Society of British Aircraft Constructors
Encyclopedia
The Society of British Aerospace Companies, known as SBAC was the UK's national trade association representing companies supplying civil air transport, aerospace defence, homeland security and space. As of October 2009 SBAC merged with the Defence Manufacturers Association and the Association of Police and Public Security Suppliers to form the ADS Group
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The SBAC has organises the Farnborough Airshow.
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, Frederick Handley Page
, H.V. Roe of Avro
, and E.B. Parker of Short Brothers
. The group agreed to share their designs among a variety of 3rd party factories in order to be able to quickly produce new designs on demand. These factories joined ones being run by the government directly. In total over 40 company joined the group when it officially formed on 23 March 1916.
to start the inspection and insurance of aircraft, which led to increased commercial aviation.
and trade fair
at the Hendon airfield in London on 19 June, the day after the annual RAF Hendon display. Similar one day events were held for the next three years, but 1935 was the last Hendon RAF display. The SBAC show moved to de Havilland
's Hatfield airfield in 1936 and 1937; the latter was both the first two day SBAC show and the last before World War II. Immediately after the War it was held at Radlett
, the home of Handley Page on 12–13 September, and early September became the regular date. In 1947 the show was again at Radlett with three flying days. In 1948 the meeting was moved to the Royal Aircraft Establishment
at Farnborough and was six days long with three flying days, setting the pattern for the future.
The Farnborough shows were held annually as trade fairs for British manufacturers and with two public days, the Saturday and Sunday, throughout the 1950s. Crowds were large: on the last day, the Sunday of the 1954 show some 160,000 people attended. In 1962 the British-only rule was slightly relaxed by allowing the participation of foreign aircraft with British engines. 1962 was also the last of the annual shows, the next being held in 1964 and thenceforth biennially; in 1968 European manufacturers were invited. In 1974 the show accepted international participation and from 1978 it became known as the Farnborough International. Since 1964 the Farnborough has alternated with the Paris Air Show
.
ADS Group
ADS Group Limited, informally known as Aerospace Defence Security or A|D|S, is the trade organisation representing the aerospace, defence, and security industries in the United Kingdom.-Structure:...
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The SBAC has organises the Farnborough Airshow.
Representation
With its regional partners, SBAC represents over 2,600 companies, assisting them in developing new business globally, facilitating innovation and competitiveness and providing regulatory services in technical standards and accreditation. Inside the organisation is the British Aviation Group and the UK Space AgencyUK Space Agency
The UK Space Agency is a United Kingdom government agency responsible for its civil space programme. It was established on 1 April 2010 to replace the British National Space Centre and took over responsibility for government policy and key budgets for space and represents the UK in all negotiations...
.
Formation
On 29 March 1915 a number of British aircraft manufacturers and industrialists met to arrange a standards body and production pooling system known as the Society of British Aircraft Constructors. Notable among the aircraft participants were Herbert AustinHerbert Austin
Herbert 'Pa' Austin, 1st Baron Austin KBE was an English automobile designer and builder who founded the Austin Motor Company.-Background and early life:...
, Frederick Handley Page
Frederick Handley Page
Sir Frederick Handley Page, CBE, FRAeS was an English industrialist who was a pioneer in the design and manufacture of aircraft. His company Handley Page Limited produced a series of military aircraft, including the Halifax bomber in World War II, of which around 7,000 were produced...
, H.V. Roe of Avro
Avro
Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
, and E.B. Parker of Short Brothers
Short Brothers
Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company, usually referred to simply as Shorts, that is now based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1908, Shorts was the first company in the world to make production aircraft and was a manufacturer of flying boats during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s...
. The group agreed to share their designs among a variety of 3rd party factories in order to be able to quickly produce new designs on demand. These factories joined ones being run by the government directly. In total over 40 company joined the group when it officially formed on 23 March 1916.
Aircraft inspection
In the post-war era the group expanded to include almost every aircraft company and those related to it—engine manufacturers, metal alloy companies, etc. Since this period they have often been referred to by acronym, SBAC. They were also instrumental in approaching Lloyd's of LondonLloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
to start the inspection and insurance of aircraft, which led to increased commercial aviation.
