Imperial Airways (Africa) Ltd was located at 11 Gifford House, Stanley Avenue, Bulawayo.
Imperial Airways Ltd was established in 1924 when four fledgling airlines, including Daimler Airways (a successor to AT&T) merged. Britain agreed to subsidize the Cairo to Cape Town route and also make a substantial contribution to the African services. On 6 June 1929, once the financial agreements were in place, a private business, Imperial Airways (Africa) Ltd, was established to operate a service between Egypt and South Africa.
On 17 April 1929, the Rhodesian Aviation Company (RAC) was registered with backing from the Cobham/Blackburn Air Lines. The company became a de Havllland aircraft distributor for Southern Africa. In 1930, the company decided to become a feeder service for the Imperial Airways Cape Town to Cairo service expected to begin in 1931. However, in 1931, Imperial Airways took over the interests of Cobham/Blackburn Air Lines.
On 10 February 1932, Sir Alfred Beits made a public grant £50,000 for facilitating air transport on the Imperial route. Imperial Airways met with RAC to discuss the formation of a new company. In January 1933 shareholders voted against selling out to Imperial Airways.
However, on 4 August 1933, RAC was in liquidation and the future of the company was outlined to shareholders. Operations were to be handed over to a new company, Rhodesian and Nyasaland Airways Ltd (RANA), and backed by the Beit Railway Trustees and Imperial Airways. The new company was contracted to Imperial for delivery of the mails.
References
- Airwork: A history – Keith McCloskey
- Britain’s Imperial Air Routes 1918-1939 – Robin Higham
- Encyclopedia of African Airlines – Ben R. Guttery