Geoffrey de Havilland

Geoffrey de Havilland (1882 - 1965) was oneEngland's aviation pioneers.

After engineering school, his first interest wasautomotive engineering, building carsmotorcycles. He married1907almost immediately embarked oncareerdesigning, buildingflying aircraftwhich he devotedresthis life.

His first plane took two yearsbuildhe crashedduring its first very short flight near LitchfieldHampshire. A memorial today marksplace. Subsequent designs were more successful.

He joined HM Balloon Factory at Farnborough, which wasbecomeRoyal Aircraft Factory asrealisedimportanceplanesshifted some attention away from balloons.

Employed during World War I by Airco, he designed many planes used byRoyal Flying Corps during that period.

Afterwar, de Havilland bought Airco, renamingDe Havilland Aircraft Company. Onehis roles was as test pilot forcompany's aircraft,allwhich he likedfly.

The company's planes, particularlyMosquito playedformidable roleWorld War II,de Havilland was knighted1944.

He controlledcompany untilmerged intoHawker Siddeley Company after disastrous problems killed passengers aboard its cutting-edge Comet jet airliner inmid 1950's.

Twode Havilland's three sons died as test pilotsde Havilland aircraft.