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Slingsby Aviation

From Alfawiki
Marshall Slingsby Advanced Composites
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAerospace, Advanced composites manufacturing
PredecessorSlingsby Aviation
Founded1931 in Scarborough, England
FounderFrederick Nicholas Slingsby
Headquarters
Kirkbymoorside
,
United Kingdom
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsGliders, sailplanes, powered aircraft, composite materials and components
OwnerMarshall of Cambridge
Number of employees
Approximately 130 (at time of last aircraft production)
ParentMarshall of Cambridge
Websitemarshalladvancedcomposites.com


Marshall Slingsby Advanced Composites is a British aerospace firm originally established as Slingsby Aviation, headquartered in Kirkbymoorside, North Yorkshire. Initially specialising in the design and manufacture of gliders and sailplanes, the company produced over half of all British club gliders from the early 1930s until approximately 1970, achieving notable success in both national and international competitions. Subsequently, it expanded into powered aircraft production, including the composite-constructed Firefly trainer, before transitioning to manufacturing advanced composite materials and components.

Currently operating under the name Marshall Advanced Composites, the company fabricates composite elements for maritime vessels, submarines, and aircraft. It functions as a subsidiary of the Marshall of Cambridge.

History

File:Slingsby (1249888545).jpg
Slingsby T.31

The enterprise was founded in Scarborough by Frederick Nicholas Slingsby, a former RAF pilot from World War I. In 1920, he acquired a stake in a woodworking and furniture workshop located on Queen Street, Scarborough. By 1930, Slingsby had become one of the founding members of the Scarborough Gliding Club. After repairing several gliders for the club, his business constructed its first aircraft—a German-designed RRG Falke—which took flight in 1931. By late 1933, Slingsby was marketing training gliders for sale. Encouraged by a local landowner in 1934, the company relocated approximately 30 miles to Kirkbymoorside and operated under the name Slingsby, Russell & Brown Ltd. As demand for gliders increased, a new manufacturing facility was erected in Welburn, near Kirkbymoorside, opening in July 1939 when Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd was officially established. The most popular pre-World War II Slingsby glider model was the Primary.

During World War II, Slingsby produced components for other manufacturers’ aircraft alongside their own military glider, the Slingsby Hengist, which ultimately did not see combat service. Towards the end of the conflict and continuing afterwards, they manufactured large quantities of training gliders for the Air Training Corps (ATC). Post-war, Slingsby advanced their designs to create increasingly sophisticated gliders for civilian clubs and competitive events. Their most distinguished achievement came with the Sky model securing first, third, and fourth places at the 1952 World Gliding Championships. The subsequent Slingsby Skylark series became their best-selling post-war product line. Transitioning towards glass reinforced plastic (GRP) and metal construction techniques, the company—renamed Slingsby Aircraft Ltd in 1967—entered liquidation in July 1969 following a devastating fire in November of the previous year.

File:Slingsby.firefly.t67m.fairford2006.arp.jpg
Slingsby Firefly T67M used by UK Defence Elementary Flying Training School for Army and Navy pilot instruction

Following this period, Slingsby was incorporated into the Vickers Group in November 1969. Initially operating as Vickers-Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd, it later reverted to Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd. Original design efforts diminished during this time while production focused on licensed versions of both powered and unpowered aircraft. The final glider developed by Slingsby—and their last original design—was the GRP-built Slingsby T.65 Vega; production ended in 1982 as high-performance sailplane development shifted away from Britain. Amid restructuring within British aerospace and marine industries, the company became known as Slingsby Engineering, integrated into the public-private holding company British Underwater Engineering (UBE). In July 1982, Slingsby Aviation was re-established as part of Slingsby Engineering. Ownership transferred from UBE to ML Holdings in 1993, then subsequently to Cobham plc by December 1995.

File:Slingsby T-3A production line.jpg
Production line for T-67/T-3A Firefly

The last aircraft produced by Slingsby was the T-67 Firefly, a two-seat military trainer originally designed by René Fournier but structurally redesigned by Slingsby into an entirely composite airframe. At that time, Slingsby Aviation employed approximately 130 staff across its 12,220 square metre (131,000 square feet) facility. The company operated its own airfield at Kirkbymoorside featuring a reinforced grass runway measuring 750 metres in length. Additionally, Slingsby's SAH 2200 hovercraft has been deployed across diverse environments including the Arctic Circle and Africa; two units appeared prominently in the James Bond film Die Another Day.

On 10 August 2006, the firm was renamed Slingsby Advanced Composites. Since that point, ownership rested with three private individuals and it ceased to be part of Cobham plc.

File:Marshall Slingsby Logo 2013.png
Logo used in 2013

On 8 January 2010, UK-based Marshall Aerospace acquired Slingsby Advanced Composites Ltd., which now operates under the trading name Marshall Slingsby Advanced Composites.

In recognition of its industry contributions, Marshall Slingsby Advanced Composites received the Aerospace Company of the Year award at the Corporate Live Wire North England Prestige Awards in 2020.

Aircraft

File:SlingsbyDart17.jpeg
Slingsby Dart 17R sailplane
File:Baynes Bat.jpg
Baynes Bat third-scale experimental tank transporter, constructed by Slingsby though not originally designed by them
File:Slingsby T.21B.jpg
T.21B
File:Slingsby hengist.jpg
Hengist military glider with 15-seat capacity
File:Slingsby T.49 Capstan.jpg
Slingsby Capstan sailplane

References

  • [cite book |title= British Gliders and Sailplanes |last=Ellison |first=Norman |year=1971 |publisher=A & C Black Ltd |location=London |isbn=0713611898}}
  • Slingsby Sailplanes, Martin Simons, Airlife Publishing, 1996 ISBN 1-85310-732-8: comprehensive drawings, descriptions, and numerous photographs covering all Slingsby sailplanes.
  • Taylor, Michael J.H., Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation, Studio Editions, London, 1989 ISBN 0-517-69186-8
  • Coates, Andrew, Jane's World Sailplanes & Motor Gliders, second edition, Jane's Publishing, London, 1980 ISBN 0-7106-0017-8
  • Simons, Martin, Sailplanes 1920–1945, second revised edition, EQIP Werbung und Verlag G.m.b.H., Königswinter, 2006 ISBN 3-9806773-4-6
  • Simons, Martin, Sailplanes 1945–1965, second revised edition, EQIP Werbung und Verlag G.m.b.H., Königswinter, 2006 ISBN 3-9807977-4-0
  • Simons, Martin, Sailplanes 1965–2000, second revised edition, EQIP Werbung und Verlag G.m.b.H., Königswinter, 2005 ISBN 3-9808838-1-7

External links

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