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Blackburn Aircraft was founded
by Robert Blackburn, who built his first aircraft in Leeds in
1908 with the company's Olympia Works at Roundhay opening in
1914. The Blackburn Aeroplane & Motor Company was created
in 1914, established in a new factory built at Brough, East Riding
of Yorkshire in 1916, where Robert's brother Norman Blackburn
was later managing director. By acquiring the Cirrus-Hermes company
in 1937, Blackburn started producing aircraft engines, the Blackburn
Cirrus range. By 1937, pressure to re-arm was growing and the
Yorkshire factory was approaching capacity. A fortuitous friendship
between Maurice Denny, managing director of Denny Bros., the
Dumbarton ship building company, and Robert Blackburn resulted
in the building of a new Blackburn factory at Barge Park, Dumbarton
where production of the Blackburn Botha commenced in 1939. The
company's name was changed to Blackburn Aircraft Limited in 1939,
and the company amalgamated with General Aircraft Limited in
1949 as Blackburn and General Aircraft Limited, reverting to
Blackburn Aircraft Limited by 1958. As part of the rationalisation
of British aircraft manufacturers, its aircraft production and
engine operations were absorbed into Hawker Siddeley and Bristol
Siddeley respectively. The Blackburn name was dropped completely
in 1963. An American company, Blackburn Aircraft Corp., was incorporated
in Detroit on 20 May 1929 to acquire design and patent rights
of the aircraft of Blackburn Airplane & Motor Co., Ltd. in
the USA. It was owned 90% by Detroit Aircraft Corp. and 10% by
Blackburn Airplane & Motor Co., Ltd. Agreements covered such
rights in North and South America, excepting Brazil and certain
rights in Canada and provided that all special tools and patterns
were to be supplied by the UK company at cost. |
