289:
Essex Aero specialised in manufacturing components from magnesium alloys. From the outbreak of World War II they not only serviced the
Blenheims, Spitfires, and Hurricanes stationed at Gravesend but also expanded their manufacturing. They claimed to have manufactured 5,250 magnesium-alloy fuel tanks
310:
In 1947 Essex Aero began construction of a small, low-cost light aircraft entirely made from magnesium alloys, and to be produced in quantity using mass-production techniques. Named the Sprite, it was a single-engined side-by-side two-seater of modern appearance, with a tricycle undercarriage and a
251:
G-AEXF, the success of Essex Aero with the Comet led him to choose them to undertake a major redesign of his own sleek little racer. They undertook major airframe and systems modifications, including slimmed-down fuselage and wheel spats, even replacing the pilot's seat with a sheet of foam rubber
256:
R engines scrapped from G-ACSS (which they had re-engined), with a purpose-designed crankshaft extension to adapt it for a de
Havilland two-position variable-pitch propeller in place of the French Ratier used by the Comet, since foreign components were not allowed under
442:
During the war, unable to expand their main factory due to is closeness to the aerodrome, Essex Aero had established several other manufacturing sites locally. Afterwards these became uneconomic and Essex sought to consolidate back onto a single site.
315:
aero engine without any additional bearer structure. However no other market for the
Nuffield could be found and when it was shelved, no other engine was available to fit the dedicated nose design. The half-finished Sprite was also abandoned.
191:, under the name of Essex Aero. Lionel "Jack" London was co-founder of the new company and Cross' principal technical assistant. They were sometimes referred to as "the two Jacks". The company occupied the premises recently vacated by
265:
Essex Aero then modified it further with a more reliable Gipsy Six II engine (which they had also fitted to G-ACSS) and improved instrumentation and fuel tankage. Henshaw again set a record, this time for the return flight to
261:
regulations. Cross also designed special pistons, redesigned the air intake and made other modifications. Henshaw won the 1938 King's Cup at a record speed which remains unbeaten in its class to this day.
423:
J2X chassis, lengthening it to fit the sleek custom body, which weighed in at little more than 140 pounds (64 kg). Cross regularly drove the car, which he called the S-X Magbody.
446:
The aerodrome had fallen into disuse but planning difficulties repeatedly delayed their ongoing efforts at consolidation, first there and subsequently on a site nearby.
572:
649:
312:
302:. It has been suggested that they proposed a magnesium alloy twin-engined fighter, but that the Ministry of Aircraft Production was not interested.
136:
659:
644:
543:
311:
vee tail. Options for fixed or retractable landing gear were planned. Its nose incorporated direct mounting of the proposed
597:
629:
160:
Reginald Cross, known universally as Jack Cross, had worked in a technical capacity for vehicle manufacturers
603:
449:
By 1956 the company's debts had mounted to an unsustainable level and Essex Aero went into receivership.
654:
294:
and
Seafire. Essex Aero also played a leading role in the development of the lightweight "slipper"
208:
140:
426:
As of 2016 the bodyshell was undergoing restoration (in
Aluminium Alloy) by Heritage Classics in
274:
180:. In 1934 he and Edward Hillman set up Hillman & Cross, undertaking aeroplane maintenance at
419:
In 1952 Essex Aero designed, built and installed a magnesium alloy sports coupé body for a 1951
377:
1 × Nuffield 100 hp 4HO, 100 hp (75 kW) 4-cylinder horizontally-opposed, air-cooled
258:
253:
212:
165:
420:
291:
117:
298:
introduced on the
Spitfire and Seafire to extend their range, initially in the defence of
8:
625:
593:
248:
192:
169:
144:
125:
173:
431:
204:
177:
67:
273:
The aircraft has since been rebuilt more than once and today it flies with the
161:
638:
427:
235:(see below) flew Cross and London out to Cyprus, to conduct running repairs.
