Frank Rainsborough reports…
The memorial, sponsored by The
Airfields of Britain Conservation
Trust (ABCT), Langley Airfield page, sited near the centre of the former airfield at
Harvey
Park, Langley, was unveiled on October 5th 2019. The event had the
full
support of Slough Borough Council and the ceremony was presided over by
the Mayor, Avtar Kaur Cheema, and Councillor Harpreet Kaur Cheema.
For twenty years from 1938 to
1958 Langley Airfield played a
substantial role in Britain’s aviation history. The airfield was built
by Hawker Aircraft Ltd (HAL) on the village’s Parlaunt Park Farm site
and became the company’s production and flight development centre when
its Brooklands site was vacated. Almost 7000 Hawker Hurricanes were
constructed and flew from Langley airfield as well as Tempests and Sea
Furies. The airfield also played its part in ushering in the jet age
with the Hawker P.1040, P.1052 and P.1081. Aside from Hawker, Langley
helped start British post-war international commercial air travel
before Heathrow was fully established.
In the 1950s Langley airfield activities were
gradually wound down
as HAL moved its final assembly and flight testing to Dunsfold
Aerodrome in Surrey. Langley airfield closed completely in 1955 and has
now almost disappeared under housing and industrial development.
Over time the importance of Langley had effectively
been forgotten with the local populace totally unaware of just how
significant their aviation heritage is. Thankfully, this has been
rectified. Kenneth Bannerman, from the ABCT, announcing that “In the
run-up to the unveiling it was quite noticeable how forgotten the
importance of Langley Airfield in the war effort had become,” adding
“Unveiling memorials like this is one of the vital things we do to
remind people of the role these airfields played.”
Aviation historian Pete Trafford added a few words and at that point
Hawker Association Member Frank Rainsborough thought that was
appropriate to ask “Who else here is from Hawkers?” Richard Cannon and
Kieron Kirk announced themselves and Angela Bailey, daughter of Hawker
test pilot Frank Murphy, who had drawn our attention to the event, said
that, given her connection to Hawker she felt entitled to join that
group! Consequently Kenneth Bannerman invited those four to pose with
the Slough Borough Council representatives behind the memorial stone
for photographs to be taken.
Angela drew us to the local history table on which
there were many interesting items set out, amongst which were her high
quality biographical books of photos, press cuttings and text
describing her father’s life as a World War II RAF fighter pilot and
Hawker test pilot and executive. Angela has been invited to come to
Kingston and give the Hawker Association her personal recollections of
Frank Murphy’s career at HAL.