Secret Spitfire factories where iconic WW2 RAF fighters were built

Nazi tyrant Adolf Hitler was convinced his bombing raids had finally stopped production of the hi-tech fighter plane

A SMALL army of woman, children, and OAPs built thousands of Spitfires in bus depots and garages after Nazi bombers destroyed the main factories, it has been revealed.

Hitler's Luftwaffe commanders were sure they'd stamped out production of the iconic warplane after a series of massive bombing raids on Southampton's Spitfire factories in 1940.

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A young woman puts the finishing touches to a Spitfire in one of Salisbury's secret factories

But unbeknown to them, Churchill's government had plans in place to use rural areas to manufacture Spitfires in complete secrecy.

Young girls, women, boys, elderly men and a small handful of expert engineers built thousands of secret Spitfires in garages, bus depots, barns, woods and even a hotel.

So secret was the production that the amateur engineers kept the factories secret from friends and even family.

Historian Norman Parker, a Spitfire engineer during the war, claimed that thousands of Spitfires were built right in the centre of Salisbury, Trowbridge and Reading with many other towns and cities supporting them.

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More than 10% of all the Spitfires ever made were secretly manufactured in Salisbury

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Pilot Joy Lofthouse waits in her uniform to pick up a Spitfire

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She was reunited with her plane 

Filmmaker Ethem Centinas, who has made a documentary about the secret factories, said: “The existence and size of operations of these factories has never been told fully.

“They were mainly referred to as dispersal factories supplying small parts to main manufacturing plants but no one is aware they were building and flying out complete Spitfires.

“Girls and women were involved successfully in very high technology manufacture of warplanes along with ATA girls who flew them, on equal pay and equal terms with men for the first time.

“They enjoyed full independence for the first time, earning their own keep, real days of girl power. At a time of great sadness, they also had joyous times, especially with the arrival of the American GIs who outnumbered the population of many local towns and cities.

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Nearly 2,000 Spitfires were made in secret in Salisbury alone, more than 10% of all ever made

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Some of the planes were manufactured in garages, woods, and even a hotel

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A South-Wiltshire made Spitfire is prepared for take-off during the Battle of Britain

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Some of the workers took the secret to their graves

“With them came dances, Glenn Miller concerts, Christmas parties for children, Joe Louis boxing matches (a sergeant in the local US army), ice creams, chocolates and broken hearts. As one of our survivors said, 'you're only young once, you've got to have the fun where you can find it'.

“They did what they had to do and did their best without asking for any recognition, a selfless generation we owe huge thanks to.”

The Secret Spitfires documentary reveals that over 2,000 of the warplanes were made in Salisbury alone, over 10% of the number ever made.

“A few remaining survivors from the factories were fortunately found who told their astonishing stories for the very first time which even amazed their present families as they were never fully aware what their grandparents did in secret during the war,” added Mr Cetintas.

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Many of the planes were put together by a handful of untrained women, children, and OAPs, supervised by a small group of expert RAF engineers

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Betty, who worked on the iconic warplanes as a riveter, pictured during World War Two and today

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Their efforts helped the RAF fight off Hitler's Luftwaffe and save Britain from Nazi invasion

“These ladies and gents knew how to keep a secret. Many of us are aware of the work civilians did during the war such as home guards, land-girls, ammunition factories, parachute manufacture and many others besides.

“But a complete warplane, possibly one of the most advanced of its time, being manufactured by a mainly unqualified workforce is a tall order.

“If we add to that the fact it was mainly young girls and women doing the work guided by a handful engineers, completely in secret, makes this effort a very special one."