1920, with Grand Prix racing established in 1926. The
all-time lap record of 143.44 mph was achieved by John
Cobb driving the 24 liter Napier Railton in 1934.
When World War II broke out in 1939, Brooklands was
again used for military aircraft production and heavily
camouflaged, with trees planted in some sections of the
track to conceal the Hawker and Vickers aircraft factories
there. Nevertheless, the Vickers factory was bombed
by the Luftwaffe in 1940, with some 90 aircraft workers
killed and at least 419 injured. The Vickers-Armstrongs
Design Department and its staff were subsequently
dispersed to a secret location at the nearby Burhill Golf
Course.
HYLAND