De Havilland Aeroplanes
This page is devoted to the many and varied products of the De Havilland Aeroplane company.
WOBURN MOTH MEET 20-21-08-2005
De Havilland Chipmunk G-DHPM is a genuine OGMA Portuguese licence built example which flies in its original colours as 1365.
The photogenic lake at Woburn makes a splendid backdrop for such lovely machines as the Chipmunk.This aircraft attends by virtue of its De Havilland Gipsy engine,and also as a gathering of all Chipmunk owners and pilots.
Swedish air force Tiger Moth 6550 made a welcome change from standard R.A.F finishes of all periods.The aircraft is actually civil registered as SE-AMG.
DE208 is actually G-AGYU in standard EFTS wartime colours,the brown/green on the bottom wing is slightly lighter to compensate for the official shadow shading as it was termed.
DE992 is G-AXXV in period finish.
D-EDEM proudly shows its former self as NL971 the aircraft is officially PH-III.
D-EHHT another German attendee at Woburn.
D-ENAY Focke Wulf FW-44 Steiglitz,a most welcome visitor,the German trainer is a rugged machine,a rare bird in UK skies.This one started life as a trainer in the Swedish air force as FV663,becoming SE-BWH.
The pronounced dihedral makes for a very stable aerobatic trainer,also no mean aerobatic machine,one was once entered in the Lockheed aerobatic championships at Baginton in the fifties being registered as LV-YZM
.Showing the attractive lines of this classic German trainer which was responsible for training fighter & bomber pilots for the Luftwaffe before & during WW.2
D-ETHC is ex G-AISY,VT-CZV & PH-CRO.
The famous Diamond Nine formation of Tiger Moth's overhead Woburn,nine Gipsy engines in harmony.
EM720/G-AXAN in post war silver with yellow training bands.
G-AAZP DH.80A Puss Moth,a distinct survivor of the breed,a gentlemans carriage 1930's style.
G-ACMN Leopard Moth was once the personal mount of the chairman of the Alvis company Mr.J.J.Parkes.
G-ACUS DH.85 Leopard Moth,where else could you see so many Moth types in the same spot ?
G-ADIA a very early Tiger Moth.
G-ADKC Hornet Moth is framed by G-AIYS Leopard Moth.
G-ADKK Hornet Moth equipped with a tailwheel for flying off runways.
Three quarter rear view serves to show the elegance of the Hornet Moth.
G-ADWT Miles M.2A Hawk Major was found nestling in the visitors park,thousands of hours were lavished on this rebuild.
The magnificent DH.90 Dragonfly G-AEDU.
G-AEDT Dragonfly news cutting 1964
The former Dr Ursula Hamilton Hornet Moth G-AHBL was once a floatplane.
G-AHOO a beautifully restored ex maintenance airframe 6940M once EM967.
G-AIXJ once DE426.
G-AIYS Leopard Moth owned by Brian Woodfords Wessex Aviation & Transport museum.
G-AJVE once DE943 R.A.F.
G-ALIW hs had a chequered career,R5006 with the R.A.F,then to the R.N.Z.A.F as NZ899,demobbed as ZK-ATI,and then shipped to the U.S.A as N23WB.
Very attractive scheme on G-ALWB which was once OE-ABC,this was also once the former Bonner engined Chipmunk appearing at Farnborough.
Early Chipmunk G-AMUF.
G-ANEM Tiger Moth.
G-ANLD Tiger Moth.
G-ANOH Tiger Moth being refuelled in the time honoured chamois funnel method.
G-ANZT was the only Thruxton Jackaroo present at the rally.
G-AOBX Tiger Moth,former T7817.
G-AOEI ex N6946.
G-APAM was once Sheila Scott's 'Myth One' when she was a Thruxton Jackaroo,now the aircraft has been de-converted back into a Tiger Moth,note that she still bears here original name on the side,a very famous Tiger.
G-APLU former T6825,F-OBKK & VR-AAY.
