World War Vickers-Armstrongs manufactured commercial aircraft. In 1959 it introduced the VC10 jet aircraft, which is still in service with the Royal Air Force. In the same year the government forced a merger with Bristol Aeroplane Company, English Electric and Hunting Aircraft to form the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Alongside the achievements of BAC, the Hawker Siddeley Group were also experiencing success with the likes of the Hawker Harrier 'Jump Jet' and Hawker Siddeley Trident passenger aircraft. The two companies competed side by side for contracts throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, until the British Government expressed a desire for the two entities to merge. Finally, on 29 April 1977, the two companies were finally nationalised and a new company, British Aerospace Plc, emerged. The rail business acquired by Vickers was sold to Alstom in 1989. See also Canadian Vickers, a Vickers subsidiary from 1911 to 1944 Oto Melara, an Italian weapons manufacturer, originally a joint venture between Vickers and Terni Steelworks Supermarine Vickers hardness test Vickers machine gun Citations Further reading Anon (1898), Vickers, Sons and Maxim Limited: Their Works and Manufactures, "Engineering", London Beynon, Huw & Wainwright, Hilary “The Workers’ Report on Vickers” (Pluto Press, London 1979) Evans, Harold. Vickers: Against the Odds 1956–1977 (1978) Grant, Jonathan A. Grant, Between Depression and Disarmament: The International Armaments Business, 1919–1939 (Cambridge UP, 2018). Online review Richardson, Alex (1902), Vickers Sons and Maxim Ltd: Their Works and Manufactures, Ships, Guns, Engines etc. Offices of Engineering, 35 and 36, Bedford Street, Strand, W.C., London; illustrated with 70 engravings (photo engravings) Scott, J. D. (1962), Vickers: A History, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London External links Companies House accessed 22 June 2006 Vickers Air-raid Shelter Vickers Photographic Archive Biography of Thomas and Albert Vickers The Vickers company canteen at Crayford, Kent, expected to become a restaurant with flats above Companies disestablished in 2004 Defunct companies of the United Kingdom Engine manufacturers of the United Kingdom Former defence companies of the United Kingdom History of the tank Manufacturing companies established in 1828 Marine engine manufacturers