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De Havilland Australia

From Alfawiki
de Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAerospace, Defence
Founded1927
FounderHereward de Havilland
FateAcquired by Boeing in 2000; merged to form Hawker de Havilland Aerospace Pty Ltd
Headquarters
Melbourne (initially), later Sydney (Mascot aerodrome), Bankstown
,
Australia
Area served
Australia, international aerospace markets
ProductsAircraft manufacturing, assembly, maintenance, aerospace components
ParentBoeing (from 2000)

de Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd (DHA) was an Australian branch of the British aircraft manufacturer de Havilland, established in 1927. In 1985, it took over the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation, and in 2000, it was acquired by Boeing. Subsequently, it merged with Boeing's AeroSpace Technologies of Australia (formerly Government Aircraft Factories) to form Hawker de Havilland Aerospace Pty Ltd. The company was rebranded as Boeing Aerostructures Australia (BAA) in 2009, becoming a division of Boeing Australia Ltd.

Early years and WWII

In March 1927, the de Havilland Aircraft Company launched DHA in Melbourne, marking its first overseas subsidiary, spearheaded by Hereward de Havilland. DHA’s primary functions initially included marketing de Havilland products within Australia, assembling aircraft locally, and offering maintenance and spare parts services. By 1930, DHA had shifted its operations to Mascot aerodrome in Sydney.

Prior to the Second World War, DHA did not engage in manufacturing aircraft but assembled licensed de Havilland models, working alongside Australian companies such as Qantas, the Larkin Aircraft Supply Company, and the Cockatoo Island Dockyard. Toward the late 1930s, DHA began producing propellers for both domestic use and export. In 1939, DHA delivered twenty assembled DH.82 Tiger Moths to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and secured an order for fifty DH.94 Moth Minors from the Australian Department of Supply and Development.

Following the outbreak of WWII, the RAAF selected the Tiger Moth as its principal trainer aircraft. DHA commenced licensed production at a newly established Bankstown facility in 1940; manufacturing continued until 1945 with over one thousand units completed. Additionally, DHA produced under license 87 DH.84 Dragons starting in 1942 and 212 DH.98 Mosquitos from 1943 for RAAF service.

In 1942, DHA designed its first original aircraft: the DHA-G1 military glider developed to meet an RAAF requirement for a small transport glider. The prototype flew in June 1942. An enhanced seven-seat model, the DHA-G2, was commissioned in 1943; however, only six were built due to shifting wartime priorities following the reduced threat after Japan's invasion was repelled.

Consolidation

Production of Mosquitos continued until 1948, by which time DHA had begun work on its third indigenous project, the DHA-3 Drover. On 29 June 1949, after being selected by the RAAF in 1946, the initial licence-built DH.100 and DH.115 Vampires took flight with DHA’s chief test pilot Brian "Black Jack" Walker at the controls. Vampire manufacturing persisted until 1960—the same year the parent company was acquired by Hawker Siddeley. In 1959, DHA expanded into general aviation as Australia's distributor for Beechcraft. Following Hawker Siddeley’s acquisition, DHA was renamed Hawker de Havilland (HdH) in 1965; that year also saw the establishment of the de havilland marine division.

The cessation of Vampire production marked a phase without complete aircraft manufacturing; instead, HdH concentrated on modification, repair, and overhaul projects—including servicing RAAF DHC-4 Caribous damaged during the Vietnam War. Between 1956 and 1959, HdH manufactured wings for the CAC CA-25. During this period, HdH developed an indigenous military jet trainer concept known as P17 and collaborated on the Government Aircraft Factories (GAF) F2 project alongside GAF and the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC). However, when the CAC-produced Aermacchi MB-326 was chosen in 1965, both projects were discontinued. Despite this outcome, CAC subcontracted HdH to fabricate wings, wingtip fuel tanks, tailplanes, ailerons, flaps, hydraulic units, landing gear components for the Macchi aircraft as well as parts for its Viper engines.

In 1970 HdH redirected its efforts toward subcontracting for civil airliner manufacturers—a sector that became central to its business—producing parts for major commercial aircraft from Boeing, Airbus, and McDonnell Douglas. In 1976 HdH refurbished sixteen former US Navy Grumman S-2G Trackers for use by the Royal Australian Navy. The general aviation segment was spun off as Hawker Pacific in 1980 but remained under Hawker Siddeley ownership. In 1981 HdH formed the Australian Aircraft Consortium together with CAC and GAF to develop the A10/A20 Wamira, but due to delays and budget overruns caused by evolving RAAF requirements and consortium inexperience, the program was terminated shortly after prototypes were completed in 1985.

Earlier that same year HdH acquired CAC; initially operating it independently before renaming it Hawker de Havilland Victoria (HdHV) in 1986. Both entities contributed to component production for GAF-built F/A-18 Hornet aircraft: HdH’s Bankstown facility produced landing gear and primary hydraulic systems including actuators and reservoirs; meanwhile CAC/HdHV manufactured wing pylons, engine access panels, nozzle fairings, accessory drive gearboxes, and engine components.

Resuming Aircraft Manufacturing

Following the discontinuation of the Wamira project, HdH recommenced full-scale aircraft production in 1987 by obtaining a licence to manufacture the Pilatus PC-9 for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). HdH was responsible for the final assembly of 65 'PC-9/A' aircraft—initially assembling 17 units from Pilatus-supplied kits, then shifting to domestic production of parts for the remaining 48 through HdHV and the privatised Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA). Two PC-9s constructed in Switzerland were delivered in 1987, with the final Australian-assembled PC-9/A completed by May 1992.

In May 1988, HdH handed over the first Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter assembled at Bankstown to the RAAF. After producing eight units, these helicopters were transferred to the Australian Army. By January 1991, HdH had completed 38 Black Hawks through local assembly. The last PC-9/A was delivered in March 1992. That same year, HdH was removed from the Australian Stock Exchange after being acquired by BTR Nylex.

The PC-9/A represented HdH’s final full aircraft manufacturing effort; however, RAAF Caribous continued operations at Bankstown until 1994. Simultaneously, HdH played a significant role in the McDonnell Douglas MDX program, designing and developing the fuselage in Sydney while handling manufacturing and assembly at Bankstown and Fishermen's Bend in Melbourne. In 1998, Tenix purchased HdH and subsequently sold Hawker Pacific to Swedish company Celsius. By 2000, Tenix divested HdH to Boeing, which merged it with ASTA to establish Hawker de Havilland Aerospace under Boeing Australia.

Currently, HdH stands as a leader in composite structure technologies, producing composite and metal components for prominent commercial aircraft such as the Airbus A320 family, Airbus A330, Airbus A340, Airbus A380, Bombardier Challenger 300, as well as Boeing models including the Boeing 737, Boeing 747, and Boeing 777, alongside various military aerospace initiatives.

Aircraft

De Havilland Aircraft Manufactured Under Licence

Other Licensed Production

Sources

  • Wilson, Stewart (1990). Beaufort, Beaufighter and Mosquito in Australian Service. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd.
  • Wilson, Stewart (1990). Dakota, Hercules and Caribou in Australian Service. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd.
  • Wilson, Stewart (1993). Phantom, Hornet and Skyhawk in Australian Service. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd.
  • Wilson, Stewart (1994). Vampire, Macchi and Iroquois in Australian Service. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd.
  • Wilson, Stewart (1994). Tiger Moth, CT-4, Wackett & Winjeel in Australian Service. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd.
  • Wilson, Stewart (1994). Military Aircraft of Australia. Aerospace Publications Pty. Ltd.

External links

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