Hubert Scott-Paine

[1] Scott-Paine worked for Noel Pemberton Billing dealing in yachts, eventually in 1913 forming Pemberton-Billing Ltd (with 'Supermarine' as the telegraphic address), with Hubert the factory manager at Woolston, Hampshire.

Reginald Mitchell (of Spitfire fame) was employed at this time and the company greatly expanded.

In 1924 Imperial Airways was formed by the merger of Scott-Paine's British Marine Air Navigation Co Ltd and three other airlines.

Many sophisticated award-winning racing boats were produced, an example being Miss England which is now on display at the Science Museum (London).

During 1932 and 1933 Scott-Paine and Fred Cooper designed and built the single-engined Miss Britain III as a Harmsworth Trophy challenger.

Scott-Paine and George Selman designed and built a new 70-foot (21 m) private venture PV70, a seagoing MTB with three marinised Rolls-Royce Merlin engines.

On 3 October Scott-Paine met President Roosevelt and senior Elco representatives at the White House to authorize the creation of a new naval arm, the PT Boat Squadrons.

After the passing of Lend-Lease in 1941 comparative trials, nicknamed the Plywood Derbys, were held between rival American boatbuilders, Elco winning both.

In December 1944, Scott-Paine received a cheque for $200,000 with an accompanying letter of appreciation for his contributions made to the development of the PT boat from Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal.