In June 1909 Frederick Handley Page (later Sir) established this company, building a series of monoplanes with crescent-shaped wings inspired by the Austrian designer Jose Weiss.
The first powered aeroplane was the type A, or Bluebird, with a 20 hp Advance V-4 engine. It was of wood construction with a tailskid landing gear, using a wing with a shape patented by José Weiss, which was claimed to provide automatic lateral stability, so there were no ailerons or wing warping mechanisms. The wings, fuselage and tail surfaces were covered with a blue-grey rubberised fabric, hence the nickname Bluebird. Priced at £376 at the March 1910 Olympia Aero Exhibition, it found no buyers.
Even after adding a triangular tailplane to the all moving cruciform tail surfaces only a few straight hops were achieved.
When FHP took off on May 26, 1910, the craft side slipped into the ground due to lack of lateral control at the first attempt to make a turn.
Adding wing warping and installing a 26 hp Alvaston engine did not help the redeignated Type C craft to fly.
Although a 50 hp Isaacaon was then fitted, it was abandoned unflown.
Span: 32’6″
Length: 20’6″
Weight: 450 lb
Speed: 35 mph
All Aero 