Fairchild Camera and Instrument
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Photography, Semiconductors |
| Predecessor | Fairchild Aviation Corporation (founded 1927) |
| Founded | 1927 in Delaware, United States |
| Founder | Sherman Fairchild |
| Fate | Acquired by Schlumberger in 1979; semiconductor division sold to National Semiconductor in 1987; remainder became Fairchild Weston Systems and later part of Loral Corporation |
| Headquarters | Milpitas (later years), originally East Coast, United States , United States |
| Products | Aerial cameras, flash photography technology, machine gun cameras, x-ray cameras, radar cameras, gun synchronization devices, radio compasses, x-ray systems, Fairchild Lithotype typesetting machine, radar-photography equipment, automated color engraving machines, high-speed motion picture processors, Cinephonic cameras, semiconductors |
Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation was established by Sherman Fairchild and initially operated from the East Coast of the United States. The company focused on developing flash photography technology primarily for Department of Defense reconnaissance satellites. It later gained prominence as a manufacturer of semiconductors.
Fairchild Aviation Corporation
Founded in 1927 in Delaware as Fairchild Aviation Corporation, the enterprise merged seven aviation-related firms that stemmed from Fairchild Aerial Camera Corporation, which had been founded in 1920. This consolidation made Fairchild Aviation the second-largest commercial aircraft producer and ranked it fourth among aviation companies in the United States.
Fairchild Aerial Camera was known for producing aerial cameras utilized globally for military and commercial aerial mapping, with deployments in countries such as Russia, Poland, and regions of South America. These cameras were officially adopted by the United States Army and United States Navy Air Services.
Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation
The company was renamed Fairchild Camera and Instrument Corporation in 1944, broadening its product range during World War II to include machine gun cameras, x-ray cameras, radar cameras, gun synchronization devices, and radio compasses.
Following the war, military contracts continued to play a crucial role, including a significant agreement with the U.S. Air Force for components related to the C-82 Packet cargo aircraft. Fairchild also diversified into commercial sectors by producing x-ray systems and introduced the Fairchild Lithotype in 1948—a groundbreaking device that transformed newspaper typesetting by enabling the creation of multiple typefaces and sizes.
During the 1950s, substantial research investments yielded innovations such as combined radar-photography equipment for pilot training and automated color engraving machines. In 1958, Fairchild developed high-speed motion picture processors capable of instantly developing 500 feet of film.
In the early 1960s, the company released Cinephonic cameras that used pre-striped Standard 8 film along with transistorized amplifiers powered by a rechargeable 12-volt nickel-cadmium battery. These cameras could record up to 800 feet of film without needing a recharge and accepted 8mm reels allowing five and a half minutes of footage at 24 frames per second.
Fairchild Semiconductor
In 1957, when the "traitorous eight" decided to break away from William Shockley's control, Sherman Fairchild, aided by Arthur Rock, provided venture capital that led to the creation of Fairchild Semiconductor. This division became foundational to the semiconductor industry and a key driver of innovation within Silicon Valley.
By 1960, after Emerson Radio acquired DuMont's television division, Fairchild acquired what remained of Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, which specialized in oscillographs and cathode-ray tubes. The company also secured a significant stake in Italian semiconductor manufacturer Società Generale Semiconduttori. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Fairchild expanded its operations through acquisitions in areas including printing technologies, sensors, magnetic heads, precision optical and photographic instruments, water quality monitoring equipment, and precision molding.
Initially based in Syosset, New York, Fairchild Semiconductor later relocated its headquarters to Mountain View, California, guided by leadership under Lester Hogan.
Fairchild Systems
In 1979, Fairchild Camera and Instrument, which included Fairchild Semiconductor, was acquired by Schlumberger. Subsequently, Schlumberger divested Fairchild Semiconductor to National Semiconductor in 1987; National Semiconductor itself was later absorbed by Texas Instruments in 2011. The remaining portion of Fairchild was rebranded as Fairchild Weston Systems in 1982 and was purchased by Loral Corporation in 1989, becoming the Loral Fairchild Systems division.
By 1996, Lockheed Martin acquired Loral’s defense electronics and system integration businesses, including Fairchild, for $9.1 billion, renaming the unit Lockheed Fairchild Systems. In 2000, Lockheed Martin integrated Fairchild with Sanders Associates and its Space Electronics & Communications units into the Aerospace Electronic Systems sector. Later that year, BAE Systems reached an agreement to purchase this division and finalized the acquisition in November.
Fairchild Imaging
The Carlyle Group facilitated the spin-off of Fairchild’s imaging sensors division from BAE in 2001, establishing it as an independent private entity named Fairchild Imaging. In 2011, BAE Systems reacquired Fairchild Imaging from Carlyle. The company remains headquartered in Milpitas, California, near where Fairchild Semiconductor was originally founded.