Aviation’s Greatest Pioneer - Sir Geoffrey de Havilland
Jul 26, 2022 22:46:04 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 26, 2022 22:46:04 GMT 12
Here is an interesting obituary for Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, a man whose company and designs had a massive impact on New Zealand and are still very popular today. This is from The press dated 12 June 1965:
Aviation’s Greatest Pioneer
(By MAX SUICH. in the "Sun-Herald," Sydney Reprinted by arrangement.)
IN the close-knit aviation world, thousands are mourning the death of one of the 20th century’s greatest pioneers. Battle of Britain pilots, the few remaining veterans of the First World War’s Royal Flying Corps, and the brisk young men of today’s jet age are all saluting the work of Sir Geoffrey de Havilland.
Sir Geoffrey died recently, aged 82. He became ill and collapsed on his way to his office at Hatfield, near London. When he died his name was a household word wherever aeroplanes flew. Ask a schoolboy what the name de Havilland means to him and he will tell you of the sleek, jet-powered Comet airliner—one of the most beautiful planes ever built. But the de Havilland story spans the whole history of aviation—from box-kites to complex missiles.
As a young man in England, de Havilland was fired by the reports from the United States of the Wright Brothers’ attempts to fly. In 1908 he borrowed £1000 from his grandfather and set to work in a London shed to build his first plane. It was a 45 miles-an-hour power-driven box-kite. And he crashed it at his first attempt to fly. It was his first setback. And like the scores of others that followed in his career, he overcame it. The kite was rebuilt and Geoffrey de Havilland learned to fly.
The development of the plane cost de Havilland all his capital. So he sold it to the Army Balloon Establishment at Farnborough for about £1000 and was given a job as a pilot-designer.
When war broke out in 1914 he spent a short time in the R.F.C. and then was recalled to design aircraft. He produced the F.E. 1; F.E. 2, the B.E.1 and the most famous of all, the D.H.4 —the first plane to carry his initials.
This reconnaissance bomber converted to a passenger plane became in 1919 the world’s first international airliner when it was used to open a London-Paris air service. A fleet of them later flew the first air mails in the United States. But it was not until the first week in October, 1920, that de Havilland set up his own company. His capital was £1875, his "works” consisted of two wooden huts at Stag Lane Aerodrome. The only orders in his book were for two DH18 airliners carrying eight persons each who—and this was a startling innovation— “were able to move about in flight”.
From these two orders came a whole succession of famous and successful aircraft. Small aircraft like the Moth — the Puss Moth, Leopard Moth and Tiger Moth — of which more than 10,000 were built. Without these small, safe I planes to train in, it is doubtful whether Britain wouldhave had the pilots to bolster the R.A.F. for the Battle of Britain.
Then came the Albatross in 1937. And in 1940 one of the world’s great planes, the Mosquito. Geoffrey de Havilland produced the Mosquito in spite of attacks on him by officialdom. With support from some R.A.F. officers he defeated the pen-pushers and the Mosquito became one of the standard planes of the war. More than 5000 were produced and they brought terror to the German skies.
After the war de Havilland turned with relish back to building planes for peace.
In 1953 came the Comet—and one of the three great tragedies of his life.
Already Sir Geoffrey had paid dearly for the aviation progress he won.
In 1943 his son John was testing a Mosquito. Over his home field at Hatfield he collided with another plane. He was killed instantly. His grief - stricken father commented: “It is the price you pay for progress.”
Only three years later disaster struck again. This time Geoffrey junior, brilliant flier and chief test pilot of the company, died when an experimental Swallow broke up in the air.
When dreams of the Comet leading Britain into a new superiority in the world’s airlanes were shattered by a crash at Elba. Sir Geoffrey made no public statement. He turned as he did in 1908 with his box-kite to build again. And he succeeded again.
He lived to see the Comet become a highly successful and safe plane which established a remarkable record. What manner of man was de Havilland to withstand the tragedies and conflicts of a lifetime as a pioneer? His men respected him as a team leader. He gathered around him and kept —one of the finest collections of technicians ever assembled in the aviation business.
His life was unpretentious. He drove to work in a “baby” car. He lived in eight rooms without servants. His great passion apart from aircraft was wild life.
