Westland Aircraft

In 1960 Westland Aircraft took over the aeronautical interests of Saunders-Roe who have recently produced the first Hovercraft, the SR-N1. Over the next 6 years, the Saunders-Roe Division of Westland Aircraft designed the majority of the future hovercraft produced at the East Cowes site.

On 1st March 1966 the Westland's and Vickers' hovercraft activities were merged to form the British Hovercraft Corporation (shareholdings - Westland Aircraft 65%, Vickers 25%, National Research and Development Corporation 10%).

In October 1970, Westland Aircraft bought out both of the other partners and BHC became a wholly owned part of the Westland group.

1984 saw the name 'British Hovercraft Corporation' changed to Westland Aerospace as the nature of the business had changed with hovercraft being a very small part.