Cierva Autogiro Co
Cierva Autogiro Co of Bush House, Aldwych, London, WC2.
Manufacturers and suppliers in Great Britain.
1926 Juan de la Cierva established the Cierva Autogiro Co with the support of Scottish industrialist James G. Weir. It was formed at the end of March 1926 for the purpose of undertaking research work connected with Juan de la Cierva's "autogiro" or windmill flying machine, and of disposing of the construction rights of the invention.
The directors of the new company were Mr James George Weir, Senior Juan de la Cierva and Mr H. K. M. Kindersley. Mr F. T. Courtney was appointed technical manager.[1]
1926 June 19th. The first Cierva autogiro windmill flying machine built in Britain, to the order of the Air Ministry, was successfully tested in flight by Captain F. T. Courtney at the aerodrome of the builders, A. V. Roe and Co., Ltd., Hamble, near Southampton. Other countries, notably France, the United States and Japan are interested in the invention, and experimental machines for their use were built in Britain by the Cierva Autogiro Co.[2]
1932 the company moved most of its UK final assembly, testing and sales of its autogiros from the Avro facility at Hamble to Hanworth Aerodrome. It also operated the Cierva autogiro flying school.
1933 Developers of the autogiro. Service Depot: London Air Park, Hanworth, Middesex. Head Office: Bush House, Aldwych, London, W.C.2.[3]
1937 Aeronautical engineers and developers of the autogiro.
1951 Saunders-Roe took over the interests of the Cierva Autogiro Co whose helicopter design was developed to be the Skeeter helicopter.
Later the company took over Rotorcraft Ltd and became Cierva Rotorcraft Ltd, of 265 Finchley Rd, London, NW3.
It continued work on the design of the Grasshopper helicopter begun by J. S. Shapiro's Servotec technical group, an unconventional four-seater helicopter with contra-rotating main rotors, powered by 135 h.p. Rolls-Royce Continental engine. First of two prototypes began tests during 1969[4].