British Marine Air Navigation Co Ltd
Encyclopedia
British Marine Air Navigation Co Ltd was a short-lived British airline
operating flying boat
s across the English Channel
in 1923 and 1924. It merged with three other airlines in 1924 to form Imperial Airways
.
and Southern Railway
(owners of Southampton Docks), the Woolston base becoming Britain's first commercial flying boat base, with its own Customs and Immigration facilities. The world's first scheduled passenger flying boat service began on 14 August 1923, with flights to Cherbourg, Le Havre
and the Channel Islands
.
flying boats, designed by Reginald Mitchell of later Spitfire
fame, were purchased, and formed the inaugural fleet in 1923.
, Instone Air Line
, and Daimler Airway
, to form Imperial Airways.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
operating flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s across the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
in 1923 and 1924. It merged with three other airlines in 1924 to form Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long range air transport company, operating from 1924 to 1939 and serving parts of Europe but especially the Empire routes to South Africa, India and the Far East...
.
Formation
British Marine Air Navigation Co Ltd was formed in 1923 in a joint venture between SupermarineSupermarine
Supermarine was a British aircraft manufacturer that became famous for producing a range of sea planes and the Supermarine Spitfire fighter. The name now belongs to an English motorboat manufacturer.-History:...
and Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
(owners of Southampton Docks), the Woolston base becoming Britain's first commercial flying boat base, with its own Customs and Immigration facilities. The world's first scheduled passenger flying boat service began on 14 August 1923, with flights to Cherbourg, Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
and the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
.
Aircraft
Three Supermarine Sea EagleSupermarine Sea Eagle
-References:Bibliography*Andrews C.F. and Morgan, E.B. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914. London:Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0 85177 800 3.*Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft 1919-1972:Volume III. London:Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0 85177 818 6....
flying boats, designed by Reginald Mitchell of later Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
fame, were purchased, and formed the inaugural fleet in 1923.
Imperial Airways creation
On 31 March 1924, British Marine Air Navigation Co Ltd merged with Handley Page TransportHandley Page Transport
Handley Page Transport Ltd was an airline company founded in 1919 by Frederick Handley Page in the new era of civil flying after the First World War....
, Instone Air Line
Instone Air Line
Instone Air Line was an early British airline from 1919 to 1924. Along with other private airlines of the time, it was absorbed into Imperial Airways.-History:...
, and Daimler Airway
Daimler Airway
Daimler Airway was an airline subsidiary of BSA group's Daimler Motor Company created to use some of the assets of the failed ventures Airco and its subsidiary Aircraft Transport and Travel acquired by BSA in February 1920.-History:...
, to form Imperial Airways.