First
Flight |
Model |
Military
Number |
Name |
| 1949 |
|
|
Canberra |
|
|
|
|
English
Electric was formed in 1918 by the merger of several companies
in the heavy electrical industry. The company entered the
aviation industry in 1938 building Handley Page Hampden
bombers. After building Halifaxes and de
Havilland Vampires, the company hired W.E.W. Petter as chief
designer resulting in the Canberra in 1949.
English Electric also designed and built the
Lightning supersonic interceptor (1954) before forming British
Aircraft Corp. (BAC) with Bristol and Vickers
in 1960 to comply with the government requirement that only merged
companies could bid on the TSR.2 contract. |
