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. 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). 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 | | | | | Defence Science and Technology
Laboratory | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | British Aerospace (BAe) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Hawker Siddeley Aviation (HSA) and
its antecedents |
| | | Marconi Electronic
Systems (MES) (GEC-Marconi to 1998) | | | | BAE Systems | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Scottish Aviation and its antecedents |
| | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 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 |
| | | | | | | | | | 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 Corporation 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 |
1900 |
1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 |
5 | 6 |
7 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
7 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
8 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Westland
Helicopters |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 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 Aviation 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 | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 |
1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 5 |
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
7 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
7 | 8 | 9 | | | 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
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 | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 |
1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 |
5 |
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
7 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 |
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
7 | 8 | 9 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 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 Helicopters 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 | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | 1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 |
1990 | 2000 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
|