Saunders-Roe
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Saunders-Roe Princess G-ALUN |
Saunders-Roe Limited was a British aircraft manufacturing company based in
East Cowes,
Isle of Wight.
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, the
Saunders- Roe SRN-1. In the same year Saro's helicopter and hovercraft interests were taken over by
Westland Aircraft 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.
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Saunders Roe Kittiwake*
Saunders Roe A3 Valkerie*
Saunders Roe A4 Medina - 1929.
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Saunders Roe A10 - fighter
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A7 Severn*
A17 Cutty Sark*
A19 Cloud*
A21 Windhover*
A27 London*
Saunders Roe A22 Seagrave Meteor*
Saunders Roe A24M Spartan Cruiser -1932
*
Saunders Roe A24 Spartan Mailplane -1931
*
Saunders Roe Spartan Clipper*
Saunders Roe Spartan Arrow*
A29 Cloud Monospar*
A33*
A36 Lerwick*
A37 Shrimp*
SR.A/1*
SR45 Princess*
SR.53*
SR.177 (cancelled before completion)
*
Skeeter*
P.531*
SR-N1 "Saunders Roe Nautical" 1
*
SR-N2*
SR-N3*
SR-N4*
SR-N5*
SR-N6Spacecraft
With the
Royal Aircraft Establishment*
Black Knight*
Black Arrow* R-103 - a 17 ton
Hydrofoil for
Royal Canadian Navy, Known as "Bras d'Or". Built in 1956 by Saunders-Roe, Anglesea
(This should not be confused with
HMCS Bras d'Or (FHE 400), a 240 tonne hydrofoil patrol vessel, which was the result of the tests performed by the R-103)
*
Hovercraft of Saunders-Roe, Westlands, and BHC
