Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft

Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer established in 1937 at Eastleigh, near Southampton. It began as a subsidiary of the British American Tobacco Company and was initially created to manufacture the Burnelli UB-14 lifting-fuselage aircraft under licence. The company was first registered as B.A.O. Limited and adopted the Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft name in May 1938 under the leadership of Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen. Its purpose-built factory occupied a large site beside Southampton Airport. The facility was constructed as a shadow factory, reflecting the British government's pre-war effort to expand industrial capacity ahead of a possible European conflict. The factory opened in February 1939, but the planned Burnelli-derived aircraft, designated the Cunliffe-Owen OA Mk I or Clyde Clipper, did not become a production success. Only one example was completed before the Second World War. The aircraft was subsequently impressed into Royal Air Force service and later transferred to the Free French Air Force in Africa. It was reportedly used at one stage as a personal transport by General Charles de Gaulle before being destroyed after its wartime service. The outbreak of the war redirected the company's industrial role. Rather than concentrating on its own aircraft designs, Cunliffe-Owen became principally a repair, overhaul, component-production and contract-manufacturing organisation. Its Southampton facilities were assigned substantial work connected with Supermarine aircraft, especially the Spitfire. The plant was bombed by the Luftwaffe on several occasions, beginning in September 1940, but continued to support British aircraft production. The company also operated a facility at Macmerry aerodrome near Edinburgh, where employees were primarily engaged in repairing Lockheed Hudson aircraft. Cunliffe-Owen undertook a range of government and industry contracts. Its work included contracts for the Air Ministry, Lord Rootes, Shorts and Armstrong Siddeley, with the combined value reported at approximately £1.5 million in wartime-era terms. It was selected in 1940 to participate in Hawker Tornado production, although that aircraft programme was cancelled in 1941. In 1943 the company secured work on the Supermarine Seafire, the naval fighter derived from the Spitfire. It and Air Service Training modified Seafire Ib aircraft from Spitfire Vb airframes, adding naval communications, identification and homing equipment, together with structural and instrumentation changes required for carrier operations. Production and modification work continued into the post-war period. After 1945, the company attempted to move from subcontracting and military support into civil aircraft design. The Cunliffe-Owen Concordia was a twelve-seat feederliner intended for short-distance airline services and represented the company's main post-war independent design effort. The project became the company's principal hope for survival, but it was suspended in November 1947 and ultimately abandoned. Two prototypes were associated with the programme, and both were scrapped. Cunliffe-Owen also sublet part of its factory to the Cierva Autogiro Company from 1946 and built two Cierva W.11 Air Horse helicopter prototypes under contract. The first crashed in 1950, killing its crew, and the second did not fly after private financing for the project was withdrawn. The collapse of military demand and severe losses across the post-war civil aviation industry placed Cunliffe-Owen under mounting financial pressure. In February 1947 Midland Bank refused a request to extend the company's overdraft. The suspension of Concordia production later that year made financial failure unavoidable, and arrangements were made in 1947 to dissolve the company. Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen died in December 1947 and was succeeded as chairman by his son Dudley Herbert Cunliffe-Owen, who had been the firm's sales director. The factory itself survived the aircraft company's failure. Briggs Motor Bodies acquired it in 1949, Ford gained control through its acquisition of Briggs in 1953, and the site subsequently became associated with Ford's Southampton vehicle plant. Cunliffe-Owen therefore left a legacy less as a successful independent aircraft brand than as a wartime industrial contractor whose facilities were later absorbed into Britain's motor-manufacturing network.

Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft originated in 1937 as B.A.O. Limited, a British American Tobacco subsidiary established at Southampton Airport to build the Burnelli UB-14 under licence. Sir Hugo Cunliffe-Owen renamed the business in May 1938. Its new factory at Eastleigh was built as a shadow facility for the expected expansion of British aircraft production and opened in February 1939. The company's licensed-aircraft ambitions produced only one completed Burnelli-derived machine, the OA Mk I or Clyde Clipper. With the coming of war, the aircraft was impressed into RAF service and later transferred to the Free French Air Force in Africa. The factory's main role rapidly changed from original design and assembly to subcontract production, maintenance and overhaul. Cunliffe-Owen supported Supermarine's Spitfire programme, repaired aircraft, and carried out contract work for the Air Ministry, Lord Rootes, Shorts and Armstrong Siddeley. The reported aggregate value of these contracts was about £1.5 million. The Southampton site was attacked by German aircraft during the war, beginning in September 1940. Cunliffe-Owen also maintained a facility at Macmerry aerodrome in Scotland, where the workforce concentrated on Lockheed Hudson repairs. The company submitted proposals to Air Ministry specifications, was briefly associated with the Hawker Tornado production plan, and in 1943 received work on the Supermarine Seafire. A total of 118 Seafire Ib aircraft incorporating strengthened fuselages and naval communications, identification and homing equipment were modified by Cunliffe-Owen and Air Service Training. Seafire production continued into 1946. The end of the war removed much of the company's contracted workload. Cunliffe-Owen sought a civil-market future through the Concordia, a twelve-seat feederliner intended for short-haul airline operations. The aircraft was the company's principal indigenous post-war design, but the project failed to reach production. Production was suspended in November 1947 and the associated prototypes were scrapped. The company also leased factory space to the Cierva Autogiro Company from 1946 and built two W.11 Air Horse helicopter prototypes. The first crashed fatally in 1950, while the second was abandoned before flight after Cierva lost private financial support. Post-war losses and weak civil-aircraft demand led to a financial crisis. Midland Bank rejected a request to extend the company's overdraft in February 1947. The Concordia suspension later that year removed the main remaining prospect for recovery, and an agreement was reached to dissolve Cunliffe-Owen. Sir Hugo died in December 1947 and was succeeded by his son Dudley Herbert Cunliffe-Owen, previously the firm's sales director. The aircraft company disappeared, but its industrial site continued under new owners: Briggs Motor Bodies acquired the factory in 1949, Ford acquired Briggs in 1953, and the premises became part of Ford's Southampton manufacturing operations.

• 1949

  Factory is acquired by Briggs Motor Bodies

  [1]Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  The former aircraft factory passes to Briggs Motor Bodies after the aircraft company's dissolution.

• 1947

  Financial crisis and Concordia suspension

  [1]Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  Midland Bank refuses an overdraft extension in February, and Concordia production is suspended in November as dissolution becomes inevitable.

• 1946

  Civil and helicopter diversification

  [1]Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  The company sublets factory space to Cierva and undertakes construction of W.11 Air Horse prototypes while pursuing its Concordia airliner.

• 1943

  Seafire Ib work begins

  [1]Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  Cunliffe-Owen and Air Service Training modify 118 Spitfire Vb aircraft for naval Seafire Ib service.

• 1940

  Wartime aircraft support expands

  [1]Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  The company shifts its factory capacity toward Spitfire parts, aircraft repair and overhaul, while its facility is subjected to Luftwaffe attacks.

• 1939

  Shadow factory opens at Eastleigh

  [1]Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  A purpose-built factory on a 44-acre site near Southampton Airport begins operations.

• 1939

  Clyde Clipper is completed

  [1]Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  The sole Burnelli-derived OA Mk I aircraft is assembled before wartime priorities end the planned production run.

• 1938

  Renamed Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft Limited

  [1]Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  A board resolution changes the company's name to Cunliffe-Owen Aircraft Limited.

• 1937

  B.A.O. Limited is established

  [1]Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org

  The company is registered at Southampton Airport as an aircraft manufacturer and dealer, with British American Tobacco involvement.

Wartime aircraft manufacturing, repair and overhaul contractor, later an unsuccessful civil-aircraft developer

• Licensed aircraft · 1939

  Cunliffe-Owen OA Mk I (Clyde Clipper)

  The OA Mk I was Cunliffe-Owen's licensed adaptation of the Burnelli UB-14 lifting-fuselage aircraft. Only one example was completed in 1939 before the Second World War redirected the company's resources. The aircraft entered RAF service and was later transferred to the Free French Air Force in Africa, where it reportedly served for a period as General Charles de Gaulle's personal transport. Its operational life ended after wartime use.

