Hello,

I was wondering if there are some sources on the manufacturers of the Horsa Gliders. I know there were 3 companies that made them but I do not have much information on the companies themselves. They are Airspeed, Harris Lebus, and Austin. Are there any links to these companies or are they no longer in business? Could someone help me?

Thanks,

Darin

__________________
DLB

Darin, if you hang around long enough, someone here is sure to answer you with your requirements.

Meanwhile, might be worthwhile looking at this link, and maybe contacting someone that site too for further information.

http://www.assaultgliderproject.org.uk/

__________________
Prepare to repel borders.
William L. McGonagle, MOH, U. S. Navy, Commanding Officer, USS LIBERTY 1967.

The British Aircraft Industry: an overview

The Sandys report of 1957 suggested that no new manned aircraft would be needed, but this was rapidly seen as incorrect. Further contraction of the industry took place in the 1960s, and the ever-increasing cost of aircraft led to collaboration with other countries in projects such as Concorde, Jaguar, Tornado, and the Gazelle, Puma and Lynx helicopters.

Two major groupings took place: the Hawker Siddeley Group was founded in 1934 when Hawker acquired the Gloster Aircraft Company and the Armstrong Siddeley Development Company. Further companies were added in the 1950s, including a number in Canada. The formation of the British Aircraft Corporation in 1960 united most of the remaining airframe companies. The Plowden Committee report on the aircraft industry in 1965 suggested that the Government should acquire shares in BAC and the airframe elements of Hawker Siddeley to make both public and private capital available. The two groups were merged in 1977, together with Scottish Aviation, to form British Aerospace (BAe), effectively nationalising most of the British aircraft and guided weapons industry. A change of government in 1979 led to the privatisation of BAe over the years 1981 to 1985: it has since undergone several reorganisations, with subsidiary companies being sold or merged. Only a few other companies now produce aircraft, notably Shorts and Slingsby, whilst Rolls-Royce is the only British aero-engine manufacturer. The component and service sector of the industry continues fairly well, with expertise in a number of areas such as undercarriages and propellers.

Cmnd 124; Defence: outline of future policy; 1957.
Cmnd 2853; Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the aircraft industry; 1965.


Company Histories and description of records

Airspeed Ltd
The company was founded as Airspeed Ltd in York in 1931 by A Hessell Tiltman and Neville Shute Norway, but a take-over by Swan Hunter in 1933 led to the name being changed to Airspeed (1934) Ltd and the business moved to Portsmouth. In June 1940 Swan Hunter's shares were bought by the De Havilland Aircraft Company, and the name of the company reverted to Airspeed Ltd in January 1944. De Havilland bought out the preference shares in 1948 and a merger between Airspeed and De Havilland was announced in June 1951, leading to the formation of the Airspeed Division of De Havilland.

Before the Second World War the company built light twin-engined transport aircraft, one of which - the Envoy - was developed as a multi-purpose trainer for the RAF and renamed the Oxford. Airspeed's other important contribution to the war effort was the Horsa troop-carrying glider. The post-war Ambassador airliner was purchased in small numbers by British European Airways (BEA)

Papers of A Hessell Tiltman, including prospectuses for the original Airspeed Ltd and the Memorandum and Articles of Association of Airspeed (1934) Ltd 1917-1943 (AC 77/26, listed)

Drawings for a range of aircraft, including the Envoy and the projected AS 14 (MAC 10996 - 11030, listed)

(CHRISTCHURCH, Hampshire :Scintillex Factory used during WW2 for dispersed Airspeed Horsa production.)


Other general info and links at:

http://www.pointvista.com/WW2GliderPilots/thehorsa.htm


Photo archive at:

http://www.ajjcollection.co.uk/index.htm

No.9

Thanks, No 9 - interesting stuff !

Incidentally, we have two large sections of Horsa fuselage at the Mosquito Museum, Salisbury Hall ( where the prototypes were built ).

One section has been restored & one was recently rescued from being burnt - an old lady had been using it to live in since the 1940's.....

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

A Horsa glider is being built by the Pegasus Bridge Memorial Museum for the 60 anni of D-Day.

I will check in Ottways book for more and post tomorrow... [img]smile.gif[/img]

__________________
"Watch that Fu*ker, he'll 'ave someones eye out!" King Harold at Hastings 1066.

Thanks everyone for the information, it is a good start for me.

Wonderful stuff No 9.


Darin

__________________
DLB

A couple of interesting facts about the Horsa, one is that much of the wood used to make them came from the Lidney Ply factory in the forest of Dean, they are still in business today. Another thing is that the Horsa was much preferred by pilots to the Hamilcar because if it was flipped upside down the pilot could still survive where as if the pilot was in a Hamilcar he would be killed. It is also an interesting fact that after the war experiments were carried out with a system that would allow a tug aircraft to fly in low and 'snag' the tow cable of a glider on the ground and draw it into the air.

__________________
There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.