Saunders-Roe

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Image:Saro.png Image:Saunders-Roe Princess.jpg

Saunders-Roe Limited was a British aircraft manufacturing company based in East Cowes, Isle of Wight.

1 History
2 Saunders-Roe Designs
3 External links

History

The name was adopted in 1929 after Alliot Verdon Roe (see Avro) and John Lord took a controlling interest in the boat- and aircraft-builders S.E. Saunders.

Saunders Roe, commonly abbreviated Saro, concentrated on producing flying-boats, but none were produced in very large quantities - the longest run being 31 Londons. They also produced hulls for the Blackburn Bluebird, and during the Second World War manufactured Supermarine Walrus and de Havilland Sea Otters. In 1952 they flew the prototype Princess, but the age of the flying-boat was over and no more were produced here.

The last fixed wing aircraft they built was experimental SR53 mixed power interceptor. In 1951 Saunders-Roe took over the interests of the Cierva Autogyro Company whose helicopter design was developed to be the Skeeter helicopter. In 1959 they demonstrated the first practical hovercraft. In the same year Saro was taken over by Westland who continued the Skeeter family with the Scout & Wasp. In 1964 all the hovercraft businesses under Westland were merged with Vickers Supermarine to form the British Hovercraft Corporation.