Richard Fairy started his career as an electrical engineer but he had the same strong ambition to fly as other contemporise of his time. After a spell with Short Brothers, Fairy Aviation was created during The Great War. Richard Fairy went on to design and build aircraft throughout the 1920s and 30s.

Many designs were produced and the Battle, and Swordfish all saw military service in WW2.

After the war, development in fast jets and helicopters saw the company through to the late 1950s, when it was absorbed into the Westland Aircraft Group.

Iconic post war projects included the Fairey Rotodyne and the Fairey Delta 2. Both of these aircraft could have been developed in Britain, but for various reasons failed to materialise.