2b and the Armstrong Whitworth "Big Ack.". Also covers accurately the history of the Beardmore Halford Pullinger (B.H.P.) aero engine and the DH9 programme ending with the Siddeley Puma and Tiger engines. There are further details of work on experimental diesel engines including the Beardmore Hurricane and Beardmore 12 cylinder flat twelve.
· The air school at Renfrew - the original Renfrew Airport - has a list of all aircraft deployed at the airfield how the school was set up to its closure in 1928. Mentions how the Auxiliary Air Force was set up. There is a complete list of school aircraft including the Avro 504, Bristol Fighter. Bristol 89 and Bristol 89a. This included the Pollockshaws and Springburn Park air crashes.
· The appendix covers aircraft production in the UK during the First World War, armament production. The account of Adolph Rohrbach and Rohrbach Aircraft possibly the only account of Adolf Rohrbach's aircraft development in print, with production figures and totals etc. The Beardmore 2 Pounder - Axel Bramberg, Beardmore Farquhar machine gun, Pullinger at Arrol-Johnston and much more. Included is the history of aircraft production in Glasgow and the West of Scotland, set up by the Weir brothers, and an insight to the setting up of Renfrew Airport. There is also a comprehensive bibliography
The information is not available in any other publication.
Frequently asked questions
What does Beardmore Aviation cover?
The book documents William Beardmore and Co Ltd's aviation activities from 1913 to 1930 at Dalmuir, Clydebank and Parkhead in Glasgow, including aircraft, aero-engines, airships, and the first aircraft carrier HMS Argus.
Does it include the R101 airship and the Beardmore Tornado engine?
Yes. The aero-engine section covers the Beardmore Tornado and its role in the R101 airship disaster, alongside the Beardmore 120/160 hp engine and the BHP / Siddeley Puma lineage.
Which aircraft, airships, and Scottish airfields are documented in Beardmore Aviation?
Across 238 A5 pages (ISBN 9780957344303), Charles E. MacKay documents Sopwith Pup and Sopwith Camel carrier trials on HMS Argus and HMS Furious, Stuart Culley shooting down Zeppelin L53 in Beardmore Camel N6812, Handley Page V/1500 production, the four Inchinnan rigid airships including R34 and R36, the British Rohrbach Inverness and Inflexible all-metal aircraft, and the flying school at Renfrew Airport.
Published comments on this title
Sources are shown for attribution. These third-party comments are not first-party star ratings. How we choose these comments.
“Fills an important gap in British industrial history.”
“A valuable addition to the histories of British Aviation.”
“The Beardmore book is also a treat.”
“An excellent book on the man and the company.”
“This book is unique. A treasure trove of over 300 hundred photographs all perfectly reproduced that add immensely to the text.”
“The detail is amazing, you feel as though your back there, you can see how they produced for the Empire and the world — a brilliant read.”
“A detailed and accurate volume on quite a specialist part of a much wider subject. A well produced book, recommended for all early aviation enthusiasts.”
“The book from Charles MacKay was especially useful in filling in the gaps and clearing the mystery of the W.B.VI designations. A very worthwhile addition to my library!”
“A splendid account.”
