January 2026

Happy New Year to all our supporters!

1. Happy New Year! and anyone got a spare drop tank? (Or a model – quite a big one – of a Spitfire?)
2. Super-sleuths needed!

Posted on Facebook by Alan Matlock – 8th January 2026

Happy New Year! and anyone got a spare drop tank? (Or a model – quite a big one – of a Spitfire?)

We’ve posted before about the huge number of jettison fuel tanks that were made to extend the range of Spitfires as its role progressed from a defensive to an offensive one.

Several of the sites we have marked with blue plaques, or where we are planning to install one, were making these vital components – anything from the ‘standard’ 30 gallon size to much bigger ones for even longer sorties (eg flying in to Malta).

Our first plaque, unveiled nearly 4 years ago in March 2022 was one such site – the requisitioned parish hall in Shirley where drop tanks and air filters were made.

Around that time someone wrote to say he had a used drop tank he’d be happy to donate to us. Unfortunately, we don’t have contact details, but we’re now in a position to take up that kind offer, and/or a similar one from someone else.

The parish hall is being refurbished and, we’re pleased that the main room is going to be renamed “Spitfire Hall”. We’ve been asked to help illustrate the history of the hall with information boards and artefacts. A drop tank (30 gallon preferred ) displayed in the building where they were once produced would be amazing!

They are also hoping to find a large (ie not an Airfix kit!) model Spitfire that could be hung in the vaulted ceiling space where it would ‘fly’ from the original gas pipes that were fitted to enable the brazing and soldering of the Spitfire parts that were being made there.

Please get in touch if you, or someone you know could help with either of these.

Images by the Spitfire Makers Charitable Trust and also unknown sources

Posted on Facebook by Alan Matlock – 14th January 2026

Super-sleuths needed!

Mystery 1 – the Missing Drill…Where is it now?

I visited a very lively 90+ year old George Childs today as he had got in touch to say he had some photos, in an album left to him by his brother John, which showed a pillar drill with an “MAP” (Ministry of Aircraft Production) badge and “AST / 5” punched onto it.

Evidently, an American pillar drill issued by the for use by Air Services Training, Hamble, was used in the Priory Garage on Titchfield Hill when it was commandeered to make parts for aircraft, including Spitfires.

John had taken over running the garage in about 1970 (possibly from a Mr Maltby or perhaps Bob Chase?) In the workshop, there was an American pillar drill, made by the Walker – Turner Co Inc, Plainfield N.J. John gave the drill to someone called Martyn who did a complete strip down, refurb and rebuild job on the machine and sent John photos of the process with the attached note, saying he had it in his workshop and it was “good for another 76 years”.

One of AST’s wartime workers at Priory Garage was Clarence ‘Ben’ Bennett whose 2020 interview for the Nuffield Theatre’s “Out of the Shadows” project, with other info related to the garage, can be found here:

Ben told us that he helped making seats for Spitfires at the garage, others have mentioned wings and tail units being produced at the garage. It was also pointed out in a local history book “Titchfield Remembers”, that the extension at the side of the garage was added during WWII, to provide the women workers their own toilet facilities!

Another contributor, Kate Scott, added some gruesome details, “Gran’s sister had small hands and had to pick out human remains when they were repairing the Spitfires. ” She added, “At Brownwich and Chilling beaches they loaded the tanks for the D-Day invasion. Gran and the other girls worked in the Spitfire factory – now BA Systems (Follands?). They were picked up from the ferry.”

So, does anyone know who Martyn was and if the drill still exists? Or can you add to the history of the garage during WWII?

Images courtesy of George Childs