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S C O T L A N D A N D T H E EX PA N S I ON
of
AV I AT I ON I N T H E F I R ST WOR L D WA R
Scotland contributed to the rapid expansion of aviation in two
main ways. Scottish firms made aircraft and pilots and ground-crew
were trained to fly them. The aircraft of the First World War were
mainly constructed of wood so itwas comparatively easy to set up as an
aircraft builder.
The firm of Mackintosh in Kirkcaldy made furniture so it had the
woodworking machinery and skilled workforce to make aircraft.
The French aviation firm,Caudron, set up a manufacturing operation
in Scotland. By far the most important was the ship-building
and engineering company Beardmore. It was the only Scottish firm
to design new aircraft. Even though none of its aircraft designs
went into production its ‘Beardmore engine’ powered a number
of designs, notably the FE2b - which featured the engine being
mounted behind the pilot.
From 1915 onwards Montrose became an important centre for
training pilots and ground-crew and newRFC squadrons were formed
there.
materials of war 13