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De Havilland

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de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited
IndustryAerospace
Founded1920
FounderGeoffrey de Havilland
Defunct1963
FateAbsorbed into Hawker Siddeley
HeadquartersHatfield, Hertfordshire, England
Key people
ProductsCivil and military aircraft, aero engines, guided weapons
ParentHawker Siddeley (from 1959)
Subsidiaries

The de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited (pronounced Template:IPAc-en, Template:Respell) was a British aircraft manufacturer founded in late 1920 by Geoffrey de Havilland at Stag Lane Aerodrome near Edgware, on the northern outskirts of London. The company's operations were subsequently relocated to Hatfield Aerodrome in Hertfordshire.

Renowned for its pioneering contributions, de Havilland produced several notable aircraft such as the Moth biplane that transformed aviation during the 1920s; the 1930s-era Fox Moth, a light commercial passenger plane; the wooden World War II-era Mosquito, a versatile multirole aircraft; and the groundbreaking jet-powered passenger airliner, the Comet.

In 1960, de Havilland became part of the Hawker Siddeley group but ceased to exist as an independent entity by 1963. Hawker Siddeley later merged into what is now known as BAE Systems, the UK's primary aerospace and defence corporation. The de Havilland brand endures through De Havilland Canada, which retains rights to the name and aircraft designs from its former Canadian subsidiary, including the regional airliner Dash 8, formerly manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace.

Founding

At the start of 1920, Geoffrey de Havilland served as technical director and chief designer at Airco. Post-war demand for civilian aircraft was low, leaving Airco in poor financial shape. On 20 January 1920, the BSA acquired Airco from George Holt Thomas based largely on the recommendation of BSA director Percy Martin. BSA's primary interest was in Airco's manufacturing facilities rather than aviation itself. The acquisition resulted in significant losses that prevented BSA from issuing dividends for three years.

With assistance from Thomas, de Havilland secured modest premises at nearby Stag Lane Aerodrome and established de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited as a limited liability firm on 26 September 1920. The company’s board included de Havilland himself, Arthur Edwin Turner from the War Office, and chief engineer Charles Clement Walker. The initial capital was set at £50,000. Geoffrey de Havilland contributed £3,000, George Holt Thomas invested £10,000, and other investors added approximately £1,000. Alongside releasing contractual ties with BSA, de Havilland acquired assets from Airco including the DH.18, two DH.14s, and maintenance contracts for the DH.9.

De Havilland assembled a close-knit team from Airco: Charles Clement Walker handled aerodynamics and structural stress; Wilfred E. Nixon served as company secretary; Francis E. N. St. Barbe managed business and sales; and Frank T Hearle took charge as works manager from Airco’s experimental division. Meanwhile, Hugh Burroughes moved on to the Gloster Aircraft Company. The fledgling firm gained a crucial investor in Alan Samuel Butler in the following year, who provided substantial financial support.

In its first year, turnover reached £32,782 with a net profit of £2,387. Early in 1922, the company purchased Stag Lane aerodrome for £20,000. The business remained viable until 1925 when de Havilland’s own design—the Moth biplane—first flew on 22 February and met strong demand within the aviation community. By 1928, de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited had become publicly traded.

Initially focusing on single- and two-seat biplanes that evolved from Airco’s designs but adapted for airline use, de Havilland soon introduced smaller aircraft powered by its proprietary Gipsy engines. This line included models such as the Gipsy Moth and Tiger Moth. These aircraft set numerous aviation records, many piloted by Geoffrey de Havilland himself; notably, Amy Johnson completed her solo flight from England to Australia in a Gipsy Moth in 1930.

The Moth family expanded with models like the more sophisticated Hornet Moth, featuring enclosed cockpits, and the wooden low-wing monoplane Moth Minor. A distinctive feature of de Havilland planes was their aircraft type names painted in an elegant Roman capital-letter font—a style so iconic that during a factory strike, workers used it to create protest signage.

The DH.84 Dragon became Aer Lingus's first aircraft purchase in 1936; they later operated variants such as the DH.86B Dragon Express and the popular DH.89 Dragon Rapide. De Havilland also produced high-performance twin-engine piston aircraft including the famous DH.88 Comet racers—one of which won the prestigious MacRobertson Air Race from England to Australia in 1934.

Second World War

File:Building Mosquito Aircraft at the De Havilland Factory in Hatfield, 1943 TR1426.jpg
Assembly of Mosquito planes at the de Havilland facility in Hatfield, 1943

The innovative wooden construction techniques and high-performance engineering culminated in the creation of the Mosquito, primarily composed of wood, which strategically avoided the use of critical materials like aluminium during the Second World War. This was followed by the introduction of the Hornet fighter, notable for pioneering bonding methods that combined metal-to-wood and metal-to-metal adhesives.

