TheBritish Aircraft Manufacturing Company Limited (formerly theBritish Klemm Aeroplane Company) was a 1930s British aircraft manufacturer based atLondon Air Park,Hanworth,Middlesex, England.
The Germanaircraft manufacturerKlemm developed a successful low powered light aeroplane, theKlemm L.25, which first flew in 1927. Several were sold to British owners, where they proved popular, so the British dealer for the L.25, Major E.F Stephen, set up theBritish Klemm Aeroplane Company at Hanworth, Middlesex to produce a version of the L.25 under licence.
The prototype of the licensed version, known as theB.K. Swallow, first flew in November 1933.[1] The company's first aircraft design was theB.K. Eagle a single-engine cabin monoplane, although similar to the Klemm L.32 was designed by G.H. Handasyde.
The company changed name in 1935 to theBritish Aircraft Manufacturing Company and new variants of the Swallow and Eagle were designated as the British Aircraft Swallow and Eagle (or B.A Swallow and B.A. Eagle).
The company then followed with a side-by-side two-seat monoplane, theB.A.3 Cupid, but only one was built.[2] The last aircraft produced was the 1936B.A.IV Double Eagle a six-seat twin-engined high-wing monoplane, only three were built.[2]
On 25 June 1935 the Northern Whig newspaper reported that the British Aircraft Manufacturing Company, Ltd. had acquired the rights from the United Aircraft Corporation of America to manufacture in the United Kingdom the Sikorsky S 42 flying boat. The British Aircraft Manufacturing Company, Ltd. proposed to form a new company to produce the aircraft, this company became theBritish Marine Aircraft Company which was later reorganised intoFolland Aircraft