G-APYG Chipmunk,the direct replacement for the venerable Tiger Moth in R.A.F service.
Best of both,G-ARAZ wears military colours with civil registration.
G-ATBL DH.60G Moth owned by J.M.Greenland,this aircraft was once the mount of Edward Eaves the midland editor of the 'Autocar' magazine,who brought her back from Switzerland as HB-OBA and rebuilt her,she is also ex Swiss air force.
G-AZZZ the mount of Stuart McKay,this one is ex French air force and civil F-BGJE.
G-BCSL Chipmunk.
G-BDDD Chipmunk.
G-BEWN Tiger Moth,former R.A.A.F A17-529 then VH-WAZ.
G-BFHH Tiger Moth.
G-BPAJ was once G-AOIX.
This picture more than any sums up what Woburn is about,where else could you hold such a nostalgic event ? the very turf was used by the Duchess of Bedford when she vanished never to be seen again on a flight,here DH.84 Dragon G-ECAN touches down after a few circuits.
Here she taxies in with Torquil Norman at the controls.
Down by the lake,two Hornet Moth's get ready for take off.
K2567/G-MOTH is a DH.82 Tiger Moth,note the absence of anti-spin strakes.
And an Hornet Moth & Leopard Moth taxy out together.
N6720 Tiger Moth with a fuselage code.
OY-FEY Danish Tiger Moth with a very interesting target towing chevron scheme,this is another aircraft with a long pedigree being ex T7814 R.A.F,then to the South African air force as SAAF579,civilianised as ZS-DEU & ZS-FEY,finishing up in the U.S.A as N82MT,then subsequently sold to Denmark as OY-FEY.
R5136 in typical wartime clours.
T5879/G-AXBW in post war University Air Squadron colours.
A line up of welcome Tiger Moths from airstrips,farms and airfields across the United Kingdom.
N8233 Tiger Moth is the American registration,she was registered as PH-UAO,however the Dutch authorities do not like Tiger Moth's even demanding special large Fokker type tails at one period to assist with the aircrafts anti- spinning characteristics,this however was over played as the real problem lay elsewhere in that during wartime small bomb racks were fitted underneath the aircrafts wings,this proved an hazard when the aircraft was unable to recover from a spin,then started the anti-spin strakes fitted to Tigers.This one is marked Rijksluchtvaart school,Holland.
Vickers Vimy replica NX71MY was a stunning attraction at Woburn,she flew in the evening taking off in a few yards.
The attention to detail in the Vimy replica that flew across the Atlantic for the event at Woburn.
The Chrysler engines are fired up with the huge propellers.
With its lucky passenger on board,the Vimy warms up.
The tail just starting to lift as the Vimy takes off at Woburn.
WB671/G-BWTG Chipmunk still in its original Royal Navy colourscheme.
WB726/G-AOSK Chipmunk in University air squadron colours.
WP840/G-BXDM Chipmunk.
WP903/G-BCGC Chipmunk in Royal colours,the aircraft was used for training H.R.H Prince Charles to fly.Note the rear view mirror.
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To start of with here is a model of the De Havilland Rapide painted in the colourscheme of the Automobile Association,G-AHKV was a much travelled aeroplane having been used by a company called 'Sky Neon' who used her together with a Miles Aerovan for night time aerial advertising over London in 1954,she was then used by the brewers Ind Coope and Alsopp in 1956,in 1961 she was converted to a Mk.6 with Fairey Reed metal propellers and used by the Automobile Association for patrol work all over the UK,in 1963 she was sold onto Solair Flying services at Elmdon and used for pleasure flying,then passing into the hands of Midfly Ltd who sold her onto Cartographical Air Services who used her on mapping work all over the country.
In December 1968 she failed her Cof A and was put out to grass on the airfield where she met her fate at the mercy of the airport fire brigade.
