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Aircraft |
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A selection
of pictures of aircraft seen at Croydon throughout it's
history |
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Spartan |
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In 1928 Oliver Simmonds
designed and built a prototype aircraft, the Simmonds Spartan,
in a factory at Woolston, Hampshire. The design was a success
with over 50 aircraft built. Following financial difficulties
and investment from Whitehall Securities Corporation Ltd. Simmonds
Aircraft Limited changed name in 1930 to Spartan Aircraft Limited.
The first aircraft from the renamed company was the Spartan Arrow
a two-seat biplane of which 15 were built. The next design was
a three-seat open-cockpit biplane the Spartan Three Seater. The
company ceased to build aircraft in 1935. In January 1931 Flight
magazine revealed that Whitehall Securities had acquired a substantial
holding in Saunders Roe Ltd. and arising out of this investment
Spartan was effectively merged into Saunders Roe. Spartan Aircraft's
final product was the Spartan Cruiser a three-engined light airliner
developed from the Saro-Percival Mailplane. |
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Spartan II |
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(above)
'Spartan 3 Seater II'. |
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Spartan Cruiser |
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(above) 'Spartan Cruiser' of Spartan Airways in 1932 |
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(below) Spartan Cruiser |
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(above) 'Spartan Cruiser III' |
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