http://www.militaryimages.net/photopost/data/521/p51_liverpool.jpg
A P51 Mustang being towed from the Pier Head to Speke passing the bottom of Water Street, Liverpool, 1944

This was posted on Military images.

Military images (http://www.militaryimages.net/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=10176)

It's a great photo, but is it being towed to the Pier Head, rather than from it?
Where's the towing vehicle?

I ask because I wonder if they were made at Speke, and then shipped by river?
(Having said that, why not use Garston Docks?)

It's a great photo, but is it being towed to the Pier Head, rather than from it.
Where's the towing vehicle?

I ask because I wonder if they were made at Speke, and then shipped by river?
(Having said that, why not use Garston Docks?)

That's a Pearsons job if ever I saw one. The truck in front of the aircraft is the one doing the towing. Recognise it from the pictures I have that are going in the Pearsons book.

I thought it was turning left into Water Street.
I can see now it's not, and I can see the truck, part hidden by the tram.

That was a familiar scene when I was a kid living in the Tennie's (Speke Rd Gdns) there used to be convoys of them being towed to Speke Airport.

That was a familiar scene when I was a kid living in the Tennie's (Speke Rd Gdns) there used to be convoys of them being towed to Speke Airport.

That would make sense if the planes where made in the U.S. shipped here in convoys, then made flight ready at speke, then flown to there dispersal air field's.

I think that's the most likely theory. As far as I know they weren't produced in England so it's very likely they were brought over part-assembled and finished off at Speke.

Fantastic photo...

'Correct' both of you! they were 'finished off' at the Rootes Aircraft Factory ,which was situated close to Speke airport, (Rootes later became the Dunlop Factory) then once completed they were 'wheeled' across Speke Hall Avenue into the airport where they were then flown off to various other bases. As Ebby, I too remember them all being towed down Mather Ave., then Speke Road to the Rootes Factory. Guess that they could'nt be 'shipped' to Garston Docks because of tidal conditions.:PDT11

There were also a lot of planes assembled at Burtonwood. My father used to work there, and the planes would arrive in pieces or crates from the docks. I recall him telling me that most of the workers were unskilled in aircraft work and his job was correcting the errors in the assembly process.

I can just make out:
EWS 50 Yards -->
(EWS= Emergency Water Station)
Edge Lane/ Needham Road
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee262/south_liverpool/EWS_Needham_Rd_Edge_La.jpg

'Correct' both of you! they were 'finished off' at the Rootes Aircraft Factory ,which was situated close to Speke airport, (Rootes later became the Dunlop Factory) then once completed they were 'wheeled' across Speke Hall Avenue into the airport where they were then flown off to various other bases. As Ebby, I too remember them all being towed down Mather Ave., then Speke Road to the Rootes Factory. Guess that they could'nt be 'shipped' to Garston Docks because of tidal conditions.:PDT11

Norm, Here's a photo pf the planes on Allerton Rd just about to enter Mather Avenue.

Photo from Liverpool Echo

Norm, Here's a photo pf the planes on Allerton Rd just about to enter Mather Avenue.

Photo from Liverpool Echo

Anyone know the aircraft type.

Anyone know the aircraft type.

No, but that's the Plaza cinema they're passing. :)
Yates's Wine Lodge (formerly Tesco) is now on the site of the cinema.

Anyone know the aircraft type.

Ill ask my resedent aircraft expert.

MUSTANGS I think ??

phredd

MUSTANGS I think ??

phredd

In Allerton Rd, no. It looks like carrier plane as it has a wide undercarriage. Wildcat? Hellcat?

"Thanks for posting the photo Taffy! Brings back a lot of fond memories, especially the view of the Plaza Cinema" That pic showed some of the smaller planes. there were larger one's, minus wings, so that they could make the journey along the dual carriageways. Can't say what type but not Mustangs, they had a different nose arrangement, look like 'Defiants' or 'Skua's' to me.

I've got a 10 x 8 print of this photo, and the caption says: "2/15 American Mustangs going down Allerton Road".
The 2/15 could refer to the number of the photo. (I think it was in a book, but don't know what).

BTW. I don't know one plane from another.

They look like Grumman Hellcats but I could be wrong...

definitely Mustangs. Hellcats and Wildcats had radial engines and no
bubble canopy. I built and flew all these planes albeit as models when I
was a lad
gregs dad

Sent a copy of this picture to my Uncle who used to work at the Dunlops factory - this was his reply:

This leaves me confused! The Dunlop Speke factory was built as I understood it, as an aircraft factory. When I workrd there it still had the huge sliding doors for getting planes out and was tall with cranes running the length of the factory so that they could lift planes over each other. It was facing the old main runway so that finished planes could be taken across the road and onto the runway.
I do not know which aircraft company had their name over the door but I always assumed that it did not become a Dunlop tyre factory untill after the war. But this is clearly wrong in view of this picture unless that dates from after the war.
Its a bit of a suprise that the roads were wide enough without lamp posts or trees or post holding tram wires, to be able to bring planes along them
Incidently did you realise that the trees along Allerton Road were planted there as mature trees after the roads had been modified, presumably after the tram tracks were taken up, say 1951.

The planes being towed down Allerton Rd are P51 Mustangs with the props and spinners taken off. The same as the plane being towed past Water St.

The planes once assembled at Speke would be delivered to their destinations by teams of girl pilots.