Airwork Ltd
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| Founded | 1928 | ||||||
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| Ceased operations | 1960 (merged with Hunting-Clan Air Transport to form British United Airways) |
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| Hubs | Blackbushe Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 12 aircraft (4 Handley Page Hermes, 2 Vickers Viscount 800 series, 5 Vickers Viking, 1 Airspeed Consul) [as of April 1958] |
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| Destinations |
East Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa |
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| Headquarters | Central London | ||||||
| Key people | M.D. Wyatt, R. Louden Cumming, Hon. W.K. Davison, L.R. Castlemaine, G.E. Ford, K.R. Sangster, L.A. Lafone A.D. Page |
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Airwork Limited, also referred to during its history as Airwork Services Limited, is a wholly owned subsidiary company of VT Group plc. It has a long and rich history in providing a variety of defence support services to the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm and overseas air forces, as well as having played an important role in the development of civil aviation — both in the United Kingdom and abroad.
Airwork was founded in 1928 by Nigel Norman and Alan Muntz, with the opening of the private Heston Aerodrome in Middlesex. In the early days, Airwork’s chief pilot was Captain Valentine Baker MC, DFC, who later formed the world-famous Martin-Baker company with Sir James Martin. In December 1936, Airwork Limited was registered at Companies House, and the newly formed company started its long association with RAF flying training.
Airwork moved out of Heston in 1935 due to a lack of adequate space and relocated to Gatwick, where it continued with a contract to maintain Whitley bombers for the RAF. During the 1930s, Airwork also helped to establish the predecessors of the post-World War II national airlines of Egypt, India and Rhodesia. Thus, United Arab Airlines, Indian Airlines and Central African Airways were Airwork descendants.
In June 1936, Airwork opened No. 11 RAF Elementary and Reserve Flying Training School (ERFTS) at Perth in Scotland, under contract to the Air Ministry. The company developed accommodation and facilities there, and provided aircraft in the form of the de Havilland Tiger Moth. Other Airwork operated ERFTS followed soon afterwards with No. 14 ERFTS at Castle Bromwich in July 1937, No. 17 ERFTS at Barton in October 1937, No. 50 ERFTS at Barton, and Ringway in May 1939 and No. 44 ERFTS at Elmdon in May 1939.
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