Editing Supermarine (section)

===Founding===
[[File:Billing portrait.jpg|thumb|upright| Studio portrait of Billing released for publication to the press in 1916]]

In 1909 [[Noel Pemberton-Billing]] purchased a number of engineering workshops on {{convert|3000|acres}} of land at South in [[Sussex]] which he intended to develop as an [[airfield]]. At the same time, he built a number of unsuccessful aircraft of his own design. To promote the venture, he founded his own magazine ''Aerocraft''. Despite attracting some aircraft constructors, the airfield venture failed within a year and about the same time he sold ''Aerocraft''.{{sfn|Pegram|2016|p=13}} In 1911, Pemberton-Billing purchased facilities to provide a base for a motor launch and [[yacht]] trading business at White's Yard off Elm Road (later renamed Hazel Road) on the River Itchen, upstream of Woolston. To manage the business, Pemberton-Billing hired his friend Scott-Paine, whom he had first met while involved in property speculation in [[Shoreham, Kent]]. Pemberton-Billing, his wife and Scott-Paine lived on Pemberton-Billing's yacht ''Utopia''.{{sfn|Pegram|2016|p=13}}

Under Scott-Paine's management the business was soon profitable, which allowed Billing (with the assistance of Scott-Paine) to design a series of [[flying boat]]s with detachable [[propeller]] and wings so that with them removed it could be used as a motor launch.{{sfn|Pegram|2016|p=14}}
Pemberton-Billing submitted a [[patent application]] for his design in October 1913. After obtaining his aviator's certificate on 17 September 1913 following a £500 bet with Frederick Handley-Page that he could obtain it within 24 hour of commencing flight training, he decided to build his own aircraft.

In partnership with Alfred Delves de Broughton, Billing established Pemberton-Billing Ltd on 27 June 1914 with capital of £20,000. Billing had 6,800 shares, Broughton 3,700 and works engineer Lorenz Hans Herkomer (1889–1922), 500.{{sfn|Pegram|2016|p=14}} Herkomer's background was in electrical engineering and automobiles. Romanian Carol Vasilesco was employed to prepare drawings and undertake the detailed design of airframes. On land at Oakbank Wharf on the river Itchen in Woolston that Billing had previously purchased, the company established a factory with Hubert Scott-Paine as work manager. Its registered [[telegraphic address]], used for sending telegrams and cables to the company, was; ''Supermarine, Southampton''.