De Havilland aircraft books - history and models

De Havilland and Hatfield 1910-1935

The de Havilland Aircraft Co, already an international business, opened an aerodrome in 1930 on farmland which it acquired to the west of Hatfield. But significant events had already brought aircraft over the town, often de Havillands, for the past twenty years.
The company's School of Flying was the first operation to take up residence. Flying clubs moved in and recreational facilities were developed. Garden parties, aerobatic displays and national air races were hosted. Regular visitors included famous flyers, royalty and aristocracy, actors and actresses, racing drivers, politicians, senior military ranks and representatives from Britain's other great aircraft manufacturers.
Throughout 1934, new buildings were constructed to house de Havilland's global headquarters, factory production and Aeronautical Technical School. The victory of the sleek, red Comet in the England-Australia air race that October would have lasting significance for the town, which grew to accommodate the de Havilland workforce. The legendary Tiger Moth and iconic airliners such as the Dragon Rapide came off the production lines.
Increasing numbers of RAF pilots were trained by the School of Flying while the garden parties, flying displays and air races continued. Military aircraft contracts were getting larger as long shadows from Europe reached the town.

This book recounts the golden years of a famous British aircraft manufacturer.

Product details

De Havilland and Hatfield 1936-1993

With the approach of WW2 the de Havilland Aerodrome at Hatfield went through a major expansion, concentrating on Mosquito production and development. The Company also pioneered the production and development of jet engines led by Major Frank Halford, leading to the Vampire jet fighter.
Early commercial aircraft were the Dove and Heron, but the major pioneering programme was the Comet, the world's first commercial jet airliner, which first flew on 27 July 1949 and entered service with BOAC on 2 May 1952.

The DH.108 tailless research aircraft based on the Vampire fuselage was used to investigate the effects of the speed of sound, exceeding Mach 1 on 9 September 1948. The de Havilland jet airliner developed through the Trident, which was the first aircraft capable of automatic landing with passengers in all weathers, leading to the BAe 146 Whisper Jet, Britain's most successful jet airliner. In addition to developing turbojet engines, the Engine Company also developed rocket engines.

The Propeller Company developed air-to-air guided missiles and the Blue Streak stage 1 booster space rocket. Other types developed by de Havilland at Hatfield were the Sea Vixen naval strike fighter and the DH 125 Business Jet.

Features:
- Much of the history are first-hand experiences or from long-term employee interviews
- Many of the photographs were taken by the author and have not been previously published
- The wartime development of the Mosquito is covered as well as jet engine pioneering development
- Three generations of jet airliners were produced at Hatfield - Comet, Trident and BAe146 - plus the development of advanced Airbus wings.

Product details

De Havilland Enterprises: A History

Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland was one of the world's true pioneers of powered flight, a man as important to British aviation as the Wright brothers were to America.
From humble beginnings, he went on to develop some of the finest aircraft to see action during the First World War, before going on to create the illustrious company that bore his name. All of this began in his youth when, without experience, plans or instructions, he embarked on the ambitious task of not only building his very first flying machine, but also constructing the engine to power it.

This book explores the influences and milestones of his early years before going on to examine his company, De Havilland Enterprises, in detail. Amongst the momentous machines that he had a hand in creating were the Gipsy Moth and Tiger Moth - two iconic aircraft types destined to set a variety of aviation records whilst being piloted by de Havilland himself.
Another highlight of the company's history saw the esteemed aviatrix Amy Johnson fly solo from England to Australia in a Gipsy Moth in 1930.

The high-performance designs and monocoque wooden construction methods passed through the supremely elegant DH.91 Albatross into the Mosquito. The company then followed up these successes with the high-performing Hornet fighter, which pioneered the use of metal-wood and metal-metal bonding techniques, eventually resulting in the world s first jet airliner, the fabulous Comet.

Every one of De Havilland s products are listed and recorded in detail here, as are all the designs that never left the drawing board and the products of De Havilland's companies in Australia and Canada. Fully illustrated throughout, this volume is sure to be highly prized amongst serious collectors.

Product details

The De Havilland Aircraft Company

This book tells one of the great stories of British engineering excellence in the twentieth century. Beginning with a two-man and two-woman family enterprise to build a primitive 'stick and string' aeroplane, financed by a far-sighted grandparent, the story unfolds rapidly.
Within six years the aeroplane's designer, Geoffrey de Havilland ('D.H') was able to create the D.H.2 fighters that helped to end the dominance of German Fokker monoplanes then shooting Britain's Royal Flying Corps from the skies France in 1915-16.

When the fighting ended, his D.H.9s operated the world's first sustained daily international airline services. Six more years and D.H.60 Moths established the worldwide club movement that put fun and adventure into flying. The D.H.88 Comet won the greatest ever air race, across the globe, in 1934.

When war returned in Europe, the D.H.98 Mosquito introduced new concepts of bombing - so fast that fighters could not catch it; so precise that it was possible to open doors of prisons for patriots to escape.
After the war, the D.H.106 Comet airliner survived disaster to open the way to an age of jet travel when no tow peoples on earth need be more than twenty four hours apart. We can be proud that an English company, led by people with vision, achieved so much on one man's lifetime.

Product details