By 1969 she was no more other than the fabric from the fin with its registration which I salvaged with permission of the chief engineer at Midfly where I worked at the time as an aircraft fitter,I presented this to Ken Wooley at the Berkswell Forge where he had a small aircraft museum around the Foster Wikner Wicko G-AFJB and Watkinson Dingbat G-AFJA,a last fitting tribute to a wonderful workhorse like all Rapides.
The model here was built from the Heller kit,all markings etc are hand painted and the model has full interior detail although you cannot see it through the tiny cabin windows !
Showing the Automobile Association colourscheme to good effect from above,the distinctive house yellow had to be specially mixed for authenticity,the Rapide makes a lovely subject as a model.
View from three quarter front top view,the only way to successfully complete the colourscheme was to paint the fuselage before assembly of the wings.
The beautiful lines of the Rapide are captured in this view,the rigging wires had yet to be added at this stage,the distinctive DF (Direction finding loop) is prominent.
Side view of the model Rapide.
This aeroplane looks great from any angle.
G-ASXA Heron 2,this aircraft was formerly VT-DHD and was fully overhauled by Executive Air Engineering Ltd at Baginton in 1965,she flew out to Puerto Rico as N18720.
G-AAZP DH.80A Puss Moth seen here at the airstrip Charity farm,Baxterly,named 'British Heritage' she was formerly impressed into the R.A.F as HL537,sold abroad as SU-AAC and returned to the UK serving with the De Havilland Chester Sports & Social club.
Earlier shot of G-AAZP Puss Moth when in service with the De Havilland sports & Social club at Chester.
G-AAWO DH.60G (Gipsy 1) which was rebuilt in 1953 utilising parts from G-AAHI,the aircraft was built in 1930.
G-AHKU DH.89A Rapide when in service with Westpoint airways at Exeter,formerly NR722 she was withdrawn from use in August 1970.
G-ACZE Rapide takes off from Badminton for its display,the aircraft is finished in the house colours of the Royal Household in red,silver 7 blue.
G-AHKV Rapide whilst in service with Cartographical Air Services at Elmdon,the aircraft was eventually withdrawn from use here in September 1969 following failing to aspire to a certificate of airworthiness with resident company Midfly Ltd.
The aircraft was eventually destroyed by the local fire department after being placed in the middle of the airfield,a sad end to a grand old lady.
G-ALBA Rapide when in service with Airviews of Manchester,the aircraft later was sold to Trans European Aviation at Fairwood Common moving on to Baginton airport later for theior operations base.
The final remains of G-ALBA Rapide,this aircraft together with G-AFFB was operated by Trans European Aviation from Baginton on pleasure flying duties,after being abandoned by the company when they went onto bigger things the two aircraft languished for many years at Baginton until being finally scrapped and burnt in September 1961.
This aircraft was finished all silver with blue engine nacelles and was originally based at Swansea (Fairwood Common) airfield.
G-AGZU Rapide,she was sold to South Africa as ZS-DLS July 1955
G-AGJG Rapide,this aircraft is now flying again after an extensive rebuild at Duxford.
G-AKOE Rapide which was formerly owned by the Waters Edge hotel in Guernsey,the aircraft came to Baginton for the Rapide group owned by Maurice Brain,she was later sold to John Pierce at Chirk airfield where it was intended to upgrade her and fly around the world on a Brirtish Airways publicity tour.
An hangar fire at Chirk put paid to the plans but she still survives.
F-BHCE Rapide.
G-AJBJ Rapide at Baginton,the aircraft was sold by the Midland Air Museum to John Pierce at Chirk.
G-AKRS Rapide,this one went to the Israel Defence Force as IDAF002 in May 1978.
ZK-AKT Rapide.
G-ALPK Rapide,c/n 6757,ex NF886,scrapped April 1966.
G-AKRS Rapide at Baginton during 1967 owned by W.S.Shackleton,the aircraft went to the Israeli Defence force as IDFAF002 in May 1978 for their museum.
Airfix Rapide box art August 2006,the model is a re-hash of the original Heller example.
EI-ABI DH.84 Dragon at the PFA Rally Cranfield,the aircraft tours around advertising Aer Lingus and has been beautifully restored by them.
