Abbott
A British coachbuilding company based in Farnham, Surrey,
E. D. Abbott Ltd. (Edward Dixon Abbott, b. 1888, Eastbourne, Sussex) built a glider in 1930 called
the Farnham Sailplane, designed by Thomas Cecil Letcher (b. 1888, Truro, Cornwall, - d. 1950, Isle
of Wight), one time chief designer of J. Samuel White and Co, for customers L.H. Ellis and Mr. Russell-Taylor. Another project undertaken by E.D. Abbott was the construction of the Whitlet
Hoverplane, a non flying training machine built for the W.L. Hoverplane Syndicate, also of Farnham, in early 1931. The Whitlet
Hoverplane was also a design by Letcher, in conjunction with his co-patentee John Ronald Sturge Whiting (b. 1887,
Leeds, Yorkshire - d. 4 August 1962, Reading, Oxfordshire). Later that same year the company established a subsidiary,
Abbott-Baynes Sailplanes Ltd, to build more sailplanes, this time to the design of L.E. Baynes.
Following the ending of the association with
Baynes, the Abbott aviation interests remained dormant until WWII, when they were involved with making parts for various aircraft.
After the war, the company returned to its core coachbuilding business. The company finally closed in 1972.
Company References - British
Gliders and Sailplanes 1922-1970, Norman Ellison (Adam and Charles Black, 1970)
- British Light Aeroplanes,
Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume (GMS Enterprises, 2000)
- Flight 06 Mar 1931
- Flight 18 Mar 1931
Project Data
Project No |
Type
No | Name | Alternative Name(s) | Year |
Spec
(Requirement) | Status | Qty | Description |
References |
|
| Farnham Sailplane | Alert |
1930 |
| Proto | 1 |
1S sailplane |
1,2,3 |
Project References - British
Gliders and Sailplanes 1922-1970,Norman Ellison (Adam and Charles Black, 1970)
- Flight 08 Aug 1930
- Sailplane
& Glider 12 Sep 1930
One aircraft only, no c/n or registration. First
flew August 1930.
Total Abbott Production 1
|