121:
244:
232:
231:, the Comet went on to make several more record flights. On one occasion,
575:", Porsche Club of Great Britain, March 2016. (Retrieved 18 August 2020).
319:
278:
184:, Essex. On Hillman's death shortly afterwards, Cross took over fully.
295:
267:
188:
181:
25:
398:
130 mph (210 km/h, 110 kn) at 1,000 feet (300 m)
392:
147 mph (237 km/h, 128 kn) at 1,000 feet (300 m)
558:
McGaffin, William; "New
Magnesium Car is Lighter than Plastic",
219:, which they had purchased from a scrap dealer. Variously named
299:
129:
624:, Gravesend at war Series, No. 7. Self-published, 2000.
252:
laid on the cockpit floor. They installed one of the
320:
Specifications (retractable-gear version, estimated)
305:
636:
97:Aircraft maintenance, magnesium alloy components
207:and F. E. Tasker commissioned Essex to rebuild
139:, it is most famous for its rebuilding work on
650:Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1956
617:, 131, September/October 2007, pp. 22–25.
414:
198:
610:, 8 March 2018. (Retrieved 18 August 2020).
238:
613:Ord-Hume, Arthur; "Butterfly from Essex",
503:
501:
499:
497:
530:
528:
526:
404:790 mi (1,270 km, 690 nmi)
475:
473:
471:
469:
467:
284:
494:
213:MacRobertson England-Australia Air Race
637:
523:
203:The company quickly rose to fame when
660:British companies established in 1934
464:
487:
485:
13:
518:DH88: de Havilland's Racing Comets
347:24 ft 7 in (7.49 m)
14:
671:
645:1956 disestablishments in England
482:
359:8 ft 2 in (2.49 m)
306:The Sprite light aircraft project
124:manufacturer, primarily based at
573:Heritage Classics Workshop Visit
187:In 1936 he moved the company to
582:
410:653 ft/min (3.32 m/s)
622:Essex Aero Limited. Gravesend.
565:
552:
537:
510:
1:
452:
155:
457:
172:, before moving to airlines
7:
371:1,590 lb (721 kg)
211:G-ACSS, winner of the 1934
10:
676:
590:The Flight of the Mew Gull
544:Essex Aero advertisement,
437:
415:The S-X Magbody sports car
150:
520:, 2nd Edn, Airlife, 1988.
365:921 lb (418 kg)
199:De Havilland Comet G-ACSS
101:
93:
74:
63:
55:
47:
39:
31:
21:
239:Percival Mew Gull G-AEXF
209:de Havilland DH.88 Comet
141:de Havilland DH.88 Comet
353:30 ft (9.1 m)
332:General characteristics
275:Shuttleworth Collection
562:, June 1953, pp.165-7.
254:de Havilland Gipsy Six
229:Australian Anniversary
285:Magnesium fabrication
132:, from 1936 to 1953.
83:Reginald "Jack" Cross
43:Reginald "Jack" Cross
292:Supermarine Spitfire
118:aircraft maintenance
86:Lionel "Jack" London
608:The Allard Register
313:Nuffield 100 hp 4HO
259:King's Cup Air Race
103:Number of employees
18:
620:Turner, Frank R.;
215:under the name of
17:Essex Aero Limited
16:
249:Percival Mew Gull
193:Percival Aircraft
170:Bristol Aeroplane
145:Percival Mew Gull
143:racer G-ACSS and
126:Gravesend Airport
111:
110:
667:
576:
569:
563:
556:
550:
548:, 29 August 1946
541:
535:
532:
521:
514:
508:
505:
492:
489:
480:
477:
385:
334:
270:, South Africa.
174:Imperial Airways
19:
15:
675:
674:
670:
669:
668:
666:
665:
664:
655:Gravesend, Kent
635:
634:
604:The Essex Coupe
602:London, Alan; "
588:Henshaw, Alex;
585:
580:
579:
570:
566:
560:Popular Science
557:
553:
542:
538:
533:
524:
516:Ogilvy, David;
515:
511:
506:
495:
491:Ord-Hume (2007)
490:
483:
478:
465:
460:
455:
440:
432:North Yorkshire
417:
381:
330:
327:Ord-Hume (2007)
322:
308:
287:
241:
217:Grosvenor House
205:Arthur Clouston
201:
178:Hillman Airways
158:
153:
114:Essex Aero Ltd.
