Austin was producing seventeen different models by 1908. During the First World War Austin produced munitions and built Austin Village in Turves Green for his workers. The car business was difficult after World War I; the Austin company was threatened with bankruptcy in 1921 and a receiver was appointed. The "Baby Austin" was launched in 1922 and offered for sale at £225 (£12,417.65 in 2018); putting it within the budget of customers who had never owned a car before. Its output reached 25,000 annually by 1925; the price was lowered each year. In 1931, the Austin 12/6 was introduced, followed by the Austin 12/4 in 1933. Military production The company turned its resources to the war effort in 1914 and, in 1917, Austin was knighted for his services and also received the Belgium Order of the Crown of Leopold II, for the employment of 3,000 Belgian refugees at Longbridge. During World War II, the company specialised in making aircraft; Horsa glider fuselages; specialist army vehicles; hydraulic motors for gun turrets; ammunition boxes, magazines for machine guns, tommy guns, Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns; marine engines for ships lifeboats; and pressings for jerrycans. British shadow factories Up until 1938, the Air Ministry had been headed by Lord Swinton, who at that point had been forced to resign his position by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain due to a lack of progress in re-arming the Royal Air Force. New minister Sir Kingsley Wood implemented a new plan to treble British aircraft production in the run up to the Second World War in two parts: Development of nine new factories Extension and extensions to existing factory complexes to allow either easier switching to aircraft industry capability, or production capacity expansion Underneath the plan, there was government funding for the building of these new production facilities, in the form of grants and loans. Key to the plan were the products and plans of Rolls-Royce Limited, whose Merlin engine powered many of the key aircraft being developed by the Air Ministry. Austin was placed in charge of implementing the scheme on the producers' side, who were mainly motor vehicle manufacturers; while technical liaison with the aircraft industry was placed with Charles Bruce-Gardner. Parliamentary career From 1918 to 1924, Austin served as the Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham King's Norton but never made a speech in the House of Commons. In 1936, he was created Baron Austin,