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Spartan Air Lines Ltd was formed
on the 2nd of February 1933, as a subsidiary of Spartan Aircraft
Ltd, to develop the use of its product the Spartan Cruiser. The
company was financed by Whitehall Securities Ltd, and services
to the Isle of Wight were to be operated in co-operation with
private railway companies. The managing director was W.D.L. Roberts,
with Harold Balfour and Alliott Verdon-Roe as fellow directors,
and Mr P.W. Lynch-Blosse as chief pilot. On the 12th of April
1933, the first service was started from Heston Aerodrome to
Somerton (Cowes West) Aerodrome, Cowes, Isle of Wight, using
three Spartan Cruisers. After a winter break in scheduled operations,
the airline moved to Croydon Aerodrome for the summer 1934 season,
in collaboration with Railway Air Services. In April 1935, Spartan
Air Lines returned to Heston, operating services to both Cowes
and Bembridge, again in collaboration with Railway Air Services.
A sister company in the Spartan group, United Airways Ltd, had
been formed in 1934 to operate connecting services from Heston
to Hall Caine Airport, Isle of Man via Stanley Park Aerodrome
(Blackpool) for the 1935 season. On the 30th of September 1935,
Spartan Air Lines and United Airways were merged to form Allied
British Airways Ltd, and on the 29th of October 1935 that was
renamed British Airways Ltd. The new airline started operations
on the 1st of January 1936, initially based at Heston. |
