Lockheed Wartime Factory Films

Summary

Activities during the Second World War at the Lockheed aviation factories in Leamington Spa and Leicester.

Year:

1943

Duration:

0:57:00

Film type:

Black & White / Silent

Genre:

Home Movie

Master format:

16mm

Description

"Lockheed Borg & Beck Annual Sports 11th Sept. 1943". We see various events at a sports day including sprinting, a walking race, obstacle race, long jump and a tug-of-war.

The next section shows aircraft spotters on the roof of the Lockheed factory (Leamington Spa) which has been painted in camouflage colours and disguised with webbing. We then see an exercise by the Lockheed Borg and Beck fire brigade in front of a crowd. They spray hoses, deploy a wheeled fire ladder, tackle a blaze with a two-man stirrup pump team, rescue casualties from a roof, and use foam to extinguish an oil fire. This sequence ends with the presentation of a cup to a fireman.

We then see factory interiors in the form of a long tracking shot through the machine shop showing both men and women working at lathes and other machines making aircraft components.

"The Army Cadet Force Lockheed Unit 11th Warwickshire Bttn. Annual Inspection 24th July 1943". Soldiers are inspected in a yard and perform a drill, we also see them marching along a road. "Field Exercise". Combat practise in a field shrouded in smoke. "Presentation of Challenge Cups".

"Sir Stafford Cripps and Lady Cripps Visit the Factory During the Anti-scrap Campaign". We see a group of visitors outside the factory, the camouflage protection and sand bags are visible. "In the Aircraft Service Shop". The group tour the factory. "Sir Stafford and Lady Cripps are interested in the Young Trainees". After chatting to workers we see the official party leaving the factory and getting into cars outside. "The Aircraft Production Committee". A group of men leaving a building and a poster advertising an anti-scrap campaign. "The Ballot". Tickets are drawn from a tombola. "And Here Is The Menace". Cartoon drawings of Hitler promoting the Lockheed anti-scrap campaign.

We then see a tank driving along a road and other tanks being transported by lorry, heavy machinery on a Pickfords lorry and men moving equipment in the factory yard (listed as 'dispersal of machinery' in a note found in the can). We then see more factory shots in the aircraft assembly area, and workers building what look like clutches.

The next sequence shows a high angle shot from a tower looking over the Lockheed factory in Leicester (Kingsway, Braunstone). At ground level we can see that the factory is painted in camouflage colours. Finally a fire brigade competition is seen at the Leicester factory which includes a first aid exercise, a rescue from a smoke filled building, hoses being unrolled and a prize giving.


Credits

No credits specified


Notes

Sir Stafford Cripps held the post of Minister of Aircraft Production between 1942 and 1945.