User:Slmvbs/Aeronautical Corporation of Great Britain

On 15 April 1936, the Aeronautical Corporation of Great Britain was formed, The principal objects of the new company were:

(1) To acquire from Light Aircraft, Ltd of 7, Park Lane, London, W.1, exclusive licences to manufacture and sell within the British Empire and Europe the two seater side-by-side cabin aeroplane known as the Aeronca together with the assets of that Company, including the drawings and specifications, jigs and tools, and the benefit of the research and experimental work which it has carried out, and of all pending contracts. This machine to be fitted with an engine manufactured on behalf of the Company by J. A. Prestwich and Co., Ltd., and sold under the name of Aeronca - J. A. P. Aeronco contracted J. A. Prestwich & Company, Ltd. (JA Prestwich Industries.) in London to build a dual-ignition version of the Aeronca E-113C engine under license as the Aeronca-J.A.P. J-99. This engine was used extensively in British light aircraft. Light Aircraft Ltd had already obtained a license from the US Aeronca firm to build Aeronca aircraft and engines. By 1935, Light Aircraft Ltd had assembled 16 American-built Aeronca C-3s at the London Air Park Hanworth.

(2) To acquire from Lang Propellers, Ltd., of 7, Park Lane, London, W.1, the whole of its assets, comprising rights under British Patent No. 397,513, and two applications for patents, including an application relating to machines for shaping airscrew blades applied for by Mr.Lang, and also certain plant and machinery.

(3) To acquire from Aircraft Accessories, Ltd., of 3, Gray's Inn Place, London, W.C.I, a well-equipped freehold factory adjoining the London and North Eastern Railway Company's main line at Peterborough. The Peterborough factory was erected and fitted by Frederick Sage and Co., Ltd., during the First World War for the construction under contract of military aircraft. The factory was capable of turning out fifteen aircraft a week. Frederick Sage and Co., Ltd., continued to use the factory for their own trade of shopfitters. The factory was built in I9I0 and covered an area of I00,000 sq. ft. This site was chosen because it was a significant railway centre with direct railway communication with the main shipping ports in the country. Early in I9I5, Sage entered into a contract with the Admiralty to build a number of seaplanes designed by the Short Company at Rochester. From then on to the end of hostilities Sage applied itself to production for the war effort. Therefore for the new venture it was equipped with wood-turning and other machinery well suited to the production of Aeronca-J.A.P. machines and Lang Propellers. It was also intended to utilise the works for the manufacture of aircraft parts, so that sub-contract and other work may be undertaken.

A modified version of the US Aeronca Aircraft design the Aeronca C-3 was produced as the Aeronca 100 / 300 at the Walton aerodrome, Peterborough. At the end of 1936, about 21 examples had been made, mostly unsold. All completed Aeronca 100s were taken over by Aircraft Exchange & Mart Ltd.