Geoffrey de Havilland (left) with Frederick Handley Page.

Captain Sir Geoffrey Raoul de Havilland, OM, CBE, AFC, RDI, FRAeS, (27 July 1882 – 21 May 1965) was a British aviation pioneer and aircraft engineer. His Mosquito has been considered the most versatile warplane ever built.^[1] Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... A 1919 picture of Frederick Handley Page Sir Frederick Handley Page, (1885-1962) was an English industrialist who was a pioneer in the design and manufacture of aircraft. ... Captain is a nautical term, an organizational title, and a rank in various uniformed organizations. ... For other Orders see Order of Merit (disambiguation). ... The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander... The Air Force Cross is a military decoration which is issued in the following countries: The Air Force Cross of the United Kingdom The Air Force Cross of the United States This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same... Royal Designer for Industry is a distinction established by the Royal Society of Arts (or RSA) in 1936, to encourage a high standard of industrial design and enhance the status of designers. ... Founded in 1866 The Royal Aeronautical Society is the worlds leading authority on aviation. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... May 21 is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Aviation refers to flying using aircraft, machines designed by humans for atmospheric flight. ... The de Havilland Mosquito[1] was a British combat aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during the Second World War. ...

Biography

Early life

De Havilland was born on 27 July 1882, at Terriers Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, the second son of the Revd Charles de Havilland and his first wife, Alice Jeannette (née Saunders).^[1] He was educated at Nuneaton Grammar School, St Edward's School, Oxford, and the Crystal Palace School of Engineering (from 1900 to 1903). July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Buckinghamshire (abbreviated Bucks) is one of the home counties in South East England. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... King Edward VI College is a sixth form college located in Nuneaton, England, in the Warwickshire area. ... St Edwards School (also colloquially known as Teddies) is a co-educational independent boarding school (also known as a public school in the exclusive suburb of North Oxford, England. ... Engineering is the design, analysis, and/or construction of works for practical purposes. ...

After engineering school, his first interest was in automotive engineering, building cars and motorcycles. He took an apprenticeship with engine manufacturers Willans & Robinson of Rugby, after which he worked as a draughtsman for the Wolseley Motor Company in Birmingham, a job from which he resigned after only a year.^[1] He subsequently spent two years working in the design office of an omnibus company in Walthamstow. ... Rugby is a market town in the county of Warwickshire in the West Midlands of England, on the River Avon. ... The Wolseley Motor Company was an automobile manufacturer in the United Kingdom from 1905. ...

He married in 1909 and almost immediately embarked on the career of designing, building and flying aircraft to which he devoted the rest of his life.

Aviation career

De Havilland's first plane, built with money borrowed from his maternal grandfather,^[1] took two years to build and he crashed it during its first very short flight near Litchfield, Hampshire. A memorial today marks the place. Subsequent designs were more successful: in 1912 he established a new British altitude record of 10,500 feet (3.2 km), in an aircraft of his design. Litchfield is a linear village in the English county of Hampshire. ...

In December 1910 de Havilland joined HM Balloon Factory at Farnborough, which was to become the Royal Aircraft Factory. He sold his second aeroplane (which he had used to teach himself to fly) to his new employer for 400 pounds - it became the F.E.1 - the first aircraft to bear an official Royal Aircraft Factory designation. For the next three years de Havilland designed, or participated in the design of, a number of experimental types at the "Factory". There are several places named Farnborough: United Kingdom Farnborough in the London Borough of Bromley (prior to 1965 in Kent) Farnborough in Warwickshire Farnborough in Berkshire Farnborough in Hampshire Farnborough Airfield formerly the Royal Aircraft Establishment This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the... This article needs cleanup. ... The F.E.1 (Farman Experimental) was the second aircraft built by the pioneer designer Geoffrey de Havilland - it was designed and built by him in 1910. ...

In January 1914, he was appointed an inspector of aircraft in the Aeronautical Inspection Directorate. Unhappy at leaving design work, in May he was recruited to become the Chief Designer at Airco, in Hendon. He designed many aircraft for Airco all designated using his initials DH. Large numbers of de Havilland designed aircraft were used during the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps and later the Royal Air Force. George Holt Thomas established the Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco) at The Hyde in Hendon, north London, England during 1912. ... For other places with the same name, see Hendon (disambiguation). ... This is, as far as possible, a complete list of aircraft produced or proposed by the de Havilland Aircraft Company from its founding in 1920 until its purchase by (and integration into) the Hawker Siddeley Group in 1959. ... Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of World War I. Origin and Early History Formed by Royal Warrant on May 13, 1912, the RFC superseded the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ...

Airco was bought by the BSA Company but BSA were only interested in using the company factories for car production. De Havilland raised £20,000, bought the relevant assets he needed and in 1920 formed the de Havilland Aircraft Company at Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware where de Havilland and his company designed and built a large number of aircraft including the Moth family of aircraft. In 1933 the company moved to Hatfield Aerodrome, in Hertfordshire. One of his roles was as test pilot for the company's aircraft, in all of which he liked to fly. George Holt Thomas established the Aircraft Manufacturing Company (Airco) at The Hyde in Hendon, north London, England during 1912. ... The Birmingham Small Arms Company (BSA) was a British manufacturer of vehicles, firearms, and military equipment, and still exists as an airgun sport manufacturer and distributor. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... For other uses, see De Havilland (disambiguation). ... Stag Lane Aerodrome was a private aerodrome between 1915 and 1933 located in Edgware, London, England. ... Chanukah menorah outside Edgware tube station, 2006 Edgware is a suburb of north London situated 9. ... Hertfordshire (pronounced Hartfordshire and abbreviated as Herts) is an inland county in the United Kingdom and part of the East of England Government Office region. ...

The company's planes, particularly the Mosquito played a formidable role in World War II and de Havilland was knighted in 1944. The de Havilland Mosquito[1] was a British combat aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during the Second World War. ...

He controlled the company until it merged with Hawker Siddeley Company after crashes of the Comet jet airliner in the mid-1950s. Hawker-Siddeley was a British aircraft manufacturing company. ... This article is about the de Havilland Comet jet airliner. ...

Retirement and death

De Havilland retired from active involvement in his company in 1955, though remaining as president. He continued flying up to the age of seventy.^[1] He died aged 72, of a cerebral haemorrhage, on 21 May 1965 at Watford Peace Memorial Hospital, Middlesex. May 21 is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ...

Honours

De Havilland was made an OBE in 1918 and CBE in 1934. He received the Air Force Cross in 1919, in recognition of his service in World War I, and was knighted in 1944. He was appointed to the Order of Merit in 1962. He received numerous national and international gold and silver medals and honorary fellowships of learned and engineering societies. The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander... The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy. The... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... For other Orders see Order of Merit (disambiguation). ...

Family

De Havilland was related to the famous actresses Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine - his father Charles and their father Walter were half-brothers. Olivia Mary de Havilland (born July 1, 1916) is a two time Academy Award winning Japanese-born British actress who became an American citizen in 1941. ... Joan Fontaine (born October 22, 1917) is a Japanese-born British actress, who became an American citizen in April 1943. ...

In 1909 De Havilland married Louise Thomas, who had formerly been governess to de Havilland's sisters. They had three sons together. A governess is a female employee from outside of the family who teaches children within the family circle. ...

Two of de Havilland's sons died as test pilots in de Havilland aircraft. One of these (also named Geoffrey) carried out the first flights of the Mosquito and Vampire and was killed flying the DH 108 Swallow while diving at or near the speed of sound. His youngest son, John died in an air collision in 1943. Louise suffered a nervous breakdown following these deaths and died in 1949. Geoffrey de Havilland Junior, (b. ... The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was the second jet-engined aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War (the first being the Gloster Meteor), although it did not see combat in that conflict. ... The first DH. 108 built - TG283. ...

De Havilland remarried, in 1951, Joan Mary Frith, herself a divorcée.

De Havilland's autobiography Sky Fever was published by Peter and Anne de Havilland in 1979.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Davenport-Hines, Richard. "Havilland, Sir Geoffrey de (1882–1965)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Ed. H. C. G. Matthew and Brian Harrison. Oxford: OUP, 2004. Accessed 2007-02-15.

• Smith, Ron (2002). British Built Aircraft - Greater London. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0 7524 2770 9.