Saunders and Saro Aircraft since 1917

Description

Saunders/Saro designed and built mostly flying-boats and amphibious aircraft, a natural evolution from an earlier involvement with boatbuilding. The aircraft varied greatly in terms of success. A number have gone largely unrecorded, especially some of the early prototypes. A small number of landplane designs were also conceived. The term Saunders/Saro is used to describe a Limited Company which existed between 1908 and 1959. For twenty years, S.E. Saunders Ltd was engaged in boat-building, sub-contracted aircraft construction, and the development of a few aircraft to the companys own designs. In late 1928 the firm was reorganised and a new name was adopted-Saunders-Roe Ltd, usually abbreviated to Saro. The latter concern laid greater emphasis on aircraft design, and other interests were over a period made virtually autonomous