Trade and Air shows
In 1932 the group hosted a one day air showAir show
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
and trade fair
Trade fair
A trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities...
at the Hendon airfield in London on 19 June, the day after the annual RAF Hendon display. Similar one day events were held for the next three years, but 1935 was the last Hendon RAF display. The SBAC show moved to de Havilland
De Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
's Hatfield airfield in 1936 and 1937; the latter was both the first two day SBAC show and the last before World War II. Immediately after the War it was held at Radlett
Radlett
Radlett is a small town in the county of Hertfordshire between St Albans and Borehamwood on Watling Street with a population of approximately 8,000. It is located in the council district of Hertsmere and is covered by two wards, Aldenham East and Aldenham West...
, the home of Handley Page on 12–13 September, and early September became the regular date. In 1947 the show was again at Radlett with three flying days. In 1948 the meeting was moved to the Royal Aircraft Establishment
Royal Aircraft Establishment
The Royal Aircraft Establishment , was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence , before finally losing its identity in mergers with other institutions.The first site was at Farnborough...
at Farnborough and was six days long with three flying days, setting the pattern for the future.
The Farnborough shows were held annually as trade fairs for British manufacturers and with two public days, the Saturday and Sunday, throughout the 1950s. Crowds were large: on the last day, the Sunday of the 1954 show some 160,000 people attended. In 1962 the British-only rule was slightly relaxed by allowing the participation of foreign aircraft with British engines. 1962 was also the last of the annual shows, the next being held in 1964 and thenceforth biennially; in 1968 European manufacturers were invited. In 1974 the show accepted international participation and from 1978 it became known as the Farnborough International. Since 1964 the Farnborough has alternated with the Paris Air Show
Paris Air Show
The Paris Air Show is the world's oldest and largest air show. Established in 1909, it is currently held every odd year at Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France...
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Name change
The name changed from "Society of British Aircraft Constructors" to "Society of British Aerospace Companies" in 1964.SBAC aircraft designations
After WWII the SBAC introduced a designation system for British aircraft consisting of a two letter manufacturer code followed by a sequence number, with designations allocated as follows:-Blackburn Aircraft
- Blackburn Y.A.1 The Blackburn B-48 Firecrest to Air Ministry Specification S.28/43.
- Blackburn Y.A.2 Design study only.
- Blackburn Y.A.3 Design study only.
- Blackburn Y.A.4 B-55 project for a Rolls-Royce DartRolls-Royce Dart|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:*...
powered 24-seat commercial aircraft. - Blackburn Y.A.5 Blackburn B-54 anti-submarine two-seater to Specification GR.17/45 with Napier Double NomadNapier NomadThe Napier Nomad was a complex British compression-ignition aircraft engine designed and built by Napier & Son in 1949. Two versions were flight tested:...
. - Blackburn Y.A.6 B-62 project for a Blackburn FirecrestBlackburn Firecrest|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Brown, Eric. "The Firebrand...Blackburn's baby 'battleship'". Air International, July 1978, Vol 15 No 1. Bromley, UK:Fine Scroll. pp. 25–31, 46–47....
with Armstrong Siddeley Python engine. - Blackburn Y.A.7 Two-seater Y.A.5 with Rolls-Royce GriffonRolls-Royce GriffonThe Rolls-Royce Griffon is a British 37-litre capacity, 60-degree V-12, liquid-cooled aero engine designed and built by Rolls-Royce Limited...
56. - Blackburn Y.A.8 Three-seater Y.A.5 with RR Griffon 56.
- Blackburn Y.A.9 The 1947 B-75 feeder-liner with two Blackburn Cirrus Majors or Blackburn Cirrus BombardierBlackburn Cirrus Bombardier-See also:-Bibliography:** Lumsden, Alec. British Piston Engines and their Aircraft. Marlborough, Wiltshire: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-85310-294-6....
s. - Blackburn Y.B.1 Blackburn B-54 - the Y.A.8 with Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba turboprop engine.
