Central Aircraft

History

R. Cattle Ltd, a London cabinet makers and joinery firm, had been associated with aviation since its early days, supplying many leading manufacturers with high quality wooden parts. To paraphrase Flight from 5 July 1913 "Although there are several firms supplying the wants of aeroplane constructors , there are a very few who makes a speciality of not only obtaining the wood itself, but also undertaking to turn out the finished article. Messrs. R. Cattle and Co is one of the very few exceptions."

The Central Aircraft Company was set up as a subsidiary in September 1916 at their Palmerston Works, 179 High Road, Kilburn, North-West London, under the leadership of Arthur James Cattle (b. 15 July 1882, Holloway, London – d. September 1971, Watford) and supplied wooden components to the industry under Air Ministry and Admiralty contracts.

Post war, the company set up its own design department under A.A. Fletcher, producing the Centaur IIA and Centaur IV models. The first aircraft were flown from a field next to the factory, but later aircraft were test flown from Northolt Aerodrome, where the company had established a training school and joyriding facility. However, both Centaur IIAs were lost to accidents and the only customers for the Centaur IV were SEGA in Belgium and Centrals own flying school. As a consequence, and like other aircraft companies in the aftermath of World War One, Central was obliged to find work outside the industry. Cambro motorcycles were produced from 1920 to 1921, and in 1921 they built a sixteen-seater charabanc body on a Ford 1-ton chassis.

Fletcher left the company in 1922 and no more original designs followed. The last aircraft produced was the Sayers SCW Monoplane Glider, built for the 1922 Itford Hill gliding competition. The company closed its aviation business in May 1926, after which it became known as the Central Joinery Company. On 20 January 1927 the receiver was called in and the company closed for good.

As a postscript, in August 1937 the Palmerston Works was bought by Gaumont Super Cinemas Ltd as a site for a large cinema.

Company References

1. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 1, A.J. Jackson (Putnam, 2nd Ed., 1973)
2. British Light Aeroplanes 1920-1940, Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume (GMS Enterprises, 2000)
3. British Commercial Aircraft 1920-1940, Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume (GMS Enterprises, 2003)
4. Graces Guide
5. Flight 26 Mar 1915

Project Data