104:
89:
77:
68:Gravesend, Kent
12:
11:
5:
673:
663:
662:
657:
652:
647:
633:
632:
618:
615:Air Enthusiast
611:
600:
584:
581:
578:
577:
564:
551:
536:
534:Henshaw (1980)
522:
509:
493:
481:
462:
461:
459:
456:
454:
451:
439:
436:
416:
413:
412:
411:
408:Rate of climb:
405:
399:
393:
390:Maximum speed:
379:
378:
372:
366:
360:
354:
348:
342:
321:
318:
307:
304:
286:
283:
240:
237:
200:
197:
162:Brazil Straker
157:
154:
152:
149:
109:
108:
105:
102:
99:
98:
95:
91:
90:
88:
87:
84:
80:
78:
75:
72:
71:
65:
61:
60:
57:
53:
52:
49:
45:
44:
41:
37:
36:
33:
29:
28:
23:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
672:
661:
658:
656:
653:
651:
648:
646:
643:
642:
640:
631:
627:
623:
619:
616:
612:
609:
605:
601:
599:
598:0-7195-3740-1
595:
591:
587:
586:
574:
568:
561:
555:
549:
547:
540:
531:
529:
527:
519:
513:
507:London (2018)
504:
502:
500:
498:
488:
486:
479:Turner (2000)
476:
474:
472:
470:
468:
463:
450:
447:
444:
435:
433:
429:
428:Middlesbrough
424:
422:
409:
406:
403:
400:
397:
396:Cruise speed:
394:
391:
388:
387:
386:
384:
376:
373:
370:
369:Gross weight:
367:
364:
363:Empty weight:
361:
358:
355:
352:
349:
346:
343:
340:
337:
336:
335:
333:
328:
326:
317:
314:
303:
301:
297:
293:
282:
280:
276:
271:
269:
263:
260:
255:
250:
246:
236:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
206:
196:
194:
190:
185:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
148:
146:
142:
138:
133:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
106:
100:
96:
92:
85:
82:
81:
79:
73:
69:
66:
62:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
38:
34:
30:
27:
24:
20:
630:1901132-16-1
621:
614:
607:
589:
583:Bibliography
567:
559:
554:
545:
539:
517:
512:
448:
445:
441:
425:
418:
407:
401:
395:
389:
382:
380:
374:
368:
362:
356:
350:
344:
338:
331:
329:
324:
323:
309:
288:
272:
264:
245:Alex Henshaw
242:
233:Alex Henshaw
228:
225:The Burberry
224:
220:
216:
202:
186:
159:
134:
113:
112:
64:Headquarters
59:Receivership
383:Performance
375:Powerplant:
135:Founded by
639:Categories
453:References
296:drop tanks
279:Old Warden
221:The Orphan
156:Foundation
137:Jack Cross
76:Key people
458:Citations
351:Wingspan:
325:Data from
268:Cape Town
247:procured
189:Gravesend
182:Goodmayes
176:and then
122:component
70:, England
26:Aerospace
592:, 1980.
290:for the
147:G-AEXF.
94:Products
22:Industry
438:Closure
357:Height:
345:Length:
166:Douglas
151:History
116:was an
48:Defunct
40:Founder
32:Founded
628:
596:
546:Flight
421:Allard
402:Range:
339:Crew:
300:Malta
243:When
626:ISBN
594:ISBN
227:and
168:and
130:Kent
120:and
56:Fate
51:1956
35:1934
606:",
277:at
128:in
107:800
641::
525:^
496:^
484:^
466:^
434:.
430:,
281:.
223:,
195:.
164:,
571:"
341:2
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.