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Aviation History
1956
1956 - 1173.PDF
24 August 1956 319 Jindivik production at the main Government Aircraft Factory at Fishermen's Bend. Jindivik front fuselages under construction by Chrysler Australia (Aircraft Division) at Finsbury, South Australia. of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. This base now operates two Drovers. Reorganization of the de Havilland organization has amendedthe Australian Board as follows: President, Sir Geoffrey de Havilland; directors, Major A. Murray-Jones (chairman); L. J.Brain (managing director); D. H. McLachlan (general manager); J. J. Byrne and R. J. Vicars. GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT FACTORIES DURING the last twelve months, the Government AircraftFactories have continued with production of Canberras for the R.A.A.F., and with Jindivik target aircraft for use at Woomera onjoint U.K./Australian projects. Considerable servicing, modifica- tion and spares programmes for Lincolns, Canberras and Jindi-viks have been undertaken. No new orders were received for pro- duction of aircraft, although many enquiries were made and arestill in course of negotiation. Design and development work on classified projects was carried on. There are at present 3,236employees on aircraft work. The Government Aircraft Factories form part of the Departmentof Defence Production, which is directed by the Minister, Sir Eric Harrison, K.C.V.O., M.P. Officers of the Department who areconcerned with higher policy and with administration of aircraft production generally are the Secretary and permanent head, Mr.H. P. Breen, C.B.E.; the Controller-General of Munitions Supply, Mr. R. H. Doyle; the General Manager, Mr. M. B. Woodfull; and the acting Assistant Secretary (Aircraft Production), Mr. S. C.Weetman. A separate Aircraft Maintenance Branch is headed by Mr. M. A. W. Forestier.Mr. N. W. Hodgson is the Manager of the Government Aircraft Factories, and other chief executives are Messrs. I. B. Fleming(chief designer); A. P. West (chief engineer); K. D. Johnson (pro- duction manager) and J. C. Miles (area manager, Avalon airfield). The central establishment is at Fishermen's Bend, Melbourne,where administrative, design and planning offices are located, as well as manufacturing and assembly workshops, machine shop, toolroom, experimental workshops and laboratories, radio and instru- ment rooms and central stores. A subsidiary plant at Essendonmanufactures some details. Flying operations are now conducted at the Avalon flight field, where final aircraft assembly and aircraftservicing and modification are carried out. There is a considerable amount of sub-contracting to privateindustry, the major sub-contractors and their products being: Chrysler Australia, Ltd. (see below); South Australian Railways,Islington, South Australia (wing spars); New South Wales Rail- ways, Chullora, N.S.W. (sundry details and sub-assemblies). Chrysler Australia, Ltd. THE Aircraft Division of Chrysler Australia, Ltd., is at Finsbury,a suburb of Adelaide. All equipment in the plant is provided by the Commonwealth Government, for whom Chrysler Aus-tralia, Ltd., act as a major sheet metal sub-contractor and as the main press shop for the Australian Government Factories. The plant caters for the manufacture of all types of sheet metaldetails, and for the assembly of minor components. The latter have been built for Canberras, Jindiviks and Winjeels; both detailsand components have been built for the Australian Lincoln and its subsequent reconnaissance, survey and air-sea rescue versions.The company also produces spares, including main fuel s oil andglycol tanks, spinner rings and other items; for the Department of Defence Production it supplies projectile containers, flares andmarkers, rocket saddles and similar equipment. In addition to production work, the necessary tooling is under-taken on the premises in the aircraft tool room. When there is a rush of major projects, the resources of the company's AutomotiveTooling Division are available to augment the forces of the Aircraft Division. A considerable amount of care has been given to the fitting outof the welding department, which is closely controlled by the metallurgist and inspection department to maintain a highquality of workmanship. There is a fully approved research laboratory at the plant which, among other functions, analyses thespecial processes associated with the manufacture of aircraft components. The plant operates on a standard costing basis, and a group ofmethods and planning engineers and time-study observers ensure that a high level of efficiency is maintained. There are at peak850 employees. The managing director is W. D. Ferguson and the aircraft manager G. V. Hemer. As the factory at Finsbury is a dispersed unit of the Govern-ment Aircraft Factories at Melbourne, future plans for work or expansion depend upon the requirements of the CommonwealthGovernment. ,..,.-..
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