Air Ministry Shadow Factories

Discussion in 'General' started by Tigerphantasm, May 29, 2019.

  1. Tigerphantasm

    Tigerphantasm New Member

    I am researching some information I picked up about secret maintenance depots during WW2.
    I am after information in regards to a supposed Halifax maintenance depot that was located in a building disguised as the Maida Vale Ice Cream factory.
    This building was probably located in Dartmouth on the Maida Vale Road, which according to 1940 maps had a large industrial unit which is still there today.
    I would really appreciate any information/pictures that may be around as the family I am researching for are trying to figure out what their Father did during the war as he kept the secret till his death last month.
    All they know is that he was an engineering apprentice for Rolls Royce and Lagando and when war broke out was sent to this "ice cream" factory to work on Halifax bombers and long range fuel tanks for Mosquitos
     
  2. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Could you clarify the location? There is a Maida Vale Road near Dartford and there was a Vickers machine gun factory nearby that made casings for the bouncing bomb.
     
  3. Tigerphantasm

    Tigerphantasm New Member

    The possible location for this site is on the Maida Vale road NW of Dartford. There is now a large retail park there that sits on the site of an old factory complex that was present during the war. I will download the Google Earth pictures later.
    The family say that Halifax bomber fuel tanks were built there as well as the mosquito long range drop tanks.

    I can find no record of an ice cream company or factory with the name Maida Vale which makes me think it was created by the Air Ministry purely as a shadow depot.
    There is still an area called Maida Vale or ‘Little Venice’ in London but I don’t think they would have been located there.
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Tony56 likes this.
  5. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

  6. Tigerphantasm

    Tigerphantasm New Member

    Apologises, Dartford. Having had a look on Google Earth the industrial park in Crayford has buildings that are certainly circa 1930/40s.
    Marked up as a printing works c1950, but the buildings certainly look like a typical style for heavy manufacturing.
    Image 540.png is OS map Kent IX.NW (includes: Bexley; Crayford; Dartford.) Revised: 1938 to 1939 Published: ca. 1950
    Image 621 and 636.png is Google Earth view with their history slider to 1940 and present
     

    Attached Files:

  7. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    Tony56 likes this.

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