Frederick Joseph William Purton (b. 1873 in Greenwich, Kent – d. June 1962 in Wandsworth, London) and his son Percy Alfred Purton (b. 10 February 1900 in Greenwich, Kent – d. March 1978 in Erith, Kent), of 41 Mayhill Road, Charlton, London, S.E.7, entered a machine into the Itford Light Aeroplane Competition of 1922 under the name of the British Helicopter Company, of BIackheath, Kent. The machine was described as a two-manpower monoplane helicopter with pedal drive, 10 ft. long 8 ft. 6 ins. high, and 15 ft. span. The machine was presumably intended to use the vertical lift system described in the Purton’s patent No. 168,732 of 15 September 1921 ‘Improvements in or relating to the sustentation or propulsion of aircraft’.

The machine did not appear at the competition and nothing more was heard of it. It seems highly unlikely the machine ever flew if, indeed, it was ever built.

1. Sailplane and Gliding October 1962
2. Flight 20 October 1921