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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Vickers
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Company which has played a major role in Britain's armament and aviation industries. In 1828 Naylor, Hutchinson, Vickers and Co. was established as a steel firm in Sheffield; from it there emerged in 1867 Vickers Sons and Co., which combined its business with *Maxim in 1897 (becoming well known for the Vickers Maxim machine gun). The company's contribution to aviation history has included the Vickers Vimy, in which *Alcock and Brown flew the Atlantic, followed by the *Wellington, *Spitfire, *Viscount and *VC10. The aircraft division was merged in 1960 with two other companies to form the British Aircraft Corporation, which was nationalized in 1977 and became part of British Aerospace. In 1980 Vickers merged with *Rolls-Royce Motors. The Challenger tank is the best-known Vickers product of recent years in the armaments field.
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