Geoffrey de Havilland
Captain Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, OM, CBE, AFC, RDI, FRAeS (27 July 1882 – 21 May 1965) was an English aviation pioneer and aerospace engineer.The aircraft company he founded produced the Mosquito, which has been considered the most versatile warplane ever built,[1] and his Comet was the first jet airliner to go into production.He took an apprenticeship with engine manufacturers Willans & Robinson of Rugby, after which he worked as a draughtsman for The Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company Limited in Birmingham, a job from which he resigned after a year.He was commissioned a second lieutenant (on probation) in the Royal Flying Corps on 2 September 1912,[4][5] was appointed a reserve officer in the RFC on 24 November and was confirmed in his rank on 25 December.Large numbers of de Havilland-designed aircraft were used during the First World War, flown by the Royal Flying Corps/Royal Air Force.[15] With the help of former Airco owner George Holt Thomas he formed de Havilland Aircraft Company employing some former colleagues.When World War II arrived, production expanded to augment British aircraft factories, without any possible threat from enemy bombers.After the Second World War, De Havilland Canada went on to design and produce a number of indigenous types,[16] some of which proved highly successful.[24] A statue of de Havilland was erected in July 1997 near the entrance to the College Lane campus of the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield.Geoffrey Jr carried out the first flights of the Mosquito and Vampire and was killed in 1946 flying the jet-powered DH 108 Swallow while diving at or near the speed of sound.
High WycombeBuckinghamshireWatfordHertfordshireBritishCrystal Palace School of EngineeringGeoffrey Jr.Hereward de HavillandOlivia de HavillandJoan FontaineUnited KingdomBritish ArmyRoyal Flying CorpsFirst World WarAir Force CrossOrder of the British EmpireCaptainaviation pioneeraerospace engineerThe aircraft company he foundedMosquitojet airlinerThe ReverendNuneaton Grammar SchoolSt Edward's School, Oxfordautomotive engineeringWillans & RobinsonBirminghamWalthamstowIris Motor CompanyWillesdende HavillandBarons Courtfirst aircraftLitchfield, HampshireNewburyFarnboroughRoyal Aircraft FactoryHendonRoyal Air ForceBlériotBirmingham Small Arms CompanyGeorge Holt Thomasde Havilland Aircraft CompanyAlan ButlerStag Lane AerodromeEdgwareDe Havilland CanadaHatfield AerodromeFrank Halfordsde Havilland Engine Companyde Havilland Gipsyde Havilland Gipsy Majorde Havilland GoblinVampireHawker Siddeley CompanyUniversity of Hertfordshirecerebral haemorrhageWatford Peace Memorial Hospital1918 Birthday Honours1934 Birthday Honours1919 New Year Honoursknighted1944 New Year HonoursGeorge VIBuckingham PalaceOrder of MeritInternational Air & Space Hall of FameHatfieldHertfordshire County Councilthe Duke of EdinburghBeacon HillWaltergovernessSt AlbansGeoffrey JrDH 108 Swallowspeed of soundWalter de HavillandLilian Fontaine (Ruse)Marcus GoodrichOlivia Mary de HavillandJoan de Beauvoir de HavillandWilliam McElroy DozierGeoffrey de Havilland Jr.John de Havillandautobiographyde Havilland Aircraft MuseumOxford Dictionary of National BiographyOxford University PressThe London GazetteBiplane No.1Biplane No.2DH.100DH.101DH.102DH.103DH.104DH.105DH.106DH.108DH.110DH.112DH.113DH.114DH.115DH.116DH.118DH.119DH.120DH.121DH.122DH.123DH.125DH.126AlbatrossAmiensCanberraCirrus MothComet (jet)DolphinDominieDoncasterDragonDragon RapideDragonfly