- Blackburn Y.B.2 The Handley Page HP.88Handley Page HP.88|-See also:-Bibliography:* Barnes, C. H. Handley Page Aircraft Since 1907. London: Putnam & Company, Ltd., 1987. ISBN 0-85177-803-8.* Clayton, Donald C. Handley Page, an Aircraft Album. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd., 1969. ISBN 0-7110-0094-8....
research aircraft with Supermarine AttackerSupermarine AttackerThe Supermarine Attacker was a British single-seat naval jet fighter built by Supermarine for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm . It was the FAA's first jet fighter.-Design and development:...
fuselage and Handley Page VictorHandley Page VictorThe Handley Page Victor was a British jet bomber aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company during the Cold War. It was the third and final of the V-bombers that provided Britain's nuclear deterrent. The other two V-bombers were the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. Some aircraft...
scale model crescent wing. - Blackburn Y.B.3 The B-103 Blackburn BuccaneerBlackburn BuccaneerThe Blackburn Buccaneer was a British low-level subsonic strike aircraft with nuclear weapon delivery capability serving with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force between 1962 and 1994, including service in the 1991 Gulf War...
, to Specification NA.39, low-level strike aircraft.
Gloster
- Gloster G.A.1 Gloster E.1/44Gloster E.1/44|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Ashley, Glenn. Meteor in Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications Inc., 1995. ISBN 0-89747-332-9.* Bowyer, Chaz. Gloster Meteor. London: Ian Allan Ltd., 1985. ISBN 0-7110-1477-9....
"Gloster Ace" fighter (1948). - Gloster G.A.2 A developed Gloster Ace.
- Gloster G.A.3 intended pre-production for GA.4
- Gloster G.A.4 production ordered but not built
- Gloster G.A.5 Gloster JavelinGloster JavelinThe Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
interceptor fighter.
English Electric
- English Electric E.A.1 English Electric CanberraEnglish Electric CanberraThe English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
B Mk.1. - English Electric E.A.2 English Electric Canberra PR Mk.3.
- English Electric E.A.3 English Electric Canberra B Mk.2.
- English Electric E.A.4 English Electric Canberra.
Saunders-Roe
(confirmation required)- Saunders-Roe SR.A.1 S.44 flying boat fighter.
- Saunders-Roe SR.N.1 Hovercraft.
- Saunders-Roe SR.N.2 Hovercraft.
- Saunders-Roe SR.N.3 Hovercraft.
- Saunders-Roe SR.N.4 Hovercraft.
- Saunders-Roe SR.N.5 Hovercraft.
- Saunders-Roe SR.N.6 Hovercraft.
Shorts
- Shorts S.A.1 Short SturgeonShort SturgeonThe Short Sturgeon was a British aircraft originally designed in the Second World War as a high-performance torpedo bomber. With the end of the war in the Pacific it was no longer needed as such. Through shifting priorities postwar, the Sturgeon was redesigned first into a target tug and then later...
PR Mk.1 carrier-borne torpedo bomber/reconnaissance aircraft. - Shorts S.A.2 Shorts S.39 Sturgeon TT Mk.2 target tug to Specification Q.1/46.
- Shorts S.A.3 Short S.41Short S.41|-See also:-References:*Barnes, C.H. Shorts Aircraft since 1900. London:Putnam, 1967.*Bruce, J.M. "". Flight, 14 December 1956. pp. 921–926.*Bruce, J.M. British Aeroplanes 1914-18. London:Putnam, 1957....
naval fighter project to Specification N7/46. - Shorts S.A.4 Short SperrinShort SperrinThe Short SA.4 Sperrin was a British jet bomber design of the early 1950s built by Short Brothers and Harland of Belfast, popularly abbreviated "Shorts". It first flew in 1951...
four engined jet bomber to Specification B.14/46. - Shorts S.A.5 Short S.43.
- Shorts S.A.6 Short Sealand patrol flying boat.
- Shorts S.A.7 Short S.46 commercial Flying Boat Project.
- Shorts S.A.8 Short S.47 commercial Flying Boat Project.
- Shorts S.A.9 Short S.48 military glider to Specification X.30/46.
- Short SB.1Short SB.1|-References:NotesBibliography* Barnes, C.H. with revisions by James, Derek N. Shorts Aircraft since 1900. London: Putnam, 1989 . ISBN 0-85177-819-4....
A scale research glider. - Shorts S.B.2 Short Sealand II amphibian
- Shorts S.B.3 Short SturgeonShort SturgeonThe Short Sturgeon was a British aircraft originally designed in the Second World War as a high-performance torpedo bomber. With the end of the war in the Pacific it was no longer needed as such. Through shifting priorities postwar, the Sturgeon was redesigned first into a target tug and then later...
based carrier-borne anti-submarine aircraft. - Shorts S.B.4 Short SB.4 Sherpa experimental aero-isoclinic wing research aircraft.
