During World War II, nearly all British aircraft that were built, embodied Dowty products which included hydraulic systems, undercarriage units, tail wheels, electrical instruments and warning devices.
The list of aircraft names that Dowty supplied parts for included: Hawker Hurricane, Beaufighter, Typhoon, Whirlwind, Manchester, Lancaster, Halifax, Stirling, Blenheim, Hampden, Henley, Sunderland, Skua, Anson, Dominie, Master, Lysander, Rapide, and the allies’ first jet aircraft the Gloster Whittle E28/39, which first flew on the 15th of May 1941, also, the first jet fighter to see action, the Gloster Meteor.
During the 1960’s, Dowty continued their association with all the major aircraft manufacturers but not all projects were successful both militarily and commercial.
The TSR-2 was a cancelled “Cold War” Tactical Strike and Reconnaissance aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC)
The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 was to have been a supersonic bomber that would have dashed in under the Soviet Union’s radar to deliver nuclear weapons.
Taking off from Wiltshire, England, the TSR-2 eventually pushed past Mach 1 but had to fly its first nine tests gear down.
The then Labour Government cancelled the TSR2 Project on 6 April 1965, this was a major blow to the aviation industry.
The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde was a British-French turbojet-powered supersonic passenger airliner that was operated from 1976 until 2003
It had a maximum speed over twice the speed of sound at Mach 2.04, with seating for 92 to 128 passengers
The British Government made a decision to withdraw from Concorde as early as 19 November 1964, another major blow to the aviation industry, with an aircraft far ahead of its time.
The Hawker Siddeley Harrier, developed in the 1960s, was the first of the Harrier Jump Jet series of aircraft, fitted with Dowty landing gear, Pegasus Jet engine fuel control system, electrical and hydraulic equipment.;
With its vertical and short take off capability, the Harrier did not need to use fixed runways but could launch from smaller areas like woodland clearings.
Among other aircraft to be fitted with Dowty equipment were the Hawker Hunter; Hawker Siddeley Vulcan; Buccaneer; Nimrod; BAC Lightening; Gnat and Jet Provost Trainers
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