Uffa Fox designed some of the most innovative early International 14s, and produced the first National 12 design, launched in 1936. He also designed the clinker version of the National 18 in 1938.
In 1946, the Fairey company used the same moulded and glued veneer technique they had used to build Mosquito aircraft to build the Firefly, which was adopted as the Olympic single-handed class at the 1948 London Olympic Games (won by Paul Elvstrom). The Firefly’s larger sister, the Swordfish was designed in 1948.
Other Fairey built designs were the Jollyboat (1950) and the Albacore (1954). The Albacore and Firefly are still in production, in both wood and plastic versions. Fox designed the Jollyboat to be easier than the Firefly to sail as he got older, but it turned out to be the fastest production dinghy of its time!