Avro Military 1910-63

Founded in 1910 by Alliott Verdon Roe, AV Roe and Company Ltd built its first military aircraft two years later. By 1914, the company was literally flying when it designed the first of many iconic aircraft in the shape of the Avro 504, which sold in colossal numbers and was the key factor in keeping the company in the aviation industry after the end of WWI. In 1936, Avro became part of the new Hawker Siddeley group and within two years was operating a new factory at Chadderton, where, together with Newton Heath, all focus was on building the Anson, Blenheim and later the Manchester. Following production of just 200 Manchesters, attention turned to one of the greatest bombers of WWII, the Lancaster, of which over 7,300 were built. This company profile is divided into two parts, one military and one civilian. Avro deserves two entries in the series, and this book gives a good grounding to the huge and diverse range of aircraft that this once proud manufacturer produced.