He “shot” African wild game with a camera he had made himself in a basement workshop. Today’s complex world of missiles and space shots is unlikely to produce an individualist like him.
Aviation’s Greatest Pioneer
(By MAX SUICH. in the "Sun-Herald," Sydney Reprinted by arrangement.)
IN the close-knit aviation world, thousands are mourning the death of one of the 20th century’s greatest pioneers. Battle of Britain pilots, the few remaining veterans of the First World War’s Royal Flying Corps, and the brisk young men of today’s jet age are all saluting the work of Sir Geoffrey de Havilland.
Sir Geoffrey died recently, aged 82. He became ill and collapsed on his way to his office at Hatfield, near London. When he died his name was a household word wherever aeroplanes flew. Ask a schoolboy what the name de Havilland means to him and he will tell you of the sleek, jet-powered Comet airliner—one of the most beautiful planes ever built. But the de Havilland story spans the whole history of aviation—from box-kites to complex missiles.
As a young man in England, de Havilland was fired by the reports from the United States of the Wright Brothers’ attempts to fly. In 1908 he borrowed £1000 from his grandfather and set to work in a London shed to build his first plane. It was a 45 miles-an-hour power-driven box-kite. And he crashed it at his first attempt to fly. It was his first setback. And like the scores of others that followed in his career, he overcame it. The kite was rebuilt and Geoffrey de Havilland learned to fly.
The development of the plane cost de Havilland all his capital. So he sold it to the Army Balloon Establishment at Farnborough for about £1000 and was given a job as a pilot-designer.
When war broke out in 1914 he spent a short time in the R.F.C. and then was recalled to design aircraft. He produced the F.E. 1; F.E. 2, the B.E.1 and the most famous of all, the D.H.4 —the first plane to carry his initials.
This reconnaissance bomber converted to a passenger plane became in 1919 the world’s first international airliner when it was used to open a London-Paris air service. A fleet of them later flew the first air mails in the United States. But it was not until the first week in October, 1920, that de Havilland set up his own company. His capital was £1875, his "works” consisted of two wooden huts at Stag Lane Aerodrome. The only orders in his book were for two DH18 airliners carrying eight persons each who—and this was a startling innovation— “were able to move about in flight”.
From these two orders came a whole succession of famous and successful aircraft. Small aircraft like the Moth — the Puss Moth, Leopard Moth and Tiger Moth — of which more than 10,000 were built. Without these small, safe I planes to train in, it is doubtful whether Britain wouldhave had the pilots to bolster the R.A.F. for the Battle of Britain.
Then came the Albatross in 1937. And in 1940 one of the world’s great planes, the Mosquito. Geoffrey de Havilland produced the Mosquito in spite of attacks on him by officialdom. With support from some R.A.F. officers he defeated the pen-pushers and the Mosquito became one of the standard planes of the war. More than 5000 were produced and they brought terror to the German skies.
After the war de Havilland turned with relish back to building planes for peace.
In 1953 came the Comet—and one of the three great tragedies of his life.
Already Sir Geoffrey had paid dearly for the aviation progress he won.
In 1943 his son John was testing a Mosquito. Over his home field at Hatfield he collided with another plane. He was killed instantly. His grief - stricken father commented: “It is the price you pay for progress.”
Only three years later disaster struck again. This time Geoffrey junior, brilliant flier and chief test pilot of the company, died when an experimental Swallow broke up in the air.
When dreams of the Comet leading Britain into a new superiority in the world’s airlanes were shattered by a crash at Elba. Sir Geoffrey made no public statement. He turned as he did in 1908 with his box-kite to build again. And he succeeded again.
He lived to see the Comet become a highly successful and safe plane which established a remarkable record. What manner of man was de Havilland to withstand the tragedies and conflicts of a lifetime as a pioneer? His men respected him as a team leader. He gathered around him and kept —one of the finest collections of technicians ever assembled in the aviation business.
His life was unpretentious. He drove to work in a “baby” car. He lived in eight rooms without servants. His great passion apart from aircraft was wild life.
He “shot” African wild game with a camera he had made himself in a basement workshop. Today’s complex world of missiles and space shots is unlikely to produce an individualist like him.