- Short SB5Short SB5-See also:Related development:* English Electric LightningComparable aircraft:* Handley-Page HP.115* Saab 210-References:* "Empire Test Pilots' School: Twenty Five Years". Empire Test Pilots' School Twenty-fifth Anniversary brochure. 1968....
A swept wing research aircraft for development of the English Electric LightningEnglish Electric LightningThe English Electric Lightning is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era, noted for its great speed and unpainted natural metal exterior finish. It is the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The aircraft was renowned for its capabilities as an interceptor; Royal Air Force ...
. - Shorts S.B.6 Short SeamewShort SeamewThe Short SB.6 Seamew was a British aircraft designed in 1951 by David Keith-Lucas of Shorts as a lightweight anti-submarine platform to replace the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm 's Grumman Avenger AS 4 with the Reserve branch of the service...
AS Mk.1 single engined carrier-borne anti-submarine aircraft for the Fleet Air ArmFleet Air ArmThe Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
(in-house P.D.4). - Shorts S.B.7 Short Sealand III amphibian.
- Shorts S.B.8 design offered for Specification HR.144T for an ultra-light helicopter projectFairey Ultra-light Helicopter|-See also:-Bibliography:...
. - Shorts S.B.9 Short SturgeonShort SturgeonThe Short Sturgeon was a British aircraft originally designed in the Second World War as a high-performance torpedo bomber. With the end of the war in the Pacific it was no longer needed as such. Through shifting priorities postwar, the Sturgeon was redesigned first into a target tug and then later...
TT Mk.3 carrier-borne target-tug aircraft. - Short SC.1Short SC.1|-See also:-Bibliography:* Barnes, C.H. with revisions by Derek N. James. Shorts Aircraft since 1900. London: Putnam, 1989 . ISBN 0-85177-819-4.*Illingworth J. K. B. and Chinn H.W. . London: HMSO, 1969. Retrieved: 11 December 2007....
An experimental fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft (in-house P.D.11). - Shorts S.C.2 Short SeamewShort SeamewThe Short SB.6 Seamew was a British aircraft designed in 1951 by David Keith-Lucas of Shorts as a lightweight anti-submarine platform to replace the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm 's Grumman Avenger AS 4 with the Reserve branch of the service...
AS Mk.2 for Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Coastal Command. - Shorts S.C.3 (in-house P.D.16)..
- Shorts S.C.4 Target drone aircraft converted from English Electric CanberraEnglish Electric CanberraThe English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
B Mk.2 bombers - Shorts S.C.5 Short BelfastShort BelfastThe Short Belfast is a heavy lift turboprop freighter built by Short Brothers at Belfast. Only 10 were built for the British Royal Air Force with the designation Short Belfast C.1. When they were retired by the RAF, five went into civilian service with the cargo airline HeavyLift Cargo Airlines...
C Mk.1 heavy lift turboprop freighter . - Shorts S.C.6
- Shorts S.C.7 The Short Skyvan transport (in-house P.D.36).
- Shorts S.C.8 A development of the Short SC.1Short SC.1|-See also:-Bibliography:* Barnes, C.H. with revisions by Derek N. James. Shorts Aircraft since 1900. London: Putnam, 1989 . ISBN 0-85177-819-4.*Illingworth J. K. B. and Chinn H.W. . London: HMSO, 1969. Retrieved: 11 December 2007....
(in-house P.D.43). - Shorts S.C.9 An Shorts built English Electric CanberraEnglish Electric CanberraThe English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
PR Mk.9 converted with AI.23 radar plus IR installations in nose for Red TopRed topRed Top, Red-top or Redtop may refer to*Agrostis gigantea - known as "Black Bent" or "redtop grass"*Red tops, a United Kingdom tabloid newspaper*The Hawker Siddeley Red Top air-to-air missile...
trials. - Shorts S.D.1 - a single Canberra modified to test Short SD.2
- Shorts S.D.2 A licence built Beech Model-1072AQM-37 Jayhawk-References:***This article contains material that originally came from the web article by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain....
target drone. - Shorts S.D.3 Short 330 developed from the Shorts Skyvan and developed into the Short 360.