Thomas Sopwith received aviator's certificate No. 31 in 1910 and competed in flying events in America in 1911. His career then moved into aircraft manufacture through Sopwith Aviation. From 1920 he was chairman and joint managing director of the Hawker companies, followed by chairmanship of the Hawker Siddeley group from 1936. He was knighted in 1953 and lived until 1989, outliving Sydney Camm.
Notable Point · 1:04:13-1:04:50
Thomas Sopwith's career from pilot to Hawker chairman
Sopwith's early flying career preceded decades of leadership in the companies that succeeded his original aircraft business.