Westland Helicopters

Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Ltd just before the start of the Second World War Westland had been building aircraft from 1915. During the war the company produced a number of generally unsuccessful designs, but their Lysander would serve as an important liaison aircraft with the Royal Air Force. After the war the company focussed on helicopters and was eventually merged with several other British firms including the helicopter division of Bristol Aircraft, Fairey Aviation and Saunders Roe, to create Westland Helicopters in 1961. In 2001 it merged with Agusta to form AgustaWestland with Westland Helicopters Limited as a wholly owned subsidiary.