BAE Brough: Aircraft manufacturing ends after 104 years

BAE Systems said the Brough factory had a "bright future" in engineering

Manufacturing has ended at an East Yorkshire military aircraft factory after 104 years of production.

BAE Systems in Brough has built aircraft since 1916 but after the final delivery of Hawk jets to Qatar, it will focus on engineering.

Almost 400 manufacturing job losses were announced at the site in October 2017.

Despite the ending of more than a century of history, BAE Systems said the factory had a "bright future".

The site confirmed 238 staff were taking voluntary redundancy, with 135 manufacturing workers moving into other areas of the business.

About 20 people are at risk of compulsory redundancy.

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BAE Systems said 650 people will work on engineering projects including Tempest next-generation combat aircraft and the Dreadnought class of ballistic submarines from January.

Dave Corfield, site director, described it as an "emotional and sad day", with departing colleagues honoured with a traditional "hammering out".

"People grab a hammer and bang it on benches as they walk from the hangar," he said.

"There won't be a dry eye in the house when we hammer out the last of our manufacturing colleagues."

The Hawk, used as a military trainer by air forces around the world, has been the recent focus of manufacturing at the factory

Aircraft manufacturing began in Brough in 1916 with the opening of a factory by aviation pioneer Robert Blackburn.

More than 80 different aircraft were built by the firm, including the Mercury, Buccaneer and the Swordfish, which was used during World War II.

A series of mergers led to the company being acquired by the forerunner of BAE in the 1960s.

Paul Jackman, fabrications team leader, said: "It's a very sad day inside the hangar, the day's finally come - on Christmas Eve of all days.

"I'm stood with six guys behind me, there's over 200 years of experience just between these guys, all those skills will be leaving the area."

Workers posed with the final items manufactured at the factory

Mr Corfield, who joined the factory in 1978 to work on Buccaneers, said more than 100 apprentices will be taken on in Brough over the next five years.

"Regrettably we see the end of manufacturing, but we've got a bright future in engineering," he said.

"We're very proud that we've been the longest continuously producing fixed-wing aircraft factory on the planet."