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British Aviation - A Timeline

In the main part of this web site I have predominantly looked at aviation projects coming out of the UK. In this section I will look specifically at the British aviation industry. As such, excluded here are home designer/builders and the “one-offs” along with, at least for the moment, those companies that are solely involved with UAV’s. In addition, to be included the company must have produced at least two machines (not necessarily of different types). With these provisos, the nearly 1000 “companies” that make up the main part of this website are reduced to less than a quarter of that figure.


The charts that follow show these companies in approximately chronological order, except when amalgamation and the like has created an historically related group, when these are shown together to more easily understand their relationships. As such, some companies that have not produced the requisite two machines but have a place within an historical lineage are included for completeness.

 

Amalgamation has played no small part in the history of British aviation, no more so than the Government forced creation of British Aerospace and likewise its predecessors BAC, Hawker Siddeley and Scottish Aviation, along with Westland Helicopters. For clarity, these four have been broken out into their own charts. Links between charts can be followed using the folder icon.  Expand


Flight magazine for 1-7 July, 1914, stated “It may not assemble complete aircraft, but the country’s aerospace industry is one of the most influential and capable in the world.” As fine as the latter comment is, it is the opening statement that is the most telling. While not 100% true, the design through build capability of indigenous machines is a shadow of its former self. From a peak of 52 companies designing and producing their own machines, the UK is now down to just 10 (see graph).


Graph


More telling is a review of just what those ten companies are and what they produce. By far the most significant is the might of BAE Systems, now a major international conglomerate. The company has long since divested itself of commercial aviation, becoming an multinational arms supplier. Even more significantly, it seems to have thrown it’s hat firmly in the UAV corner, the only home designed manned aircraft in production being the venerable Hawk. Of course, the workings of the project office are not in the public domain, but there seems to be no new manned aircraft in BAE’s future.

 

Outside of BAE Systems, the remaining nine are relative minnows: Qinetiq and Cranfield are really only research establishments. Britten Norman continues as Britain’s only producer of civil aircraft of more than two seats, albeit from all foreign produced parts. Merlin and Layzell produce autogiro kits, the Light Aircraft Company doing the same for fixed wing machines. AeroElvira is hoping to find finance to restart production, but currently is in limbo. Most successful is Europa, who has sold kits into four figures, though not without much financial trouble along te way, and finally Europa’s owner Swift is promising a new factory built VLA, but to date (2014) nothing has yet been produced.

 

There is, of course, much more to the British aviation industry than just that. Beyond those ten companies mentioned above are three of the UK’s biggest; Short Brothers, now a wholly owned subsidiary of Bombardier of Canada (and no longer building complete aircraft), AgustaWestland, wholly owned by Finmeccanica of Italy and Airbus UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Franco-German Airbus Industrie. While these provide much technologically leading edge employment  in the UK, the resulting intellectual property goes elsewhere.  




Further Reading

For further reading on any of the companies shown in the timeline, refer to their individual entries in this website. For a fuller understanding of the British aviation industry as a whole, the reader can do no better than reference Ron Smith's excellent quintet:
  • British Built Aircraft Volume 1: Greater London (Tempus, 2002)
  • British Built Aircraft Volume 2: South West and Cental Southern England (Tempus, 2003)
  • British Built Aircraft Volume 3: South East England (Tempus, 2004)
  • British Built Aircraft Volume 4: Central and Eastern England (Tempus, 2004)
  • British Built Aircraft Volume 5: Northern England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (Tempus, 2005)



The British Aviation Industry

 

1910

1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

2020

 
                                                                                                                                                     
                 
  
             

QinetiQ Group plc

 

 
  

Royal Aircraft Factory

    

Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA)

      
           
 

Army Balloon Factory

  

Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE)

    
    
                 
  

British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) and its antecedents

Expand

   

Defence Science and Technology Laboratory

 

 
       
                  
  

British Aerospace (BAe)

  
    
           
  

Hawker Siddeley Aviation (HSA) and its antecedents

Expand

  

Marconi Electronic Systems (MES)
(GEC-Marconi to 1998)

   

BAE Systems

 

 

 
       
                    
  

Scottish Aviation and its antecedents

Expand

        
        
                     
  

Short & Harland Ltd

  

Marconi Corporation plc
(Marconi plc to May 2003)

 
      
            
  

Short Brothers

Short Brothers (Rochester and Bedford) Ltd

Short Brothers and Harland Ltd

Short Brothers

Short Brothers plc
(A subsidiary of Bombardier Inc of Canada)

  
  
                   
     

Aeronautical Syndicate Ltd

  
    
       
       

Grahame-White Aviation Co Ltd

   
     
           
  

Humber Ltd

     
     

Mann, Egerton aviation dept.

