NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Saunders Roe

The name was adopted in 1929 after Alliot Verdon Roe (see Avro) and John Lord took a controlling interest in the boat- and aircraft-builders S.E. Saunders.

Saunders-Roe, commonly abbreviated Saro, concentrated on producing flying-boats, but none were produced in very large quantities - the longest run being 31 Londons. They also produced hulls for the Blackburn Bluebird, and during the Second World War manufactured Supermarine Walrus and de Havilland Sea Otters. In 1952 they flew the prototype Princess, but the age of the flying-boat was over and no more were produced here.

In the 1950s Saunders-Roe were manufacturing the Skeeter helicopter, and in 1959 they demonstrated the first practical hovercraft. In the same year Saro was taken over by Westland who continued the Skeeter family with the Scout & Wasp, and in 1956 the hovercraft business merged with Vickers Supermarine to form the British Hovercraft Corporation.

Saunders-Roe Designs

Flying Boats

A7 Severn
A17 Cutty Sark
A19 Cloud
A21 Windhover
A27 London
A29 Cloud
A33
A36 Lerwick
A37 Shrimp
SR.A/1
SR45 Princess

Rocket-jet aircraft

SR.53
SR.177 (cancelled before completion)

Helicopters

Skeeter
P531

Hovercraft

SR-N1
SR-N2
SR-N4
SR-N6

External links

Hovercraft of Saunders-Roe, Westlands, and BHC (http://members.lycos.co.uk/bartieshover/saunders.htm)

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Results from FactBites:

NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Saunders Roe (299 words)
	The name was adopted in 1929 after Alliot Verdon Roe (see Avro) and John Lord took a controlling interest in the boat- and aircraft-builders S.E. Saunders.
	In the same year Saro was taken over by Westland who continued the Skeeter family with the Scout and Wasp, and in 1956 the hovercraft business merged with Vickers Supermarine to form the British Hovercraft Corporation.
	In 1928 at the age of 71 he sold the Company to the famous aviator and designer Alliot Verdon Rose and in 1929 the Company was renamed Saunders Roe Limited.

Aviation Worldwide: Saunders Roe (281 words)
	It was his grandson Samuel Edgar Saunders, boring in 1857, who founded the Company.
	He built many beautiful river launches in various sites at Streatley and Goring until the accession of Edward VII when he decided to move to Cowes on the Isle of Wright.
	It is now a thriving business based on the old Saunders Roe premises, manufacturing high technology components for the world's aviation businesses.

More results at FactBites »

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