Salisbury Hall

de Havilland Aircraft Museum
Company type	Volunteer-managed aviation museum
Industry	Aviation museum
Founded	1959
Headquarters	London Colney, United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom
Key people	Walter Goldsmith (founder)
Products	Aviation exhibits, aircraft restoration
Website	www.dehavillandmuseum.co.uk

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The de Havilland Aircraft Museum, previously known as the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre, operates as a volunteer-managed aviation museum located in London Colney, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom.

The institution's purpose is to safeguard and promote the legacy of de Havilland, ensuring that people of all ages, now and in the future, appreciate the company's pioneering role in British aviation technology.

Initially, the museum's collection centred on the original prototype and restoration workshops for the de Havilland Mosquito. It has since expanded to include multiple examples of the de Havilland Vampire, recognised as the world's third operational jet aircraft. This establishment stands as the largest museum in the UK dedicated exclusively to a single aircraft manufacturer.

Salisbury Hall

File:Salisbury Hall.jpg

Salisbury Hall

Since the 9th century, various grand manor houses have occupied this location. The current building dates back to approximately 1668, constructed by London banker James Hoare. The site holds historical ties to Charles II and his companion Nell Gwynne, who resided in a cottage near the bridge leading to the Hall. Ownership changed hands multiple times, with farmers inhabiting it during the late 19th century. Around 1905, Lady Randolph Churchill, then Mrs Cornwallis West, took up residence here; her son, Winston Churchill, frequently visited.

In the 1930s, Sir Nigel Gresley of the London and North Eastern Railway lived at Salisbury Hall. He was instrumental in developing the A4 Pacific steam locomotives, including Mallard, which still holds the steam locomotive speed record at 126 mph (203 km/h). The locomotive is thought to have been named after ducks inhabiting the Hall's moat.

With the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, the de Havilland Aircraft Company set up its Mosquito design team within Salisbury Hall. The prototype Mosquito, E0234/W4050, was constructed in adjoining buildings beside the Hall; these structures have since been demolished.

Following de Havilland’s acquisition of Airspeed Ltd, a design team led by aircraft designer Hessell Tiltman was assembled.^[1] Initially based at de Havilland’s technical school in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, Tiltman’s team later moved operations to Salisbury Hall in London Colney.^[1] The former Airspeed premises were situated behind Salisbury Hall but have been demolished since. Part of this area now houses the Geoffrey de Havilland Hangar.

After de Havilland vacated Salisbury Hall in 1947, the building fell into neglect.^[2]

When retired army major Walter Goldsmith acquired Salisbury Hall, he soon realised its wartime association with de Havilland. Upon contacting Bill Baird, then head of PR at de Havilland’s Hatfield site, Goldsmith learned that Salisbury Hall had served as the Mosquito design centre and that Baird had preserved the original prototype at Fiddlebridge stores near Hatfield airfield. Despite previous suggestions to scrap it, Baird was pleased to find someone willing to provide a permanent home for the aircraft. De Havilland performed initial restoration work at Hatfield before Goldsmith accepted delivery of the Mosquito at Salisbury Hall in 1959.

Prototype Mosquito and Initial Displays

The first aircraft exhibited at Salisbury Hall was the prototype Mosquito, soon followed in 1968 by examples of the de Havilland Vampire and Venom. In 1970, the collection grew with the addition of another de Havilland Mosquito, generously donated by Liverpool Corporation after it had been featured in the film Mosquito Squadron.

By 1978, the museum’s holdings had further expanded to include a variety of aircraft such as the single-seat Vampire, Sea Venom, Sea Vixen, Chipmunk, and Dove. Moreover, in 1976, the fuselage of a Mosquito FB6 was acquired; this remains the sole surviving example of the most widely produced Mosquito variant preserved within Europe. The museum also safeguards the fuselage of the last remaining square-windowed de Havilland Comet 1, known as the world’s inaugural jet airliner.

Subsequent Developments

The supporters’ society has played a pivotal role in restoring and maintaining numerous exhibits, beginning with the Chipmunk in 1978. This particular airframe underwent a second restoration effort led by members between 2003 and 2007. The society also took initiative in constructing a hangar for the ex-Liverpool Mosquito in 1980 and completed a full restoration of this aircraft by 1990. Their restoration efforts have extended to various other aircraft in the collection, including a Tiger Moth, Hornet Moth, Mosquito 6, Heron, Dove, multiple Vampires, among others.

