Martinsyde was a British aircraft and motorcycle manufacturer between 1908 and 1922, when it was forced into liquidation by a factory fire.

History

The company was first formed in 1908 as a partnership between H.P. Martin and George Handasyde and known as Martin & Handasyde. Their No.1 monoplane was built in 1908–1909 and succeeded in lifting off the ground before being wrecked in a gale. They went on to build a succession of largely monoplane designs although it was a biplane, the S.1 of 1914, that turned Martin-Handasyde into a successful aircraft manufacturer. In 1915 they renamed the company Martinsyde Ltd, and it became Britain's third largest aircraft manufacturer during World War One, with flight sheds at

Brooklands Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England, United Kingdom. It opened in 1907 and was the world's first purpose-built 'banked' motor racing circuit as well as one of Britain's first airfields, ...

and a large factory in nearby Woking.

Martinsyde Motorcycles

Martinsyde began manufacturing motorcycles from 1919 after buying the rights to engine designs by Howard Newman, which included a 350 cc single and a 677 cc

V-twin A V-twin engine, also called a V2 engine, is a two-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. Although widely associated with motorcycles (installed either transversely or longi ...

with an unusual exhaust-over-inlet layout. The 680 engine was fitted into a diamond-type frame with Brampton forks. Martinsyde had to overcome problems with components before its new range could be launched, initially under the trade name of Martinsyde-Newman, until the third partner Newman left the company. (Newman was also involved in manufacturing and designing Ivy motorcycles.) The V-twin motorcycle had a hand gear change, and a three-speed gearbox built under licence from AJS. Martinsyde's engine was very flexible and became popular for off-road trials competition, where the singles quickly gained a reputation for reliability, at

, where Martinsyde won the team award in 1922, and the

Scottish Six Days Trial The Scottish Six Days Trial is an internationally recognised Motorcycle trials competition, which has been running since 1909 (with breaks for the two world wars) making it the oldest motorcycle trials event in the world. Motorcycle riders from al ...

. Martinsyde motorcycles were offered with sidecars and the Martinsyde 680 was followed by a 500 cc model in 1920, with a sports version in 1921. In 1922 Martinsyde produced a 738 cc sports

, named the ''Quick Six'' which produced and was capable of . The engine featured the company's normal overhead exhaust and side-valve inlet, but with Ricardo pistons, accurately balanced flywheels, all reciprocating parts lightened, nickel steel con-rods machined all over, and close ratio three speed gearbox."A New Sports V-Twin", Motor Cycle, May 11th 1922, p599 Martinsyde was experimenting with new designs, including valve gear controlled by leaf springs, when its Woking factory was destroyed by a fire in 1922, forcing the company into liquidation after produced over 2,000 motorcycles. Martinsyde's motorcycle manufacturing rights were purchased by Bat Motor Manufacturing Co. Ltd, which produced a number of twin-cylinder motorcycles in 1924 and 1925 before ending production.

Martinsyde aircraft

Martinsyde-designed aircraft included: * Martin-Handasyde No.3 - sports aircraft, 1910 * Martinsyde S.1 - single-seat scout, 1914 * G100 and G102 "Elephant" – scout aircraft 1915 onwards, 171 *

Martinsyde RG Martinsyde was a British aircraft and motorcycle manufacturer between 1908 and 1922, when it was forced into liquidation by a factory fire. History The company was first formed in 1908 as a partnership between H.P. Martin and George Handasyde ...

* Martinsyde F.1 *

Martinsyde F.2 Martinsyde was a British aircraft and motorcycle manufacturer between 1908 and 1922, when it was forced into liquidation by a factory fire. History The company was first formed in 1908 as a partnership between H.P. Martin and George Handasyde ...

* Martinsyde F.3 – private venture design with the

Rolls-Royce Falcon The Rolls-Royce Falcon is an aero engine developed in 1915. It was a smaller version of the Rolls-Royce Eagle, a liquid-cooled V-12 of 867 cu in (14.2 L) capacity. Fitted to many British World War I-era aircraft, production ceased in 1927. ...

engine, only a few produced due to lack of available engines * Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard – fighter, the F.3 with a Hispano-Suiza engine *

Martinsyde Semiquaver The Martinsyde Semiquaver was a British single-seat racing biplane built by Martinsyde in 1920. It won the 1920 Aerial Derby and was entered for the 1920 Gordon Bennett Trophy, but did not finish the course. In 1921 the fuselage was used as ...

- racing aircraft A number of surplus Buzzard airframe were later built up with a new engine, the radial

Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar The Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar was an aircraft engine developed by Armstrong Siddeley. The Jaguar was a petrol-fuelled air-cooled 14-cylinder two-row radial engine design. The Jaguar III was first used in 1923, followed in 1925 by the Jaguar ...

, by the

Aircraft Disposal Company The Aircraft Disposal Company (ADC) or Airdisco, was a British firm established in March 1920 to take advantage of the large number of World War I-surplus military aircraft on the market.Gunston 2005, p.7. The company changed name in 1925 to ADC ...

(ADC) and sold as the "Martinsyde ADC.1" in 1924. A development of the F.4 was also made by the ADC: two "ADC Nimbus" were produced as prototypes. The company also manufactured the BE.2c and S.E.5a aircraft under sub-contract.

References

External links

*
List of all Aircraft made by Martinsyde Ltd
{{Aerospace industry in the United Kingdom Defunct aircraft manufacturers of the United Kingdom Defunct motorcycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom British companies established in 1908 Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1908 1922 disestablishments in England British companies disestablished in 1922