The History of Britain and the RAF would be very different if Thomas Octave  Sopwith (he was the 8th child) had not purchased the roller skating rink in Canbury Park Road near Kingston Railway Station in South West London in December 1912. It was here that his company designed famous World War One fighters like the Sopwith Camel and Sopwith Pup for the Royal Flying Corps. The Hawker Hurricane would not have been available to defeat the German Luffwaffe in the Battle of Britain and save the country from invasion If Sopwith and Harry Hawker had not carried on aircraft design during the 1930's at Canbury Park Road. Later one of this company's aircraft again came to Britain's rescue in the early 1980's. The Hawker Harrier Jump Jet was available at the right time and place to shoot down the Argentinean Jet fighter bombers over the Falkland Islands. Why did this aircraft designer want to buy a roller skating rink? To find out why click the Sopwith link below 

The History of Sopwith Aircraft   

The History of Hawker Aircraft      

Free Sopwith Aircraft Wallpaper    

Free Hawker Aircraft Wallpaper    

Links to Aviation Museums