Supermarine production
Supermarine was ill equipped to fulfil the Air Ministry contract to build Spitfires in 1936. The company's reputation rested on hand-building small numbers of specialised aircraft; mass production of warplanes was a different matter. In fact, the Air Ministry came close to cancelling the contract: the Spitfire nearly didn't happen. The solution was one of the largest sub-contract schemes ever to take place in British industry.
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Assembly of Spitfire Mark 1 aircraft at Eastleigh in 1939
Eric.B Morgan/ Vickers Archives |
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