A campaign has been launched to save an historic building at the Longbridge car plant after it was handed to developers.
The Flightshed played a significant part in the story of British Leyland and late MG Rover as well as its role in the war effort as hundreds of Second World War fighter and bomber planes were built inside.
Built in the 1930s, it was designed by bouncing bomb inventor Barnes Wallis and featured the biggest unsupported roof in Europe at the time.
But now campaigners say they are concerned about rumours emerging from workers at MG Rover – now owned by Chinese firm Nanjing – that it could be demolished to make way for homes.
St Modwen, which is developing parts of the former car plant site, will be handed the keys for the huge building on Groveley Lane within weeks but says it has yet to make a decision on its future.
Former suspension and steering engineer Steve Rain, 56, is leading a campaign to protect Birmingham’s motoring heritage and says it ought to be turned in to a visitor centre.
He is being backed by city historian Professor Carl Chinn.
“We always felt that when the firm was sold from under the workers’ feet that we had to do something to protect the history that we were leaving behind,” said Mr Rain.
“There is history to the building because it was designed by Barnes Wallis and a lot of aircraft including the Hurricane were assembled in the Flightshed.
“More recently, the MGF was developed there as well as the work that MG Rover did on developing the Mini before BMW took over the project.
“I feel very strongly that it should become a tribute to Herbert Austin and all the people who worked there after that.
“I’m very concerned about the noises coming out of the plant now that it could be demolished and I am collecting signatures to try and prevent that from happening.”
Mr Wallis designed the roof which mirrored the pioneering geodesic structure of another of his iconic pieces of engineering – the Wellington bomber.
It is thought to be only one of four remaining in the country and, despite the huge size of the curving roof, it has no internal supports.