Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group

Marshall Group was originally established during 1909 by its founder David Gregory Marshall, who gave the company his name.[2] Its initial base was a small lock-up garage in Brunswick Gardens, Cambridge, and at first provided chauffeur services to individual customers. It quickly became commercially viable, enabling the business to relocate to larger premises in Kings Street during 1910 and again to Jesus Lane just two years later, expanding its operations to the sale of vehicles shortly thereafter.[2] In 1912, Marshall's worked on its first aircraft, helping to repair the engine of a British Army airship, the Beta II, which had made an emergency landing in Jesus Green, near its garage. During the First World War, Marshall's premises were engaged in the servicing and repair of vehicles required for the British war effort.[2]

During the late 1920s, David Marshall's son, Arthur, took an active role in the company.[2] A keen engineer and pilot, Arthur was involved in establishing an aerodrome at Fen Ditton on the outskirts of Cambridge. During 1930, the Marshall Flying School was formed at Fen Ditton, marking the company's entry into the aviation sector.[2] During the 1930s, Marshall's purchased a large amount of farmland, using some of it to establish what would become Cambridge City Airport, which was larger and with greater facilities than its predercessor. Formally opened in 1937, the new airport was fortuitously timed with a coinciding national priority on rearmament, which included the training of military aircrew.[2] Accordingly, in 1938, a major flying training school for the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve was established by Marshall; it had reportedly trained over 600 new RAF pilots prior to the start of the Battle of Britain. The scheme was ramped up during the Second World War; the company ultimately trained in excess of 20,000 aircrew, including pilots, observers and flying instructors. During 1941, the training scheme was universally adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF).[2]

Prior to the war, Marshall's had opened a second garage, known as Airport Garage, on the site; both garages were temporarily closed down during the conflict and were reopened shortly after its end.[2] Instead, the company was engaged in the repair and modification of military aircraft; it has been claimed that Marshall's performed work on over 5,000 aircraft, ranging in size and complexity from Airspeed Oxford and Avro Anson transport aircraft to front-line combat types as the de Havilland Mosquito, Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, Vickers Wellington and Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. To cope with this workload, the firm's workforce was expanded to around 3,000 employees, many of which were women.[2] Marshall's chose to continue its involvement in aviation work, such as repairs, structural modifications and conversions, even after the war's end, although it mostly abandoned its final assembly work. Instead, the firm operated as a sub-contractor of virtually all the British aircraft manufacturing companies.[2]

Marshall Motor Group rapidly flourished in the postwar era; various new garages were soon established to serve Peterborough, Bedford, and neighbouring smaller towns.[2] During the 1950s and 1960s, the firm found work in modifying hundreds of various civil airliners, including the Vickers Viscount, the first turboprop airliner, and de Havilland Comets, the first jet-powered airliner, and the Bristol Britannia. Marshall's was also involved with the National Research Development Corporation, assisting Francis Thomas Bacon in the invention of the fuel cell.[2] Around this time, Michael Marshall became the company's CEO. He managed the company for several decades, during which time it became one of the largest privately owned businesses in Britain.[3]

Royal Air Force Hercules C-130K (C3) in commemorative Hercules Integrated Operational Support Colour Scheme.

Since 1966, Marshall Aerospace has been the designated support company for the Royal Air Force's fleet of C-130 Hercules. It has been formally recognised as a Sister Design Authority for the type since 1988. The company oversaw the introduction of RAF's 25 second generation C-130J Super Hecules fleet, as well as the retirement of half of the service's first generation aircraft. In addition to its domestic support operations, Marshall Aerospace has supported various international operators' own Hercules fleets.[4][5][6] Marshall Group has also signed multiple agreements with US defense conglomerate Lockheed Martin to manufacture various components of the Super Hercules on behalf of the latter's for the global supply chain.[7][8]

Marshall Aerospace functioned as the design authority for the RAF's fleet of Lockheed TriStar tanker and freighter aircraft;[9] as well as the appointed sister design authority for the RAF's Boeing E-3D Sentry. It undertook major maintenance and modification activity on these types, plus a range of other military and commercial aircraft. Notable design achievements include the design and production of Concorde's droop nose and visor in 1967, and a vestibular sled for medical research which flew 112 orbits in Space Shuttle Challenger on STS-61-A in 1985. Marshall Aerospace has also performed a variety of passenger to tanker and freighter aircraft conversions. One unusual project was the conversion of a Lockheed L-1011 Tristar airliner into a launch vehicle for a satellite delivery system, on behalf of Orbital Sciences. Marshall Aerospace was the designated industrial body involved in the Vulcan to the Sky project, which restored Avro Vulcan XH558 to a flight-worthy condition and supported its operations for numerous years.[10]

Marshall Group has been a long-term partner of Bombardier Aerospace. During 1998, the company was appointed the first independent authorised service centre in Europe for the Bombardier Global Express long-range business jet.[11] In mid 2000, Marshall became involved in the Global Express' manufacturing process, performing interior completions on behalf of Bombardier.[12][13] During the 2010s, the firm's expertise with the type enabled it to perform extensive modifications of the airframe to produce customised special mission models for military customers.[14] Marshall Aerospace has also performed the production of long range fuel tanks for various Boeing aircraft, including the Boeing 747-400ER and 777-200LR airliners, as well as the KC-46 Pegasus refuelling tanker and the P-8 Posideon multi-mission maritime aircraft.[15][16]

During 1992, Marshall acquired military truck manufacturer AWD Trucks from receivership.[17] The venture saw the revival of the Bedford name for an 18 tonne vehicle. Activity under this brand was discontinued during 1998.[18]

By 2012, the Marshall Group was reporting an annual turnover in excess of £1 billion and was employing nearly 4,500 staff.[19] During the 2010s, the business made various moves to expand its footprint in commercial aviation, announcing its intention to establish Cambridge Airport as a primary hub for business aviation operations during 2012.[20][21] In September 2013, Marshall purchased Hawker Beechcraft's services branch at Broughton, subsequently rebranding it Marshall Aviation Services as well as being appointed Hawker's distributor for the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia. That same year, the company also bought FlairJet, an air charter specialist. This move was part of Marshalls' strategy to grow its charter fleet five-fold.[22][23] At this time, Marshall Group was deliberately restructuring its business activities, particularly its sizable aerospace division.[24]

During late 2015, Marshall Group announced that, in response to a downturn in demand from the British armed forces, the firm intended to focus on its growing civilian activities, including the resumption of VIP aircraft conversion work to counteract this.[25][26] During 2019, the company announced that was planning to relocate its headquarters from its historic home at Cambridge Airport over the coming decade, although it noted there was value in relocating to a nearby location, such as Cranfield Airport, Duxford Aerodrome and RAF Wyton.[27]

Bangladesh Air Force C-130J modified by Marshall ADG

Marshall carried out depth maintenance and modified C-130J Super Hercules fleet of Bangladesh Air Force before delivered to Bangladesh.[28] Those were ex RAF aircraft. Marshall also signed a multi-year multi-million-pound support contract for the C-130J fleet.[29]