Parnalls

The History of Parnall Aircraft Factory in Yate

The Parnall story is unique in the history of British aviation; for some twenty two years the name of Parnall was associated with the development of a range of aircraft but none was built in quantity by that firm. Had inventiveness and design quality had anything to do with it, Parnall aircraft would probably have achieved much more.
Parnall and Sons of Mivart Street, Eastville, Bristol was a wood-working firm of note in the period before the First World War WWI.

The demands of war brought many new arrivals into the world of aircraft production and the company received large orders from the Admiralty for aircraft designed elsewhere, principally Avro 504′s and Short 827′s. The quality of workmanship and enthusiasm for the new product was soon apparent and it brought an enquiry in 1916 for a design of their own to meet a requirement for a coastal defence aircraft. At that time the principal threat to Britain was seen as Zeppelin attacks and a specially designed fighter was sought to counter this threat. Parnall’s first indigenous aircraft, designed by A. Camden Pratt was called the Scout, a large single-seater, two-bay biplane powered by a 230hp Sunbeam Maori, with an upward-firing gun mounted on its upper wing. It acquired various nicknames including “Zeppelin Chaser” and “Zepp Straffer” but the design was not a success as it was too heavy; it is believed that only two flights were made.

Henri Farman Biplane 1918

By the mid 1920s it was clear that an aircraft factory in the middle of a town was less than satisfactory where test flying was concerned, some of the aircraft having made their first flights from Filton. Accordingly a move was made to Yate, where hangers were built beside a grass aerodrome. Rumour has it that things were so tight that George would only allow a central strip for the runway to be mowed as he needed the profit from the hay crop! New aircraft continued to emerge at a steady rate.

Puffin

The final Parnall aircraft was a open two-seater trainer derivative of the Heck to specification T.1/37 called the Parnall 382 or the Heck 3. It featured the Heck’s advanced wing and had a speed range of 139mph to 43mph; it first flew in 1939.

At Martlesham Heath it was pleasant to fly assessed as generally good as a trainer. Notwithstanding a few modifications no order was forthcoming. It was to be the last Parnall machine to fly, after which Parnall turned his attention to producing gun turrets to Archie Frazer-Nash’s design in the Yate factory until the war ended.
Thereafter Parnall became a household name through its famous washing machines and later the Jackson range of cookers. One doubts that George Parnall and his little group could ever have envisaged such a future after more than twenty difficult years of aeronautical effort.

Parnalls War Memorial Yate

A memorial to those killed in a WWII aerial attack on the Parnall Aircraft Factory in Yate. The Parnall War Memorial, St Mary’s Church, Yate is a rare example as it is dedicated to civilians rather than service personnel. The memorial was unveiled on 26/27 February 1950 in memory of those killed in the air raid on Parnalls Factory in February and March 1941. Wreaths are laid at the Parnall Memorial on Remembrance Sunday as part of the Town Council Service of Remembrance