The year was 1934 and in England there was a growing realisation that another war with Germany was almost inevitable. The man in charge at Rolls-Royce, Ernest Hives (later Lord Hives),  had decided, with a nagging sense of urgency, that he needed to address a growing problem for the company.  In order to improve the reliability and excellence of the Aero engines the company manufactured, Hives realised there was a pivotal need to implement a comprehensive Rolls-Royce owned flight development and testing operation, which at that time the company simply did not have adequate access to. After very successful trials of the concept initially at Stag Lane Aerodrome in London, then at Tollerton Aerodrome near Nottingham, the dye was cast. In October 1933, Hives secured the lease of two Belfast hangers on a much larger and more private airfield at Hucknall; nearer to the factory at Derby.  Opening in January 1934, The Rolls-Royce Flight Test Establishment went on to lead the world in the flight development of aero engines for the next 30 years, contributing massively to the golden years of British aviation.