By 2001, it became evident that the prototype Mosquito required urgent conservation. This restoration project received support from BAE Systems and funding through the Heritage Lottery Fund. The work culminated in December 2015, coinciding almost exactly with the aircraft’s 75th anniversary. The restored prototype now shares display space with two other Mosquitos within the Walter Goldsmith Hangar.

In January 2016, a new hangar was inaugurated initially under the name Geoffrey de Havilland Hangar. This facility was subsequently renamed the Amy Johnson Hangar following the opening of an additional hangar. It currently serves as a workshop area where visitors can observe volunteers actively engaged in museum projects.

The Sir Geoffrey de Havilland Hangar was officially opened to the public in February 2020, further enhancing exhibition and restoration capabilities at the museum.

Aircraft exhibited

File:TigerGANRX.JPG

DH.82 Tiger Moth, registration G-ANRX, equipped for crop dusting

File:DH.98 Mosquito Prototype W4050 at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum.jpg

Prototype of the DH.98 Mosquito, W4050, captured inside the main hangar at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum, London Colney, UK

File:CometNose.JPG

Flight deck of a Comet 2

File:De Havilland Aircraft Museum Hertfordshire.jpg

DH.104 Dove 8 model

Airspeed Horsa I/II BAPC.232 – Partial fuselage^[3]
British Aerospace 146-100 G-JEAO – Fuselage section only^[4]
Cierva C.24 G-ABLM – Held on long-term loan from the Science Museum^[5]
de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird J7326 – Fuselage component only^[6]
de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth G-ANRX^[7]
de Havilland DH.82 Queen Bee LF789 – Fuselage only^[8]
de Havilland DH.87 Hornet Moth G-ADOT^[9]
de Havilland DH.88 Comet G-ACSR – Replica aircraft^[10]
de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito Prototype W4050^[11]
de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito FB.VI TA122/TW233^[12]
de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito TT(B)35 TA634^[13]
de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB.6 J-1008^[14]
de Havilland DH.103 Hornet VX250 – Tail portion only^[15]
de Havilland DH.104 Dove 8 G-AREA^[16]
de Havilland DH.106 Comet 1A F-BGNX – Fuselage segment only^[17]
de Havilland DH.106 Comet 1A G-ANAV – Nose section^[18]
de Havilland DH.106 Comet C.2(R) XK695 – Cockpit module^[19]
de Havilland DH.106 Comet 2 – Nose section^[20]
de Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen FAW.2 XJ565^[21]
de Havilland DH.114 Heron G-AOTI^[22]
de Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.11 XJ772^[23]
de Havilland DH.125 Series 1 G-ARYC^[24]
de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 WP790^[25]
Hawker Siddeley HS.121 Trident 2E G-AVFH – Fuselage section only ^[26]

Aircraft in storage

de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito TT.35 TJ118 – Fuselage present, with the nose section removed.^[27]
de Havilland DH.100 Vampire FB.5 VV217^[28]
de Havilland DH.104 Dove 6 D-IFSB – Currently loaned to ARG Fishburn^[29]
de Havilland DH.112 Venom FB.4 WR539^[30]
de Havilland DH.112 Venom FB.50 J-1632 ^[31]
de Havilland DH.112 Venom FB.54 J-1790 ^[32]
de Havilland DH.112 Venom NF.3 WX853^[33]
de Havilland DH.113 Vampire NF.10 WM729 – Only fuselage pod retained^[34]
de Havilland DH.125 Jet Dragon G-ARYA – Cockpit section exclusively preserved^[35]

Aircraft under restoration

de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-AKDW^[36]
de Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom FAW.22 XG730^[37]

Engines exhibited

File:Halford Engine Collection (de Havilland Aircraft Museum).jpg

A view of the Halford Engine Collection at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum

Piston engines

Gas turbine engines

Turboprop engines

de Havilland H3^[49]

Rocket engines

External links

Template:British Aviation Museums Template:Listed buildings in Hertfordshire

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Salisbury Hall

Salisbury Hall

Prototype Mosquito and Initial Displays

Subsequent Developments

Aircraft exhibited

Aircraft in storage

Aircraft under restoration

Engines exhibited

See also

Notes

Bibliography

External links