Westbury Museum Column: Westbury and the Wiltshire Moonraker Spitfire

Just over ninety years ago the prototype of a new fighter aircraft took to the skies for first time at Eastleigh Aerodrome near Southampton.

This iconic aircraft had been designed by RJ Mitchell and built at the Supermarine factory near the River Itchen. Built of metal, with elliptical shaped wings and a Rolls Royce Merlin engine it got an immediate thumbs up from its test pilot. It was called the Spitfire and was to become the most successful British single-seat fighter aircraft in World War Two, famously dominating the skies and protecting from invasion. But did you know that the people of Westbury and the neighbouring towns actually paid for one of these planes and helped to build them?  

 

1 of 2

- +

Entering service with the RAF in August 1938, the Spitfire was loved by its pilots because it flew as well as it looked. With a top speed of 348mph it was fast and manoeuvrable. It was armed with two 20mm cannon guns and four machine guns. 

By the start of the war nearly 400 were available for service and many more were on order, but how were they to be paid for?  

This question became even more urgent in the late summer and early autumn of 1940. What became known as the Battle of Britain was raging over the country. Germany was trying to destroy critical infrastructure in the run up to a land invasion. The Spitfires showed their worth in fighting off the bombers and the Messerschmitts that protected them.  

Around the same time the government launched the Spitfire Fund to pay for new aircraft. In late August the towns and villages of West Wiltshire pledged to raise enough money to buy a Spitfire and fund raising began in earnest at the start of September. The target was £5,000 in five weeks and Westbury responded enthusiastically. House to house collections were made, concerts and other events were organised. Spitfire badges were sold and people were encouraged to donate in their workplace. Valuable items, such as stamps, gold and silver were also accepted to be sold and added to the fund. Little children donated their pennies. Progress was measured by a wooden barometer in the Market Place and a list of donations was published each week in the local paper.  

As if to emphasise the importance of what was being done, towards the end of September the residents of Westbury witnessed an air battle near the town. 75 German planes were attacked by a Spitfire which succeeded in shooting down two.   

By the middle of October the campaign was drawing to a close and the final total was being calculated. Together West Wiltshire had raised £8,275 10s 2d (nearly enough for two planes) and the money was sent to the Ministry of Aircraft Production. The Westbury area alone had contributed nearly £1,300.  A Spitfire was named the Wiltshire Moonraker No 1 in honour of the area and the town was sent photographs of it.  

But this isn’t Westbury’s only connection to the Spitfire. In September 1940 the factory in Southampton was bombed twice and production had to be relocated. Components were made in smaller workshops in the surrounding area. One location was in Trowbridge and another was VC Boulton’s glove factory in Alfred Street which switched to making aircraft parts for the rest of the war.  

By the time production ended in 1948, 20,341 Spitfires had been built. They are credited with shooting down 500 planes during the Battle of Britain. Today there are about 60 which are still airworthy.  

To find out more about Westbury’s fascinating history, why not pop into Westbury Museum in the library? You can also visit our website at westburyheritagesociety.org.uk or find us on Facebook.