  
          
     

Mann, Egerton & Company Ltd

  
   
               
     

L. Howard Flanders Ltd

  
    
        
   

Eastbourne Aviation Co

  
   
        
  

Lakes Flying Co.

      

Northern Aircraft Co Ltd

 
      
           
  

Westland Helicopters and its antecedents

Expand

  
  
     

Aviation dept of J. Samuel White trading as Wight Aviation Ltd

                 
   

Westland became a wholly owned subsidiary of GKN in 1994

   
    

J. Samuel White

 

 

  

AgustaWestland

 

 
        
                     
 

Austin Motor Co (1914) Ltd.

     

Agusta

 

Jointly owned by GKN and Finmeccanica 2000-2004.
Wholly owned by Finmeccanica of Italy from October 2004

  
      
            
  

William Beardmore and Co. Ltd

       
  
   

Sage aviation dept.

       
     
        

Frederick Sage & Co Ltd

  
      
  

Parnall and Sons aviation dept.

       
     
 

Parnall and Sons

  

Parnall and Sons continues in business as shopfitters

 

Parnall acquired by Nash and Thompson in 1935

  
    
  

George Parnall leaves Parnall & Sons in 1919

          
   

George Parnall and Co.

Parnall Aircraft Ltd

  
     
            
 

London and Provincial Aviation Co Ltd.

  

Hendy Aircraft Co.

     
       
             
   
        
     

The Air Department of the Admiralty (AD)

  
     
                      
  

Boulton & Paul Ltd

Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd

  
      
  

Port Victoria Marine Experimental Aircraft Depot

                 
      

Dowty Group

Dowty Boulton Paul Ltd
(later Dowty Aerospace.)

  
    
                  
 

Robey & Co. Ltd

        
     
  

Robey aviation dept.

                
   

Central Aircraft Co Ltd

   
   

Trans-Oceanic Airways Co

 
          
        
        

Navarro Safety Aircraft Ltd

  
             
  

Navarro Aircraft Co. Ltd

    

Navarro Aviation Co. Ltd

        

Navarro Aircraft Construction Co

  
          
                    
     

Burton Aircraft & Mfg. Co Ltd

     

Harborough Aircraft Construction Co Ltd

  
          
             
  

Air Navigation and Engineering Company (ANEC)

      
    
         
       

Comper and Walker Ltd
Comper Aeroplanes Ltd from Dec 1936

  
 

Comper Aircraft Co Ltd

     
      

Fane acquires Comper Scamp after the death of Comper

   
  

Cranwell Light Aeroplane Club

         
           

Comper Fane Aircraft Ltd. (CF Aircraft)
later Fane Aircraft Ltd

  
               
          
  

Heston Aircraft Co Ltd

Hestair

  
  
          
  

W.L. Manuel

     
    
        
   

Dunstable Sailplane Co

  

Orde-Hume

  
         
              
  

Halton Aero Club

  

Luton Aircraft Co

Phoenix Aircraft Ltd

  
  
         

Kronfeld assets acquired by Luton

     
       
  

C.H. Latimer-Needham


      
          
 

British Aircraft Co. Ltd.

          
          
    

British Aircraft Co (1935) Ltd

   

Kronfeld Ltd

   
               
  

ABC Motors

     
    
   

ABC Motors aviation dept.

         
    
  

Desoutter Aircraft Co Ltd.

      
       
        
  

International Aircraft and Engineering

   

Marendaz Aircraft Ltd

  
    
          
 

Civilian Aircraft Company Ltd

     
    
       
  

Henderson School of Flying/
Glenny and Henderson

    
   
           
 

Robinson Aircraft Co

   

Redwing Aircraft Co Ltd

  
    
       
  

Abbott-Baynes Aircraft Ltd

    
     

Baynes Aircraft

  
  

E. D. Abbott Ltd (coachbuilders)

      
             
 

Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes Ltd

        

Carden-Baynes Aircraft Ltd

 
        
          
 

Brant Aircraft Ltd

    

Scottish Aircraft Construction Ltd

 

Formed to acquire rights to Kay Gyroplanes & Carden Baynes Bee. No further progress seems to have been achieved.

