Tommy Sopwith (1933- )
A really interesting guy… Son of aviation pioneer Sir Thomas Sopwith (the creator of Hawker Siddeley), Tommy was the classic 1960s eligible bachelor: guards officer, offshore power boat and saloon car champion. He founded a Brighton based car distributorship named after his father’s America’s Cup J-Class yacht “Endeavour”. This was also the name used for his helicopter owning company: Endeavour Aviation.
In the 1980’s he was a partner in European Helicopters of Denham that was co-founded with ex McAlpine Heli’s MD Robin Keith, and Lynton Group.
The company was formed to carry out corporate helicoper rebuilding, maintenance, sales and consultancy but there was some controversy when it sought to win the Aerospatiale helicopter distributorship away from McAlpine Helicopters Ltd. McAlpine sued and won damages and an injunction preventing European Helicopters from approaching Aerospatiale. In August 1990 Lynton Group acquired remaining 60% of EHL's equity from the other partners. European was later absorbed into Premiair along with McAlpine’s businesses not associated with the Eurocopter sales business.
His first wife was killed in the crash of Bell 47G G-BBVP on 20.3.75 . His second marriage was to former Olympic skier Gina Hawthorn.
Tommy’s aircraft were as follows:
G-AMFU Dove 10.65-2.67
G-ATLO Brantley 12.65 regn but not deld then regn reallocated
G-ATSJ Brantley 5.66-5.68
G-ASHW Dove 6.66-5.68
G-AVZG B206 12.67-5.73
G-BASE B206 3.73-12.78
G-GINA AS350B 3.78-5.91
G-IINA AS350B 12.90-2.95
The latter 2 a/c had personalized regn’s derived from his 2nd wife’s name . Most of the aircraft carried the same dark blue livery that had been worn by the yacht Endeavour and then his racing cars. The helicopters operated from his home Axford House, Hants.