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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1212.PDF
326 The Australian Industry . FLIGHT, 26 August 1955 incorporating a major modification—extension of the front fuse-lage by 6ft—to convert the aircraft into a more effective long- range anti-submarine type. Early in 1950 the Government Aircraft Factory was entrustedwith the production of English Electric Canberras. The first Australian Canberra made its initial flight in May 1953, and pro-duction is at present proceeding smoothly, the machines equip- ping the squadrons of No. 82 R.A.A.F. Bomber Wing at Amberley,Queensland. The current programme is for 48 aircraft, although a possible further order has been reported. Jindivik target and research aircraft—Mks 1 and 2—withArmstrong Siddeley Viper turbojets, are also being manufac- tured. A substantial order for Jindiviks has been placed bythe U.K. Ministry of Supply, in addition to those for the Australian Government. The central establishment of the Government Aircraft Factoryis the Main Assembly Plant at Fishermen's Bend, Melbourne. Supplementary establishments comprise a workshop at EssendonAirport, Melbourne; the flight-test field, with final assembly and flight-shed facilities, at Avalon; and major sub-contractors. At Fishermen's Bend are the administrative, design andplanning offices, machine shop, tool room and experimental workshops, as well as the main assembly plant. Here is carriedout the manufacture and assembly of Canberras and Jindiviks. Included among the departments is one for plastic forming andanother in which both Redux and Araldite techniques are em- ployed. Assembly occupies 177,000 sq ft of floor area; themachine shop 28,000 sq ft; and another 23,000 sq ft are devoted to experimental work. At the Essendon factory are manufactured some details andsub-assemblies. Major sub-contractors and their products are as follows: Chrysler Australia, Ltd., Finsbury, S. Australia (manu-facture of pressed parts and sub-assemblies); South Australian Railways, Islington, S. Australia (manufacture of wing spars);New South Wales Railways, Chullora, N.S.W. (manufacture of sundry details and sub-assemblies). The Government Factories have a considerable repair, modi-fication and spares commitment for the R.A.A.F., and the sec- tion devoted to this work occupies 37,000 sq ft. In additionthere are instrument and radio rooms, separate maintenance workshops and a central stores which itself covers 84,000 sq ft. Today, the Department of Defence Production is directed bythe Minister, Sir Eric Harrison. The officers of the department controlling the Division of Aircraft Production are the secretary,who is the permanent head, H. P. Breen; the controller-general of Munitions Supply, R. H. Doyle; and the assistant secretary(Aircraft Production), J. Hanford Stevens. At the Government Aircraft Factories the general manager is Mr. B. Woodfull, andthe manager at Fishermen's Bend is N. W. Hodgson. The Main- tenance Branch is headed by M. A. W. Forestier, while at thenew establishment at Avalon the area manager is J. C. Miles. Jindivik production for the Government Aircraft Factory includes sub- contract work: here front fuselages are being built by Chrysler at Finsbury, South Australia. In addition to the manufacture, shown here, of Vampire Trainers, repair, overhaul and modification of this type is also carried out by de Havilland Aircraft. Assembly and fitting-out of Canberra main components at the Government Aircraft Factory's main assembly plant at Fishermen's Bend.
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