In 1937, de Havilland established a manufacturing plant at what is now known as De Havilland Way in Lostock, dedicated to producing variable pitch propellers for the RAF. Due to its strategic significance, this site became a target for German Luftwaffe attacks. On 3 July 1942, two Ju 88 bombers attempted a low-level bombing run, navigating via the Rivington reservoir chain; however, their mission deviated from its intended course.

Post-war period

File:Dh Comet.jpg
The inaugural de Havilland DH.106 Comet prototype at Hatfield in 1949, emblematic of a new era in technology.

Following World War II, de Havilland continued advancing both military and civilian aircraft designs, but a series of public tragedies ultimately led to the company's loss of independence. The experimental tailless jet-powered de Havilland DH.108 Swallow crashed in the Thames Estuary, resulting in the death of Geoffrey de Havilland Jr., son of the founder. In 1948, an additional large manufacturing facility was acquired at Hawarden Airport near Broughton by Chester, supplementing production alongside Hatfield. The de Havilland Comet, introduced in 1952, was celebrated as the first commercial jet airliner and represented a significant leap forward—traveling at twice the speed of earlier models and becoming a symbol of British technological achievement. Operated by British Overseas Airways Corporation, on 2 May 1952 flight G-ALYP departed with paying passengers on a scheduled London to Johannesburg route. Equipped with four de Havilland Ghost jet engines, the Comet could reach speeds up to 500 miles per hour, effectively halving global travel times and cruising at altitudes around 40,000 feet—performance levels previously exclusive to military jets. Within twenty months post-launch, seventeen Comets were operational. However, three prominent crashes within two years revealed critical issues: two were attributed to structural failure caused by previously unrecognized metal fatigue in the airframe; another resulted from excessive stress during turbulent weather. Sir Arnold Hall headed the Royal Aircraft Establishment's investigation that identified fatigue cracks originating from rivet holes.

Due to these structural difficulties, all remaining Comets were grounded in 1954 while de Havilland embarked on developing a stronger and larger successor model. This redesign included oval windows and reinforced structures among other modifications. Competing manufacturers incorporated lessons from these events into their own aircraft designs. The revamped Comet 4 returned to service in 1958; however, by then American competitors had launched faster and more fuel-efficient jets such as the Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8, leading to dwindling orders for de Havilland’s airliner.

In 1960, Hawker Siddeley acquired de Havilland but maintained it as an independent company until 1963. That year marked its integration as the de Havilland Division within Hawker Siddeley Aviation, with all ongoing projects rebranded from "DH" to "HS". The company’s final aircraft designs included the Hawker Siddeley Trident (initially DH.121) and the innovative Hawker Siddeley HS.125, originally DH.125.

The DH.121 was adapted into a smaller variant tailored for British European Airways; however, other airlines favored competing tri-jets like the Boeing 727, which closely matched the original DH.121 size. Consequently, under Hawker Siddeley’s banner, only 117 Tridents were produced compared to over 1,800 Boeing 727s sold.

De Havilland also ventured into long-range missile development,[1] creating the liquid-fueled Blue Streak. Although it never entered active military service, Blue Streak became the first stage of Europa—a space launch vehicle designed for orbital missions. While Blue Streak performed reliably during flight tests, subsequent stages manufactured in France and Germany repeatedly failed. The Europa program was discontinued in 1973 along with Blue Streak’s development. The final Blue Streak units were reportedly repurposed by a farmer who used their fuel tanks as chicken coops.[2]

