Aircraft Co & AirCo

The Aircraft Company

The Aircraft Company, better known nowadays as Airco, was formed by George Holt Thomas on 6th June 1911, combining The Aeroplane Supply Company of St Stephens's House, Westminster, with Airship Limited of Merton.

After initial use of the former skating rink at Merton, the company occupied a disused bus/tram depot (previously used by the Metropolitan Electric Tramway and Omnibus Company) at The Hyde, ½ mile south of Hendon.

The Aircraft Company held the sole rights in the United Kingdom for the building of Henri and Maurice Farman aeroplanes, a deal secured by Mr Holt Thomas in early 1912. (The Farman Brothers works were at 167, Rue de Silly, Billancourt, France).

Airco Ad 1913

The Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco)

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Hendon was fast becoming a hive of aeronautical activity with Grahame-White Aircraft and Handley Page established on and close to the new Hendon Aerodrome.  

Following a chance meeting at the Royal Aircraft Factory, Farnborough, Captain Geoffrey de Havilland joined the company in May 1914 as Chief Designer - his machines (denoted DH) accounted for 30% of all British and US aircraft in the war years.

 

AirCo Advert 1919

In 1916, the RFC started flying from the North London Airfield and the newly formed AirCo had around 50 people working in numerous buildings along the Edgware Road, all ready and eager to supply their needs.  

 

By the Armistice on 11th November 1918, AirCo now employed over 4,400 and the factory area had increased seven-fold.

 

However, in the aftermath of the First World War the aviation industry collapsed and Geoffrey de Havilland found himself out of work.  

 

Owner George Holt Thomas sold AirCo to BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Company) in 1920 before it was finally liquidated a year later.

 

Holt Thomas by no means broke and he subsequently funded de Havilland in the buying of the liquidated AirCo assets and machinery with which he formed The De Havilland Aircraft Company Limited.