Victory Aircraft

Victory Aircraft Limited was a Canadian manufacturing company that, during the Second World War, built mainly British-designed aircraft under licence. It acted as a shadow factory, safe from the reach of German bombers.

Initially the major wartime contract to manufacture Avro Lancaster heavy bombers was to go to the National Steel Car Ltd. headquartered in Hamilton, utilizing the Malton factory (near today's Toronto Pearson International Airport). National Steel Car was already producing Westland Lysander aircraft (Malton 1938–1939) and involved as a subcontractor in the manufacture of Hawker Hurricane fighters (1939-1943), Avro Anson trainers (Montreal 1941–1945) and Handley Page Hampden bombers (Malton and Montreal 1939-1941?). Questions arising as to the company's ability to manage the project led to the government's expropriation of the plant on 4 November 1942 and the setting up of the Crown Corporation, Victory Aircraft Limited, incorporated under the Department of Munitions and Supply Act, 1940 c.31. J.P. Bickell, one of C.D. Howe's "dollar-a-year men" headed Victory Aircraft Ltd. as president and chairman of the board.