  
       
                  
 

Kay Gyroplanes Ltd

     
    
        
 

Arrow Aircraft (Leeds) Ltd

   

Arrow Aircraft Ltd

  
    
          
  

Cloudcraft Glider Co
(R.S. Dickson)

     
    
         
  

Zander and Weyl Ltd

   

Dart Aircraft Ltd.

  
    
        

Zander and Scott leave

      
  

W.R. Scott

      
      

Scott Light Aircraft Ltd

 
         
  

Zander and Scott Ltd

       

Hawkridge Aircraft Co

  
       
         

Formed by E.P Zander and H.E. Bolton

  
  

Zander leaves

       
     

Zander interned for the duration of W.W.2

   
      
  

Aero Research
(N. de Bruyne)

   
  

1994, FR Group was renamed Cobham

   
         
  

Flight Refuelling Ltd

 
  
                                   
  

Chilton Aircraft Co Ltd

     

Cobham Group acquires ML in 1997; merges with FR in 1998

  
   

EoN acquire the Olympia glider from Chilton

   
        


       
   

Elliotts of Newbury Ltd

      
  
   

Design for EoN conducted by Aviation & Engineering Projects Ltd

         

Slingsby Advanced Composites

  
        
    

1966 Slingsby takes over production of Eon sailplanes, but non built

  

Vickers-Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd, later Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd

 
          
  

Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd

   

Slingsby Aviation

    
      
    

Slingsby Aircraft Ltd

     

ML Holdings acquires Slingsby in 1993

     
       
  

Vickers Group acquires Slingsby in November 1969

  

Yorkshire Sailplanes acquires Slingsby T.53 in 1972

   
     
      

Yorkshire Sailplanes Ltd.

  
     
          
     
              
  

Birmingham Guild Ltd

      

Swales Sailplanes

  
      
             
  

ML Aviation Ltd.

  
      
             

AeRobotics aquire the ML Sprite design

         
  

Foster Wickner Aircraft Co. Ltd.

      

AeRobotics Ltd.

  
          
               
  

Martin's Aircraft Works

  

Martin-Baker Aircraft Co Ltd

   
   
                
  

Aero-8 Flying Club

     
    
        
  

Premier Aircraft Constructions Ltd

     
    
       
  

Reid & Sigrist Ltd.

Aircraft dept of Reid & Sigrist

   
  
         
  

Chrislea Aircraft Co Ltd

  
  
        
  

Aeronautical Corporation Of Great Britain Ltd (Aeronca)

       
      
          
  

Peterborough Aircraft Company Ltd

     
    
       
  

Scottish Aircraft & Engineering Co.

      
      
          
  

Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft Ltd.

  
  
        
     

F. Hills & Sons (Hillson)

  
    
        
  

Moss Brothers Aircraft Ltd.
(Mosscraft)

   
 

Purchased by RTZ Pillar Engineering Group

   

Interest in Auster acquired from Beagle in 1968

   
           
   

Hants and Sussex Aviation Ltd

H+S Aviation Ltd

  
  
             
  

Aviation Traders Ltd (ATL)

    
  
            
  

D. Bianchi

        

Garland Aircraft Ltd

  
             
   

Garland-Bianchi Aircraft Co

          

Fairtravel Ltd

  
        
           
  

Fairey Britten-Norman
created to co-ordinate the activities of B.N.(B) and Fairey S.A. at Gosselies in Belgium after acquisition of B.N.(B) by Fairey

     

Britten-Norman Ltd after acquisition by Litchfield Continental

  
    
          
    

Britten-Norman Co.

   

Pilatus Britten-Norman

  

B-N Group Ltd (BNG)

 

 
       
   

Britten-Norman (Bembridge) Ltd

    

N.D. Norman and
J. Britten leave B.N.

         
      

Britten-Norman Aircraft Ltd

  
              
 

Norman Aeroplane Co

      
      
  

NDN Aircraft Ltd

        
        
           

Clark-Norman Aircraft Ltd

  
  

Firecracker Aircraft Ltd

        
         
  

Croplease plc

      
       
         
         

EPA Aircraft Co

  
  

Paragon Aircraft Ltd

          
  

Jackaroo Aircraft Ltd.

               
     

Aircraft Designs (Bembridge) Ltd

 
           

Britten Aviation Technical Services

  
  

Wiltshire School of Flying

           
               
            

Thruxton Aviation & Eng. Ltd

  
       
       
  

E. Brook

   

Brookland Rotorcraft Ltd
later Gyroflight Ltd

  
    
          
  

McCandless

      

W. H. Ekin (Engineering) Co

  
       
              
  

Mitchell-Prizeman

       

C.G.B. Mitchell

 
       
           
    

Mitchell-Proctor

     
        
      
  

Proctor Aircraft Associates Ltd

      

Nash Aircraft Ltd.

  
      
           
  

Fewsdale Tigercraft Ltd

     
    
              
   

Everett Autogyro  Ltd

 

Montgomerie Gyrocopters Ltd

 

Merlin Autogyros

 
  

Campbell Gyroplanes Ltd

   
               

Montgomerie Gyrocopters Ltd acquired by Layzell in 2013 and renamed Merlin Autogyros

 
  

Campbell Aircraft Ltd

             
             
               
 

Lovegrove / British Gyroplanes

 

Layzell Gyroplanes Ltd

  
    
       
  

Cranfield Institute of Technology

  
  
              
  

Practavia Ltd

   
   
         
  

Torva Sailplanes Ltd

      
     
            
   

Edgley Aircraft Ltd.

Edgley Aeronautics

  
  
           
  

Optica Industries Ltd.

      
      
      
  

Brooklands Aerospace Group plc (Brooklands Aircraft Company Ltd. Feb-April 1987)

      
      
     
       
   

FLS Aerospace (Lovaux Ltd)

   
   

BLA acquires Optica and Sprint from FLS

  
  

 

 

         
  

Orca Aircraft

     

British Light Aircraft Co Ltd (BLA)

        
         

AeroElvira acquires Optica and Sprint from BLA

  
            
  

Trago Mills Ltd (Aircraft Division)

       

AeroElvira

  
      
             
  

Huntair Ltd

     
    
         
  

Campbell-Jones

      

Microflight Aircraft Ltd

  
      
            
 

Dragon Light Aircraft Co.

      

Acquired by Airborne Innovations LLC of Texas and rebranded
CFM Airborne (UK) Ltd

  
    

CFM Aircraft Ltd

    
           
  

CFM Metal-Fax Ltd

          
      
          
     

Bella Aviation Ltd.

  
    
        
  

AMF Microflight Ltd.

 

Aviation Enterprises

  
    
      

AMF Aviation Enterprises

   
 

Tiger Club Developments Ltd

   
                      
   

Micro Biplane Aviation

     

 

        

The Little Aircraft Company Ltd
(formed to continue development of the Sherwood Ranger) 

  
     

 

          
           
          
    

Rights to the Sherwood Ranger acquired by TLAC in 2007

 
        
  

The Light Aircraft Company Ltd

  
  
                 
  

ARV Aviation Ltd

       

Aviation (Scotland) Ltd

 
        
  

Island Aircraft

        
         

Europa Aircraft (2004) Ltd

  
     

 

Europa Aviation Ltd.

      
      
  

Europa Management (International)

   

Swift acquires Europa in 2008

   
      
   

Swift Aircraft Ltd

     
    
             
  


British Aircraft Corporationtop

The British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) was formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with shareholdings of 40%, 40% and 20% respectively. BAC in turn acquired the share capital of their aviation interests and 70% of Hunting several months later. On 29 April 1977, BAC, the Hawker Siddeley Group and Scottish Aviation were nationalised and merged under the provisions of Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977. This new group was established as a statutory corporation, British Aerospace (BAe).

British Aircraft Corporation and its Antecedents

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Westland Helicopters

Expand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bristol Helicopters
a subsidiary of the Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

British & Colonial Aeroplane Co.

Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd.

Bristol
Acft Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Marconi Company

 

 

 

Dick, Kerr & Co. Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E.E. merges with GEC in 1968 to form the General Electric Company plc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D Napier & Son Ltd

 

 

EEC's non aviation business

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

English Electric Co. Ltd.

 

 

English Electric Co. Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Co

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

English Electric Aircraft Ltd.
a subsidiary of English Electric Co. Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coventry Ordnance Works (C.O.W)

 

 

 

 

British Aircraft Corporation (BAC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hunting Percival Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Howard T. Wright leaves in 1912 and goes to J. Samuel White, via a short stay at Hart Aeroplanes and Waterplanes Ltd

 

 

Hunting Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Percival is acquired by the Hunting Group in 1947

 

 

 

 

Hunting Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warwick Wright Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Percival Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Howard T. Wright Brothers Ltd.

