1938-01-29 — Page 12

PAGE FOUR

THE HONGKONG

TELEGRAPH.

SATURDAY, JANUARÝ 29,

1938.

PICTORIAL SUPPLEMENT

GROWING BRITISH POWER IN THE AIR

ON WHAT WAS Just over a year ago a bare swampy field adjoining the Humber-Hill. man Motor Car works at Coventry there now stands one of the most up-to-date Aero

Engine factories in the world.

N what was just over a year ago a bare, ON

swampy

extensive field adjoining the Humber-Hillman motor-car works at Coventry there now stands one of the most up-to-date and bost-equipped aero engine factories in the world.

Known as the Rootes Aero Engine "Shadow" Factory, it forms one of the most important units In the British Govern- ment's plan, announced in the spring of 1936 by the Prime Minis ter, to create a great "shadow" aircraft industry for the purpose of building-up as rapidly as possible a big reserve fleet of military aeroplanes to meet immediate requirements for the expansion of the Royal Air Force and at the same time' ensure mass production of machines in time of emergency.

So far as the scheme applled to nero engines, five leading British motor' manufacturera were invited to participate on a co-operative basis, ench being responsible for making certain components, and in order to ensure maximum speed in gelling into production and maximum eficiency in working they were required to erect their aero engine "shadow" fac- tories in close proximity to their existing works.

The first set of components from each factory was recently completed and has been passed by the Aeronautical Inspection Directorate of the Air Ministry. The result was highly satisfactory, the quality of the work- manship being excellent. Assembly has since taken place and the Arst complete engine is now undergoing Its 100 hours continuous running test at Bristol,

MR. W. E. ROOTES and other vialtors to the new Aeronautical Engine factory at Coventry inspecting component parts of the engine which the firm is producing for the Air Ministry.

To Messrs. Rootes Securllies Ltd., who control the well-known firms of Humber, Hillman, Sunbeam, Talbot, Commer and Kurrier-the two last mentioned firms are manufacturers of commercial vehicles- was entrusted the task of planning, build- ing, equipping and managing the splendid new factory which now adjoins the Hum- ber/Hillman works.

Not the lenst of the many dimeulties with which they were confronted was that of obtaining and laying-out the several hundred thousand pounds worth of the most modern and elaborate machine tools with which the factory is equipped, ns well as the obtaining and training of the neces- sary staff and operatives.

That all this has been achieved in the space of about twelve months, so that the factory is now actually in production. is a remarkable tribute to the great organis- ing capacity and untiring chergy of Mr. W. E. Rootes and Mr. R. C. Rootes, Chair- man and Deputy-Chairman respectively of Rootes Securities, who have themselves played the leading parts in bringing nhout ifs fulfilment.

Not only are the Rootes Group of Com- panies. in association with other motor car manufacturers, concerned with the manu- facture of nero engine parts, but they are also operating an entirely independent section of the "shadow" scheme. namely, that concerned with the construction, equtement and management, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Air, of the huge irframe factory at Sneke. near Liverpool, for the production of complete aircraft. which is making such rapid progress. As an example of this factory's magnitude, one Shop alone is a quarter of a mile in length, 400-t. In width and 40-ft. in holeht.

GENERAL VIEW of the Turning Section in the Main Machine shop of the Rootes Aero Engine "Shadow" factory at Coventry,

GENERAL VIEW OF the Rootes Aero Engine factory at Coventry, taken during a visit of the Director of Aeronautical Production at the Air Miniştry (Col. H. A. P. Disney), who is on the extreme laft,

next to Mr. W. E. Rootes,

SILVER WEDDING of Mr. and Mrs. Chang Kwai-chong (seated in centre) was recently celebrated. Mr. Chang is Managing

Director of the Yee Sang Fat Co. Ltd. (Photo: Ming Yuen).

PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN at St. Andrew's Church, Kowloon, shortly after the Christening of the son of Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Young, of the C.M.C. (Photor Ming Yuon).

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FAREWELL PARTY to Desmond, son of Mr. and Mrs. B. A. Mania!l, who departed recently for England to complete his education with a scholarship won prior to his coming to Hongkong. (Photo

Ming Yuan).

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The success of Evening Dress depends on correctness that is up-to-the-minule — and correctness' depends on delal, That is the secret of Mackintonli's dress clothes. For instance, in the most popular styles of our white waistcoats we offer you a choice of three depths in each fitting. Our Summit evening shirta are made with a choice of two sleeve lengths in each collar size (Marcella or plain linen fronts). Six shapes of Summit dress collar-ready in quarter sizes. Dress ties for every size as well as overy shape of collar. The result is dress clothes that fit perfectly, look exactly, right and feel superbly comfortable.

MACKINTOSH'S LTD. MEN'S WEAR SPECIALISTS.