The Dunstable Sailplane Company
Encyclopedia
The Dunstable Sailplane Company was established in 1934 by W.L. Manuel and C.H. Latimer-Needham
to design, manufacture and repair gliders from its workshop at Barton-Le-Clay Airfield
in Bedfordshire
.
The Dunstable Kestrel was manufactured by the company from designs by W.L. Manuel in 1935; production was limited to one sailplane with a British Gliding Association
id of G221. Records comment that G221 was purchased by a trainee pilot who was still in his early stages of training with a primary glider. This Dunstable Kestrel passed to the Norfolk & Norwich Aero Club and crashed in 1938, however W.L. Manuel drew up plans for home builders which were offered for sale at the cost of £6. 6s. W.E. Godson purchased a set of plans and built a second British Kestrel whilst three more Kestrels were built in Australia by R. New, R. Basillie and the last by P. Pratt. Whilst no remains exist of the British built aircraft all three Australian-built ones are in museums.
W. L. Manuel was born William Lancelot Manuel in 1903; parish records list his birth place as Malling, Kent. Manuel spent his early life working at RAF Hawkinge Kent with 25 Fighter Squadron, He was a key member in the establishment of the Channel Gliding Club (1930), and built an estimated 14 aircraft over his 84-year life. William Manuel retired in 1965 from the AC Cars
company of Thames Ditton
; it is thought he was the company's chief planning engineer on retirement.
C.H. Latimer-Needham was born in 1900, educated at University College London
and served in the Royal Flying Corps
. In 1935 he left the RAF and formed the Dunstable Sailplane Company and Luton Aircraft Ltd with W.L. Manuel. In 1958 he formed Phoenix Aircraft with Arthur W. G. Ord-Hume which has many credits to development of the modern hovercraft. C.H. Latimer-Needham died of a heart attack in May 1967 at his home in British Columbia, Canada.
C.H. Latimer-Needham
Cecil Hugh Latimer-Needham was a British aircraft designer, inventor and aviation author. He is best remembered for the series of aircraft he designed for the Luton Aircraft company and his invention of the Hovercraft skirt for which he was granted a patent...
to design, manufacture and repair gliders from its workshop at Barton-Le-Clay Airfield
Barton-Le-Clay Airfield
Barton-Le-Clay AirfieldBefore the mid-960s Barton-Le-Clay was called Barton In The Clay but the name was changed to the current form by the Parish Council of the time. All references and documentation prior to this date will be in the original village name...
in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
.
The Dunstable Kestrel was manufactured by the company from designs by W.L. Manuel in 1935; production was limited to one sailplane with a British Gliding Association
British Gliding Association
The British Gliding Association is the governing body for gliding in the United Kingdom. Gliding in the United Kingdom operates through 85 gliding clubs which have 2,310 gliders and 9,462 full flying members , though a further 17,000 people have gliding air-experience flights each year.-History:A...
id of G221. Records comment that G221 was purchased by a trainee pilot who was still in his early stages of training with a primary glider. This Dunstable Kestrel passed to the Norfolk & Norwich Aero Club and crashed in 1938, however W.L. Manuel drew up plans for home builders which were offered for sale at the cost of £6. 6s. W.E. Godson purchased a set of plans and built a second British Kestrel whilst three more Kestrels were built in Australia by R. New, R. Basillie and the last by P. Pratt. Whilst no remains exist of the British built aircraft all three Australian-built ones are in museums.
W. L. Manuel was born William Lancelot Manuel in 1903; parish records list his birth place as Malling, Kent. Manuel spent his early life working at RAF Hawkinge Kent with 25 Fighter Squadron, He was a key member in the establishment of the Channel Gliding Club (1930), and built an estimated 14 aircraft over his 84-year life. William Manuel retired in 1965 from the AC Cars
AC Cars
AC Cars Group Ltd. formerly known as Auto Carriers Ltd. is a British specialist automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest independent car marques founded in Britain...
company of Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton
Thames Ditton is a village in Surrey, England, bordering Greater London. It is situated 12.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross between the towns of Kingston upon Thames, Surbiton, Esher and East Molesey...
; it is thought he was the company's chief planning engineer on retirement.
C.H. Latimer-Needham was born in 1900, educated at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
and served in the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
. In 1935 he left the RAF and formed the Dunstable Sailplane Company and Luton Aircraft Ltd with W.L. Manuel. In 1958 he formed Phoenix Aircraft with Arthur W. G. Ord-Hume which has many credits to development of the modern hovercraft. C.H. Latimer-Needham died of a heart attack in May 1967 at his home in British Columbia, Canada.