Vickers, Sons, and Maxim
Armaments firm Vickers, Sons and Maxim Ltd. established an aircraft office in 1908 and in that year built an airship. Captain, later Major, Herbet F. Wood headed aviation department. Ca. late 1912, Richard Harold Barnwell, known as Harold, joined as test pilot, becoming chief pilot and a designer until his accidental death in August 1917. In 1913, George Henry Challenger, chief engineer, works manager, and a designer at British and Colonial Aeroplane Co., 1910-1913, transferred to Vickers; he resigned from there in 1918. Other pioneers at Vickers were Archibald Reith Low and Howard Flanders.
Patent FR-1912-443849, filed via Vickers Limited, makes priority date reference to Patent GB-1911-8220, filed by Hiram Stevens Maxim. This must naturally be the "Maxim" included within the company name, his individual work dovetailing into this corporate process.
On initiative of Wood, acquired license from REP in 1911 and built eight REP-designed monoplanes 1911-12. Opened flying school in late 1911 at Brooklands/Weybridge. Barnwell designed several fast machines, notably the Vicker Bullet, which he also piloted.
Gunston says Wood had idea to acquire RFP license in 1910. Dir1920 pp34-35 has ads for this firm listed at Aviation Department, Imperial Court, Basil Street, Knightsbridge, London, S.W.3. In November 1928, Vickers acquired all equity of Supermarine Aviation Works Ltd, becoming Vickers Supermarine Aviation Works Ltd.
Patents associated with organizations named Vickers, Sons, and Maxim, Vickers Ltd., or Vickers Limited
- Patent FR-1907-371669 (Filing date: 1906-11-19)
- Patent US-1913-1071180 (Inventors: Alfred Arnold Remington, English title: Airship and other vessel, Filing date: 1910-08-22)
- Patent FR-1911-423314 (English title: improvements to air-ships, balloons and analogous vehicles, Filing date: 1910-12-05)
- Patent GB-1911-25468 (Inventors: Archibald Reith Low, English title: Improvements relating to Aeroplanes, Filing date: 1911-11-15)
- Patent DE-1912-262073 (Filing date: 1912-03-24)
- Patent FR-1912-443849 (English title: refinements to bombs designed to serve with aeroplanes and other flying machines, Filing date: 1912-03-30, Supplementary to patent: Patent GB-1911-8220)
- Patent GB-1915-568 (Inventors: Thomas Smith Duncan, English title: Improvements in or relating to the landing devices of aeroplanes and hydro-aeroplanes, Filing date: 1915-01-13)
- Patent US-1917-1234311 (Inventors: Thomas Smith Duncan, English title: Landing device for aeroplanes and hydroaeroplanes, Filing date: 1916-02-24)
- Patent FR-1917-498970 (English title: Material for aeronefs, balloons, and similar craft, Filing date: 1917-04-25)
- Patent DE-1920-392867 (English title: Chassis with folding wheels for seaplanes, Filing date: 1920-07-21, Supplementary to patent: Patent GB-1919-07-29 Vickers Limited • Patent GB-1920-04-06 Vickers Limited)
People affiliated with Vickers, Sons, and Maxim or Vickers Ltd. or Vickers Limited
- Hiram Stevens Maxim (Occupations: Engineer • Civil engineer • Mechanical engineer • Electrical engineer, Tech areas: Heavier-than-air • Propulsion • Engine • Motor • Petroleum • Acetylene • Frame)
Publications by or about Vickers, Sons, and Maxim or Vickers Ltd. or Vickers Limited
- Advisory Committee, 1910, Technical Report of the Advisory Committee for the year 1910-1911 (Simple title: Technical Report of the Advisory Committee for the year 1910-1911)
- Béjeuhr, 1914, How the scientists are studying the aeroplane. Institutes of aerial engineering and their work (Simple title: How the scientists are studying the aeroplane. Institutes of aerial engineering and their work, Journal: Scient. Amer.)
- Hastings, Max, 2020, Operation Chastise : The RAF’s Most Brilliant Attack of World War II (Simple title: OPERATION CHASTISE)
Sources
- Gunston, 1993, p316, p109
- Gunston, 2005, p483, p150
- SD293
- 1917FM897-898
- 1938FM124
- 11948FM76
- 954FM338
Wikipedia:
Names | Vickers, Vickers Limited, Vickers Ltd., Vickers, Sons, and Maxim |
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Country | Great Britain |
City | many |
Affiliations | |
Keywords | |
Started aero | 1908 |
Ended aero | |
Key people | Herbet F. Wood, Harold Barnwell, George Henry Challenger, Archibald Reith Low, Howard Flanders, Hiram Stevens Maxim |
Wikidata id |