The Brab Hangar
'It was like a huge cathedral, nothing had been built that size.'
Mike Jones, 2009, Filton Community History Group.
Bristol Aeroplane Company began work on the Bristol Brabazon in the late 1940s. Known locally as the 'Brab', this luxury aeroplane was meant to carry up to 100 passengers.
A vast three-bay hangar, big enough for eight Brabazons, was built at Filton airfield. It was then one of the world's largest buildings by volume with one of the world's biggest double-glazed windows. The nearby hamlet of Charlton was demolished to extend the runway.
After the Brabazon's maiden flight in 1949, it became clear airlines were not going to buy her and it never went into production. However, she paved the way for future developments like Concorde, and gave Filton a vast building, which dramatically affected the local landscape.
Bristol Aeroplane Company began work on the Bristol Brabazon in the late 1940s. Known locally as the 'Brab', this luxury aeroplane was meant to carry up to 100 passengers.
A vast three-bay hangar, big enough for eight Brabazons, was built at Filton airfield. It was then one of the world's largest buildings by volume with one of the world's biggest double-glazed windows. The nearby hamlet of Charlton was demolished to extend the runway.
After the Brabazon's maiden flight in 1949, it became clear airlines were not going to buy her and it never went into production. However, she paved the way for future developments like Concorde, and gave Filton a vast building, which dramatically affected the local landscape.