 

 

 

 

Edgar Percival leaves in 1947

 

Edgar Percival Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Ltd 

 

Salmsbury Engineering, becoming Lancashire Aircraft in 1959

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pemberton-Billing Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supermarine Aviation Works Ltd

 

 

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vickers (Aviation Dept.)

Vickers (Aviation) Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hawker Siddeley Aviationtop

Hawker Siddeley Aircraft was formed in 1935 as a result of the purchase by Hawker Aircraft of the companies of J. D. Siddeley, the automotive and engine builder Armstrong Siddeley and the aircraft manufacturer Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. At this time, Hawker Siddeley also acquired A.V. Roe & Company (Avro), Gloster Aircraft Company (Gloster) and Air Training Services. The constituent companies continued to produce their own aircraft designs under their own name as well as sharing manufacturing work throughout the group. In 1948, the company name was changed to Hawker Siddeley Group.


In the late 1950s, the British government decided that with the decreasing number of aircraft contracts being offered, it was better to merge the existing companies, of which there were about 15 surviving at this point, into several much larger firms. Out of this decision, came the "order" that all future contracts being offered had to include agreements to merge companies. In 1959, Folland Aircraft was acquired, followed by de Havilland Aircraft Company and Blackburn Aircraft in 1960. In 1963, the names of the constituent companies were dropped, with products being rebranded as "Hawker Siddeley" or "HS". On 29 April 1977, the Hawker Siddeley Group was nationalised and merged into British Aerospace (BAe) (See BAC).

Hawker Siddeley Aviation and its Antecedents

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Crossley Motors acquire 68.5% of A.V. Roe in August 1920

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.V. Roe & Co.

A.V. Roe & Co. Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Siddeley Deasy Motor Car Co.

 

Crossley Motors sells A.V. Roe to A.W. in 1928

 

A.V. Roe leaves to form Saunders-Roe with S.E. Saunders in 1928

 

 

 

 

Siddeley Deasy aircraft design department

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jointly, the Avro Whitworth Division of Hawker Siddeley Aviation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Armstrong Whitworth Development Co.

Armstrong Siddeley Development Co.

 

Whitworth Gloster Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sir W. G. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aerial Department of the Sir W. G Armstrong Whitworth & Co.

 

 

Air Service Training Ltd. (AST)

AST Aircraft Division

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airwork Services

 

 

 

Sir W. G Armstrong Whitworth & Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Gloucestershire Aircraft Co. Limited

Gloster Aircraft Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hawker acquires Gloster in 1934

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nieuport & General Aircraft Co. Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

British Aerial Transport (B.A.T.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waring & Gillow

 

 

Hawker Siddeley Aircraft Co

Hawker Siddeley Group

Hawker Siddeley Aviation
(HSA)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hawker Siddeley Aircraft Co was formed in 1935 as a public company to purchase the Armstrong Siddeley Development Co and 50% of the shares in Hawker Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alliance Aeroplane Company Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruffy-Baumann School of Flying (Ruffy, Arnell & Baumann Aviation Co. from 1917)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sopwith Aviation Co.

H.G. Hawker Engineering

Hawker Aircraft Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Folland becomes part of Hawker Siddeley in 1959

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aircraft Manufacturing Company Ltd
(AMC or Airco)

 

British Marine Aircraft Ltd.

 

 

 

Folland Aircraft 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Members of the Airco staff buy the aviation related assets of the company and form the de Havilland Aircraft Company on 20 September 1920

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

de Havilland becomes part of Hawker Siddeley in 1960

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

de Havilland Aircraft Co. Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

de Havilland acquires Airspeed in 1940

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Airspeed Limited

Airspeed (1934) Limited

Airspeed Limited

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blackburn Aeroplane Co.

 

 

 

The Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Co., Ltd

Blackburn Aircraft Ltd.

Blackburn and General Aircraft Ltd.

Blackburn Aircraft Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

British Aircraft Manufacturing Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

British Klemm Aeroplane Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAMCo assets acquired by GAL but no further production

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monospar
Wing Company

 

 

 

General Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 C.W. Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C W. is re-formed as Chronander Waddington Aircraft Ltd;
later becomes Aviation and Engineering Products Ltd
(See Elliots of Newbury)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Scottish Aviation top

Originally a flying school operator the company took on maintenance work in 1938. During the Second World War, Scottish Aviation was involved in aircraft fitting for the war effort. This included maintenance and conversion of the Consolidated Liberator bomber.

