Yorkshire nostalgia: End of runway for aeroplane club started in 1973

The date was June 1993: A group of Yorkshire air enthusiasts who decided to make history by building a First World War plane from scratch finally realised their dream'¦ after 17 years of graft.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Jun 2018, 12:04 BST
Updated 26th Jun 2018, 12:09 BST
Bob Richardson ( left ) , chairman of the Northern Aeroplane Workshop and Eric Barraclough the co-ordinator, with a Bristol fighter plane that the Workshop has spent years making . The aircraft is on display at the Skopos Motor Museum , Alexandra Mills , Batley .Bob Richardson ( left ) , chairman of the Northern Aeroplane Workshop and Eric Barraclough the co-ordinator, with a Bristol fighter plane that the Workshop has spent years making . The aircraft is on display at the Skopos Motor Museum , Alexandra Mills , Batley .
Bob Richardson ( left ) , chairman of the Northern Aeroplane Workshop and Eric Barraclough the co-ordinator, with a Bristol fighter plane that the Workshop has spent years making . The aircraft is on display at the Skopos Motor Museum , Alexandra Mills , Batley .

Members of the Northern Aeroplane Workshops, founded by the late John Langham, of Harrogate, set out to build a Sopwith Triplane, the famous single-seater fighter, using original blueprints.

Funding came from the Shuttleworth Collection in Bedfordshire. The volunteers were led by Eric Barraclough, 75, of Dewsbury. They began in 1973 using original materials, which included birch-ply and mild steel.

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Workshops in Dewsbury, Pudsey, Liversedge and Heckmondwike were used during the construction.

Mr Barraclough said: “There were quite a few tears when the Triplane - the only flying one in the world - got off the ground. I took a film of it and my wife said it was worse than watching Gone With the Wind.”

They immediately set out making a Bristol M1C, the only other one of which was in Chile.

The club was finally wound up in 2013 after 40 years. Pictured are Bob Richardson, chairman, and Eric Barraclough, co-ordinator, with a Bristol fighter plane.

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