• Naval fighter modification and production · 1943

  Supermarine Seafire Ib

  Cunliffe-Owen and Air Service Training converted Spitfire Vb airframes into Seafire Ib naval fighters. The work included fuselage reinforcement and installation of naval high-frequency radio, identification-friend-or-foe equipment and a Type 72 homing beacon. The aircraft retained the Spitfire Vb armament of two 20 mm Hispano cannon and four .303-inch machine guns, with provision for an external slipper fuel tank. A total of 118 were modified or produced through the programme.

• Civil feeder airliner

  Cunliffe-Owen Concordia

  The Concordia was Cunliffe-Owen's first and only indigenous post-war aircraft design. Conceived as a twelve-seat feederliner for short-distance airline services, it was intended to replace declining military contracts with a civil aviation product. The programme became financially central to the company but was suspended in November 1947. The prototypes were not developed into a commercial production aircraft and were subsequently scrapped.

• Proposed civil airliner

  Cunliffe-Owen OA Mk II

  The OA Mk II was a proposed twenty-seat airliner derived from the Burnelli UB-14 concept and intended to use two Bristol Perseus XIVC sleeve-valve engines. It remained a proposal rather than a production aircraft and did not establish a lasting civil product line for the company.

• Heavy-lift helicopter prototype · 1948

  Cierva W.11 Air Horse

  Cunliffe-Owen built two W.11 Air Horse prototypes under contract for the Cierva Autogiro Company. The large helicopter used a Rolls-Royce Merlin 24 engine to drive three main rotors mounted on outriggers and was proposed for crop spraying, air ambulance work, aerial crane duties and passenger transport. The first prototype crashed fatally in 1950; the second never flew after funding was withdrawn.

• 1947

  Suspend Concordia production and dissolve the companyOther

  Background

  Post-war civil aviation losses, reduced military work and the refusal of Midland Bank to extend the company's overdraft left Cunliffe-Owen without sufficient working capital.

  Action taken

  Concordia production was suspended in November, and arrangements were made to dissolve the aircraft company.

  Aftermath

  Cunliffe-Owen ceased to operate as an aircraft manufacturer. Its factory was sold to Briggs Motor Bodies in 1949 and later passed to Ford.

  Source

• 1946

  Diversify into civil aircraft and helicopter manufactureStrategy

  Background

  The end of wartime demand forced Cunliffe-Owen to seek new uses for its factory and new sources of revenue.

  Action taken

  The company pursued the Concordia feederliner, sublet factory space to Cierva and built W.11 Air Horse helicopter prototypes under contract.

  Aftermath

  The diversification did not restore financial stability. Concordia was suspended in 1947, and the Air Horse programme ended after a fatal crash and loss of funding.

  Source

• 1943

  Accept Seafire Ib production and modification workProduct launch

  Background

  The Royal Navy required a carrier-capable derivative of the Spitfire, creating demand for aircraft modification and naval equipment installation.

  Action taken

  Cunliffe-Owen and Air Service Training modified 118 Spitfire Vb aircraft into Seafire Ib fighters.

  Aftermath

  The work strengthened the company's role in naval aircraft production and continued into 1946.

  Source

• 1939

  Redirect factory capacity to wartime supportStrategy

  Background

  The outbreak of the Second World War made the planned licensed Burnelli aircraft commercially and strategically secondary to urgent British military production needs.

  Action taken

  Cunliffe-Owen shifted its main capacity toward Spitfire-related parts, repair, overhaul and subcontract work for government and established aircraft manufacturers.

  Aftermath

  The company became primarily a wartime industrial contractor rather than a producer of its own aircraft design.

  Source

1. 1Cunliffe-Owen Aircraften.wikipedia.org
2. 2Luftwaffe Raid on Southampton, 24 September 1940spitfiresociety.org