Airspeed Ltd

This article describes the company Airspeed Ltd. For the technical concept, see Airspeed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airspeed Ltd was established to build aeroplanes in 1931 in York, England by A. H. Tiltman and Nevil Shute Norway (the famous writer, who used his first names as his pen-name). Following production of the AS4 Ferry, a three engined, ten passenger biplane, the company concentrated on transport monoplanes. In March 1933 the firm moved to Portsmouth and in the following year became associated with the Tyneside ship builder Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Limited.

Related Topics:
Aeroplane - 1931 - York, England - Nevil Shute Norway - AS4 Ferry - Biplane - 1933 - Portsmouth - Tyneside - Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Limited

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Their most productive period was during World War II. A graceful, twin engined trainer-cum-light transport aircraft known as the AS10 Oxford had a production run exceeding 8,500. Almost 3,800 AS51 and AS58 Horsa gliders were built for the Royal Air Force and its allies. Many of these made one-way journeys into occupied France as part of the D-Day landings, towed from England by Commandos, Dakotas and other piston-engined aircraft.

Related Topics:
World War II - AS10 Oxford - Horsa - Glider - Royal Air Force - France - D-Day - Commando - Dakota

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1940, de Havilland bought into Airspeed and, besides adapting some surplus Oxford aircraft as AS65 Consuls for the commercial market, they went on to produce a superbly streamlined twin-engined piston airliner called the AS57 Ambassador.

Related Topics:
1940 - De Havilland - AS65 Consul - AS57 Ambassador

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Airspeed completely merged with de Havilland in 1951.

Related Topics:
De Havilland - 1951

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~