Having never seen an airplane in flight, Geoffrey de Havilland constructed his first machine, and through trial and error taught himself to fly in 1909. Since his early trials on the meadows at Seven Barrows, the name of de Havilland has been carried aloft by more than fifty aircraft. Notable among these are the classic DH-2 fighter of World War I, and the DH-4 light bomber which saw worldwide service and played a major role in the establishment of the United States Air Mail. He established the new De Havilland Company at Stag Lane near London in 1920, beginning the long line of DH commercial and sport aircraft. The DH-18 was the first of his designs intended to carry passengers. Then came the racers which established so many world records. Perhaps most significant is the beautiful Moths, built in 1925, which can rightfully claim to be the genesis for all light sport aircraft, and which can still be found flying worldwide. Flying was always the primary interest of Geoffrey de Havilland, even to his use of a private plane as the normal mode of travel when others used surface means. In his 70th year he was still flying for sport. From the very beginning he was a test pilot, always making the first flight of a new model. He had the ultimate relationship between design and test flying and was a presiding genius and innovator who typically gave credit to the team. The great de Havilland triumph in World War II was the magnificent Mosquito light bomber. It had a novel design and was the fastest aircraft of its time. In 1943 de Havilland entered the jet age with the Vampire fighter powered by a DH Goblin jet engine. De Havilland led the world in entering the era of jet passenger flight with his first turbine powered aircraft, the Comet, in 1949. Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, the grand figure of British aviation, spent his life looking forward with a view toward service.
Inducted in 1972.
Portrait Location: Near R-44 and B-5 Brougham