Percival Aircraft Ltd formed in 1932 by Australian born aircraft designer Edgar. W. Percival and E. W. B. Leake at Gravesend, Kent, moving to Luton, Bedfordshire, in 1937. Built series of successful light aircraft beginning with the single-engine Gull and later twin-engine Q-6 six/seven seat cabin monoplane. Percival Gulls were used for a number of record-breaking flights, and the type was developed into the Proctor light communications aircraft. Several Mew Gull racers were built in the late 1930s. After Second World War, production of the Proctor continued for civilian customers, while a new three-seat trainer, the Prentice, appeared in 1946 and was built in quantity for the RAF and several overseas air forces. It was followed by the Provost trainer, ordered for the RAF in 1951. Following the experimental Merganser light transport of 1946, a larger version, the Prince, flew in 1948 and was produced in civil and military versions.
During 1944 the Percival Company was absorbed by the Hunting Group in the UK.

A change of name is announced in April 1954, by Percival Aircraft, Ltd. who will be known as Hunting Percival Aircraft, Ltd. The change of name was to provide more complete identification with the parent Hunting Group, and then Hunting Aircraft in 1957.