In the 1960’s the company built some Jetstream turboprop transport and navigational training aircraft following the collapse of the Handley Page Aircraft Company and built Bulldog trainers after the demise of their original manufacturer, Beagle Aircraft Limited. Scottish Aviation merged with the British Aircraft Corporation and Hawker Siddeley Aviation to form British Aerospace in 1977.

Scottish Aviation and its Antecedents

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Handasyde Aircraft Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martin and Handasyde

Matinsyde Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aircraft Disposal Company (ADC)

 

 

 

 

ADC acquires remaining stock and goodwill of Martinsyde

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.D.C. Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handley Page Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

Jetstream Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handley Page Reading Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miles Aircraft acquired by H.P. in 1948

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White and Thompson

 

 

Norman Thompson Flight Co.

 

 

 

Southern Aircraft Ltd

 

Phillips & Powis Aircraft

Miles Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White and Thompson Co. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gnat Aero Co Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

F.G. Miles Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F.G. Miles;
from 9/32 the Miles Aeroplane Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taylorcraft Aeroplanes (England) Ltd

Auster Aircraft Ltd

 

 

Operating as BEAGLE-Auster Aircraft Ltd and BEAGLE-Miles Aircraft until May 1962

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

British Executive & General Aviation Ltd (BEAGLE)

 

 

 

Beagle Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest in Auster sold to Hants and Sussex Aviation in 1968

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAL was originally formed as the Scottish College Of Aviation Ltd

 

 

Scottish Aviation Ltd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAL acquired by Cammell-Laird in 1966

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1970, SAL becomes part of the Laird Group after the break up of Cammell-Laird

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Westland Helicopterstop

In 1960 the government forced the merger of the 20 or so aviation firms into three groups, British Aircraft Corporation and Hawker Siddeley Group took over fixed-wing designs, while the helicopter divisions of Bristol, Fairey and Saunders-Roe (with their hovercraft) were merged with Westland to form Westland Helicopters in 1961.

After various ups and downs, GKN bought into Westland in 1988, acquiring a stake owned by Hanson plc. They soon acquired the shares owned by Fiat which gave them absolute control. In 1994, Westland became a wholly owned subsidiary of GKN. It was merged with Finmeccanica's Agusta helicopter division in 2001becoming AgustaWestland. In 2004, Finmeccanica S.p.A. acquired GKN's share in the joint venture to become sole owner.

Westland Helicopters and its Antecedents

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G. & J. Weir Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weir Autogyro Dept.

Weir Aircraft Dept.

 

 

 

With support from J.G. Weir

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Servotec

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With support from J.G. Weir

 

 

 

 

 

 

Formed by J.S. Shapiro of Servotec and F. G. Mitchell of the Mitchell Engineering Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rotorcraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

Weir acquire controlling interest in Cierva

 

 

Weir and Cierva merge as Cierva Autogiro

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cierva Autogiro Co.

 

 

 

Cierva Rotorcraft

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whitehall Securities invests in Simmonds, resulting in a name change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vickers-Armstrong hovercraft division

 

 

 

 

 

Simmonds Aircraft Limited

 

 

 

Spartan Aircraft Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Initially a jointly owned company (Westland Aircraft 65%, Vickers 25%, NRDC 10%) in 1970, Westland acquires full contol

 

 

 

A.V. Roe leaves to form Saunders-Roe with S.E. Saunders in 1928

 

 

 

 

Whitehall Securities acquires a substantial holding in Saunders Roe Ltd. meaning Spartan is effectively merged into Saunders Roe

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S. E. Saunders Ltd

Saunders-Roe (Saro)

 

 

British Hovercraft Corporation

Westland Aerospace
(composite materials specialists)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Westland Aircraft Works of Petters Ltd

Westland Aircraft Ltd.

Westland Helicopters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bristol Helicopters
a subsidiary of the Bristol Aeroplane Co. Ltd.

 

Westland Helicopters becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of GKN in 1994

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairey Aviation Ltd


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd

Fairey Co. Ltd
(a holding company)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Britten-Norman (Bembridge) Ltd

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avions Fairey SA
(Belgium)

Fairey SA

SONACA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V1.4.4 Created by Roger Moss. Last updated August 2020