Another view of this airworthy Dragon,she is actually EI-AFK painted to represent one of the early Aer Lingus machines.
G-ACMA DH.85 Leopard Moth at Baginton 1960's with G-ADSK Hornet Moth in the background,picture taken with a simple Kodak Bullet 1930's camera which I kept in my overall pocket , the poor quality is better than nothing,the camera did not even have any view finder ! if only we had digital cameras in those days to record such gems.
G-AEDT DH.90 Dragonfly served in Australia as VH-AAD in 1938,she finished up in Americas as N2034 returning to the UK in the sixties for restoration back into G-AEDT.
G-ANFW Tiger Moth in Malta,Dave Peace took this picture on a visit to the island in 2003.
Sea Venom FAW.21 XG680 preserved at the Northeast air museum at Usworth.
G-AHMN Tiger Moth at Compton Abbas airfield.
T8191 Tiger Moth.Now registered as G-BWMK.
G-AORG Heron 2 caught by the trusty camera of Dave Peace taking off from Bruntingthorpe whilst on a vist there,the future of this aircraft is uncertain at the time of writing ?
Vampire T.11 XD596 whilst on doisplay at Ocean Village,Southampton
WR410/G-BLKA Venom FB.4 whilst with Sandy Topen at Cranfield.
G-AMZO Hornet Moth restored by Peter Franklin,the aircraft was sold in Denmark February 1974 becoming OY-DEZ.
G-AOCI Mosquito PR.34 Ex NS639,owned by Miss R.E.M.Cowell,aircraft was intended for a round the world record attempt,sadly the aircraft was scrapped at Thruxton.
HJ898 Mosquito used in the film '633 Squadron' seen here at Bovingdon.
RR299 Mosquito T.3 G-ASKH whilst with the CAACU (Civilian aircracraft co-operation unit ) at Exeter,finish is silver with dayglo horizontal stripes.
RS709 Mosquito at Exeter with yellow/black diagonal bands on the undersides.
RS712 Mosquito.
De Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly aircraft were used by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police,shown here is CF-MPC.
VH-AAD Dragonfly flown by the Griffith aero club.
G-AHED Rapide held in storage by the R.A.F Museum at Cardington on 30-04-87.
G-ANXB Heron whilst in service with British European airways,aircraft now preserved at the Newark Air museum,Newark,Notts.
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De Havilland DH.86B Airliner.
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DH 84 DRAGON
De Havilland DH.84 Dragon
The DH.84 Dragon was designed by Arthur Hagg in response to Fox Moth operator Edward Hillman's request for a twin engined aircraft to be used on a proposed air service from Southern England to Paris.The slab sided plywood box used successfully in the Fox Moth was adopted for the fuselage of the new design,a clever two bay biplane with wings that could be folded just outboard of the two Gipsy Major engines.The pilot was provided with a separate compartment in the extreme nose and the main cabin would seat six passengers.The prototype first flew in 1932 at De Havillands works at Stag Lane,Edgeware,Middlesex,it was later delivered by air to the Maylands airfield ,Essex together with three more Dragon 1 production aircraft for operation by Mr Hillman,the planned Paris route took place in April 1933,British production totalled 115 aircraft built at Stag Lane and when the company uprooted to the new factory at Hatfield,a further 87 aircraft were built in Australia during World War 2 at Bankstown,these were to become navigation trainers for the Royal Australian air force,the first of which entered service in 1942.
A further version called the DH.84M was fitted with a dorsal gun ring,a dorsal fin and was supplied to the air forces of Denmark,Iraq and Portugal.
The model of the DH.84 Dragon was scratch built from Plastikard sheet and Jabrok and wire.
It represents a machine currently restored by Air Lingus to represent their early roots,this aircraft often comes over the Irish sea to airshows and special events in England.
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DH.90 DRAGONFLY.
G-AEWZ Dragonfly at Eastleigh in 1958 when with the Hampshire Aeroplane club.
