A Centenary in Retrospect – F Hills and Sons Limited front page 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A Centenary in Retrospect – F Hills and Sons Limited front page
F.J. Hills and Sons Limited completed twenty-eight Hillson Praga light aircraft at their Trafford Park Works in Manchester, although references to the aircraft under the Norton Road, Stockton address exist, eg British Aircraft by R.A. Saville-Sneath(Penguin Books, 1944). The Hillson Praga was first flown in early 1936, but production was suspended at the outbreak of war with several incomplete. It was a British built version of the Czechoslovakian CKD- Praga E.114 Air Baby of 1934. PRINCIPAL FEATURES: high wing monoplane, single fin and rudder, fixed undercarriage, two seat cabin with side by side seating, dual control. POWER UNIT: 40hp Praga B twin cylinder air-cooled engine. It had an engine as simple as, and more accessible than, a motorcycle. Jowett Cars Limited of Bradford obtained the license to build this engine for British use. Jowett were briefly owned post-war by Charles Clore who went on to buy Furness Shipbuilding at Haverton Hill. PERFORMANCE: top speed 93 mph, cruising speed 79-83 mph, landing speed 37 mph, range 320 miles, initial climb 360 feet per min, climbs to 1310 feet in 3 mins, 3000 feet in 10 mins climbing at 57 mph, service ceiling 15000 feet (11483 feet Czech version), duration 3.5 hours, fuel consumption 33 miles per gallon, weight empty 640 pounds (Czech version), 584 pounds (Hills version), weight loaded about 1080 pounds, disposable load 445 pounds. The design eliminated side-slip or spin. At the stalling point the aircraft lost height and passed into a glide with excellent control, ideal for schoolwork. DIMENSIONS: span 36 feet, length 21 feet 6 inches, wing area about 164 square feet, height 5 feet 6 inches. COST: The Hillson Praga had the lowest price of any other British two-seater plane in early 1936 at 385 pounds, although this was increased to 435 pounds by late 1936. ACHIEVEMENTS: Mr. R.F. Hall won the handicapped Manx Air Race of 156 miles on Whit Monday 1936 in 117 mins and 52 secs (average speed of 89.5 mph)in the tiny Hillson Praga. Mr. J. Shoesmith came second in the Tynwald Air Race part of the 1937 Manx Air Race in a Hillson Praga. Mr. H.L. Brook flew from Lympne (Kent) to Capetown (South Africa) in 16 days, 4 hours and 30 mins (135 flying hours at about 78 mph) in a Czech- built Praga from 6-23 May 1936. This is much longer than the modern airliner distance between London and Capetown of 6009 miles.
I worked at Hills before emigrating to Australia and I was very pleased to come across this book which I have never seen before. It brought back lots of memories. Thank you.
What a great piece of our local history, thanks Janine and to the Picture Stockton team for this fine contribution.
I agree with Mike Renwick that Janine and the team at Picture Stockton have presented us with a unique piece of local history with the publication of this entire book. I have no connection with Hills other than that I lived in Tilery during the 1940″s and passed it almost every day during my teens, but I must admit I was not aware of the size of the site behind that frontage on Norton Road or the company”s involvement in aircraft manufacture or wartime contribution. I”ll look at aircraft like the De Havilland Mosquito in a different light next time I visit Duxford. The aerial spread on pages 14 -15 certainly reminds me of that part of Norton Road I remember. Along the bottom of the picture on the right hand side I can see the top of Compton street and in front of the factory just left of the huge chimney stack was the “0” bus stop.
Janine Connor & Photo Stockton Team – Janine as you will be aware some contributors to the site worked at the Norton Road premises, as did my mother. It”s wonderful that your father saved a really fascinating piece of local industrial & social history. Thanks are also in order to the team for putting on to the web – well done to all!