Aircraft

File:De Havilland biplane RAE-O141.jpg
The de Havilland Biplane No. 2, also known as the F.E.1, pictured in flight around 1911
File:De Havilland Airco DH9 REJS.jpg
A de Havilland Airco DH.9 exhibited at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in 2008
File:Dh.foxmoth.750pix.jpg
A de Havilland DH.83 Fox Moth seen at Kemble Airport in 2003
File:Hornet moth dh87b g-admt arp.jpg
The 1936 de Havilland DH.87B Hornet Moth taking off during Kemble Air Day, Wiltshire, 2008
File:DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-AJHO Roth.Army Neth 20.04.68 edited-2.jpg
A DH.89 Dragon Rapide operated by the Army Parachute Association at RAF Netheravon in 1968
File:De Havilland Hercules-a.jpg
De Havilland Hercules-66 of Imperial Airways
Main article: List of de Havilland aircraft
File:Moth Minor A21-42 Benalla 2012-06-03.jpg
Former RAAF de Havilland Moth Minor (DH.94) displayed at Benalla Aviation Museum, June 2012
File:De Havilland Mosquito B 35.JPG
De Havilland Mosquito B 35, modified to FB Mk.VI standard, exhibited at the Alberta Aviation Museum
File:Dh.dove.750pix.jpg
A de Havilland DH.104 Dove photographed at Kemble in 2003
File:G-AWZW Hawker Siddeley HS121 Trident 3B British Airways MAN 24OCT75.jpg
'HS121 Trident 3', designed by de Havilland for British Airways, at Manchester Airport in 1975
File:Dehav.sea.vixen.folded.arps.jpg
'Sea Vixen' (DH110) at an airshow held at Kemble in 2005

Engines

Main article: de Havilland Engine Company

Weapon systems

File:Blue Streak.JPG
A Blue Streak missile displayed at the Deutsches Museum in Oberschleißheim, Munich

de Havilland Canada

File:C-FGYN Adlair Aviation de Havilland Beaver (DHC2) 01.jpg
C-FGYN Adlair Aviation Ltd. de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver Mk I equipped with floats
File:Dehav.dash8.750pix.jpg
Bombardier (formerly de Havilland Canada) Dash 8 operated by Flybe
File:DHA.3 Drover 3B VH-EOO Bankstown 04.10.70-1-.jpg
De Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover 3B at Sydney (Bankstown) in 1970, the original production site
Main articles: de Havilland Canada (1928–1986) and de Havilland Canada

Established in 1928, de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. was created to manufacture de Havilland airplanes tailored for Canadian conditions, often modified to endure the country's demanding environment. With the onset of World War II, this arrangement enabled expanded output to support British aircraft production without exposure to enemy bombing risks. Post-war, de Havilland Canada developed a series of indigenous models labeled DHC-1 through DHC-8, frequently customized for Canadian requirements but also recognized for their ruggedness and STOL capabilities, gaining acceptance in diverse markets. During the war, DHC became a Canadian Crown Corporation, was acquired by Boeing in December 1985, and subsequently transferred to Bombardier Aerospace in 1992.

In November 2018, Longview Aviation Capital Corp. purchased the Dash 8 program along with the de Havilland Canada brand from Bombardier. This acquisition included rights and type certificates for all discontinued models (DHC-1 through DHC-7), which had previously been sold to its subsidiary Viking Air in 2005. The transaction was finalized on 3 June 2019 after receiving regulatory clearance, uniting the full de Havilland Canada product portfolio under one entity for the first time in many years. This new holding company adopted a name closely resembling the original: De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited.

de Havilland Australia

Main article: de Havilland Australia

Established in March 1927, de Havilland Aircraft Pty. Ltd. was the company's first international branch, founded in Australia. Initially based in Melbourne, the operation relocated to Sydney by 1930, where it functioned primarily as a representative office for the parent firm, providing assembly, maintenance, and spare parts support for popular sport and commercial aircraft models. It was not until the outbreak of the Second World War that de Havilland Australia (DHA) began designing and fully manufacturing aircraft domestically, commencing with production of the DH.82 Tiger Moth primary trainer at Bankstown in New South Wales.

During the wartime period, DHA developed a compact troop transport glider intended for use if Japan invaded Australia. The DH-G1 model appeared in mid-1942, utilizing the forward fuselage from the DH.84 Dragon—87 of which were concurrently produced at the same facility as navigational trainers. Two DH-G1 units served as prototypes for the subsequent DH-G2 model introduced in 1943; however, by then the operational requirement had diminished, resulting in only six DH-G2 gliders being built. Additionally, DHA undertook licensed manufacturing of the Mosquito bomber, delivering its first units to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1944. Production at Bankstown yielded 212 Mosquitos between 1943 and 1948, with some aircraft remaining active in RAAF service until 1953.

In 1948, licensed construction of the de Havilland Vampire jet commenced, with a total of 190 aircraft completed; the first flew in 1949.

Another notable DHA creation was the DHA-3 Drover, produced from 1948 through 1953 with a total output of twenty units primarily serving the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS), Trans Australia Airlines, and Qantas. This three-engine light transport was derived from the DH.104 Dove and designed to accommodate six to eight passengers. It was intended as a successor to the widely used DH.84 Dragon, which had seen extensive wartime production by DHA. The Drover initially employed de Havilland Gipsy Major Mk-10 engines; several later received upgrades with more powerful Lycoming O-360 horizontally opposed engines to enhance performance.

