The man who built the Swordfish: the life of Sir Richard Fairey, 1887-1956

Sir Richard Fairey was one of the great aviation innovators of the twentieth century.

His career as a plane maker stretched from the Edwardian period to the jet age - he lived long enough to see one of his aircraft be the first to break the 1000mph barrier; and at least one of his designs, the Swordfish, holds iconic status.

Later in his career he became a figurehead of the British aviation industry and his successful running of the British Air Commission earned him a knighthood.

A key player at a pivotal moment, Fairey's life tells us much about the exercise of power in early 20th-century Britain and provides an insight into the nature of the British aviation manufacturing industry at its wartime peak and on the cusp of its twilight years.