In 1959, a marine division named de Havilland Marine was launched at the Bankstown site to expand into boat construction.

Eventually acquired by Boeing Australia, the company was renamed Hawker de Havilland Aerospace. On 6 February 2009, Boeing announced that Hawker de Havilland Aerospace would be rebranded as Boeing Aerostructures Australia.

de Havilland New Zealand

File:Interior of De Havilland aircraft factory, Rongotai, Wellington, 1939 or 1940.jpg
The interior of de Havilland New Zealand's aircraft factory at Rongotai, Wellington, in 1939 or 1940

To satisfy demand for Tiger Moth trainers intended for both the Royal New Zealand Air Force and possible Royal Air Force training within New Zealand, de Havilland (New Zealand) Company Limited was founded in March 1939. Construction began on New Zealand’s inaugural aircraft manufacturing facility located at Rongotai.[3] Following World War II, this company focused on aircraft maintenance and overhaul activities until it was acquired by Hawker Siddeley International NZ Ltd in 1964.[4][5] The original factory site is presently incorporated into Wellington International Airport.

de Havilland Engines

Main article: de Havilland Engine Company

In addition to its extensive aircraft manufacturing, de Havilland was a notable producer of aero engines, which was atypical since engine design and production were generally handled by specialized firms. In the UK, however, companies like the Bristol Aeroplane Company maintained significant engine divisions, and Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft operated within the same corporate group as Armstrong Siddeley[6] The "Gipsy" series, including the later Gipsy Major, achieved widespread acclaim and were frequently installed not only in nearly all of de Havilland’s light aircraft but also in models from other manufacturers. During the 1930s and 1940s, Gipsy engines stood out for their inline configuration at a time when radial and opposed-piston engines dominated. Early jet engine development saw de Havilland competing with firms such as Rolls-Royce and Metrovick. By engaging Frank Halford and subsequently acquiring his company, de Havilland developed the de Havilland Goblin and de Havilland Ghost turbojet engines, powering their initial jet fighters and later the Comet airliner.

de Havilland Propellers

Main article: de Havilland Propellers

Founded in 1935 to manufacture licensed Hamilton Standard propellers, this division later expanded into producing guided missiles and other aerospace weaponry, including the Firestreak air-to-air missile and the Blue Streak ballistic missile.

Key technical personnel

Test pilots

Legacy

File:Geoffrey de Havilland statue Hatfield.jpg
Statue of Geoffrey de Havilland, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield

The company contributed land to Hertfordshire County Council for educational purposes; this parcel was developed into Hatfield Technical College, now known as the College Lane Campus of the University of Hertfordshire. Following its acquisition by Hawker Siddeley in 1960, de Havilland was incorporated into British Aerospace in 1978. The BAE facility closed in 1993, after which the University of Hertfordshire acquired a portion to establish the de Havilland Campus. The region’s aviation heritage is commemorated through local street names such as Comet Way and Dragon Road.[7]

In September 2003, part of the former British Aerospace site was designated as the de Havilland campus within the University of Hertfordshire.[8]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ de Havilland propellers
  2. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Heppenheimer2014
  3. ↑ Ewing 1986, p. 120.
  4. ↑ White's Air Directory and Who's Who in New Zealand aviation, 1964, p. 7.
  5. ↑ "de Havilland Rongotai info sought." Wings Over New Zealand Aviation Forum, 7 September 2011. Retrieved: 27 September 2014.
  6. ↑ Both integrated into the Hawker group post-1935.
  7. ↑ "UH 2020 Estates Vision". Archived 6 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine University of Hertfordshire. Retrieved: 1 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Our history." University of Hertfordshire. Retrieved: 30 September 2014.

Bibliography

  • Bain, Gordon. De Havilland: A Pictorial Tribute. London: AirLife, 1992. ISBN 1-85648-243-X.
  • Bransom, Alan. The Tiger Moth Story, Fifth Edition. Manchester, UK: Crécy Publishing Ltd., 2005. ISBN 0-85979-103-3.
  • Davenport-Hines, R. P. T. Dudley Docker: The Life and Times of a Trade Warrior. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-521-89400-X.
  • Ewing, Ross. The History of New Zealand Aviation. Portsmouth, New Hampshire: Heinemann, 1986. ISBN 978-0-8686-3409-8.
  • Hotson, Fred. The de Havilland Canada Story. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1983. ISBN 0-9690703-2-2.
  • Jackson, A. J. De Havilland Aircraft since 1909. Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-802-X

External links

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