De Havilland Aircraft Museum

The deHavilland Aircraft Heritage Centre (formerly the Mosquito Museum) in Hertfordshire, England is a small and exclusive museum collection in the Grounds of Salisbury Hall at junction 22 on the south side of the M25.

Based around the definitive prototype and restoration shops for the De Havilland Mosquito the collection also includes several examples of the De Havilland Vampire - the third operational jet aircraft in the world (first flying some six months after the Messerschmitt Me 262 and both complete aircraft and an excellent original hands-on static simulator for the De Havilland Comet - the world's first Jet Airliner.

The Site

The site of the Hall and the Museum is, without doubt, a very old one. It is close to the first century BC settlement of Wheathamstead, the major Roman town of Verulanium and St. Albans which is of late Saxon foundation.

Early notable (but unwelcome!) visitors to the area were probably Julius Caesar in 54BC, and Boadicea of the Iceni in 61AD.

During the early 9th century the site was part of the Manor of Shenleybury. It was held by Asgar the Stallar, who was probably a high official to the Wessex King Egbert. After the Norman Conquest the Manor passed to the de Mandeville family who held it when the Doomsday Book was written in 1086.

In 1380 the Hall passed in marriage to Sir John Montague, later Earl of Salisbury. It is perhaps at this time that the Manor acquired its now familiar name of Salisbury Hall. About 1420 Alice, Countess of Salisbury, married Sir Richard Neville, who became Earl of Warwick. He had two sons, Richard Neville (better known as Warwick the Kingmaker) and John, Marquis of Montagu, who were both killed at the Battle of Barnet in April 1471.

A new house was built about 1507 by Sir John Cutte, Treasurer to King Henry VII and Henry VIII. The house was purchased in 1668 by James Hoare, a London banker. At this time the present house was built, bringing with it associations with Charles II and Nell Gwynne, who lived in a cottage by the bridge to the Hall. Her ghost is one that is said to have been seen in the Hall.

The Hall passed to Sir Jeremy Snow's nephew, John Snell, and from then through various hands, and during the latter part of the 19th century was occupied by a succession of farmers. However, about 1905 Lady Randolph Churchill, as Mrs. Cornwallis West, came here to live. Her son, Winston Churchill, became a regular visitor. During the 1930s Sir Nigel Gresley, of the London and North Eastern Railway, was in residence. He was responsible for the A4 Pacific Steam Locomotives one of which, Mallard, holds the world speed record for steam locomotives of 126.5 mph. Rumour has it that the name came from the ducks in the moat.

In September 1939 the de Havilland Aircraft Company established the De Havilland Mosquito design team in the Hall, the Prototype Mosquito, E0234/W4050, subsequently being built in the adjacent buildings. Nell Gwynne's cottage was the centre of a silk worm farm, which supplied the silk for Her Majesty the Queen's wedding and Coronation robes. Yet another royal connection. De Havillands left in 1947 and the Hall slipped into a derelict condition.

However, in 1955 the Hall was taken in hand by an ex Royal Marine Major named Walter Goldsmith who restored it and opened it up to the public. He brought back the prototype Mosquito, E0234/W4050, as one of the attractions in 1959, an action which led to the establishment of the Mosquito Aircraft Museum. Walter Goldsmith sold the Hall in 1981 and since then it has been restored to a very high standard and remains in private ownership to this day.

Opening

Access is restricted owing to ongoing aircraft restoration work.

First Sunday of March to last Sunday of October Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays 14:00 - 17:30 Sundays and Bank Holidays 10:30 - 17:30

The collection

The following important historic aircraft are on display or under restoration:

• G-ABLM Cierva C.24 Long term loan from the Science Museum collection
• G-ACSS DH88 Comet-replica Currently under restoration in the workshop
• G-ADOT DH87 Hornet Moth
• G-AFOJ DH94 Moth Minor
• G-AKDW DH89 Dragon Rapide Currently under restoration in the workshop
• G-ANRX DH82 Tiger Moth Crop spraying configuration
• G-AOTI DH114 Heron 2D
• G-AREA DH104 Dove 8 Executive layout
• G-ARYC DH.125 Srs 1 3rd production aircraft
• G-AVFH HS121 Trident 2E Cockpit open to visitors on request
• D-IFSB DH104 Dove 6 Used for airfield calibration
• F-BGNX DH106 Comet 1XB G-AOJT. Complete fuselage, used for tests at Farnborough after withdrawal from service
• VP-FAK DHC3 Otter British Antarctic Survey loan & restoration
• W4050 DH98 Mosquito I prototype
• LF789 Queen Bee
• TA122 DH98 Mosquito FB6 Currently under rebuild in the main hangar
• TA634 DH98 Mosquito TT.35 The film star, flown in '633 Squadron' 571 Sqd markings
• TJ118 DH98 Mosquito TT.35 Rear fuselage only
• WM729 Vampire NF10 Nose section
• WP790 Chipmunk T. 10 Repaint in progress
• WP927 Chipmunk T.10 Currently in storage - Cockpit only
• WR539 Venom FB4 Nose section
• WX853 DH112 Venom NF.3
• XG730 DH112 Sea Venom FAW.22 894 Sqd markings
• XJ565 DH110 Sea Vixen FAW.2 899 Sqd markings
• XJ772 DH115 Vampire T.11
• XK695 DH106 Comet C.2(R) Cockpit section- Amateur Radio Station
• DH106 Comet 2 SIM Nose section
• J-1008 Vampire FB.6 Ex Swiss Air Force
• J-1632 Venom FB.50 Ex G-VNOM - ex Swiss AF. Nose section currently in the workshop
• BAPC.232 Horsa I/II Composite fuselage in Robin hangar

External links

• Sea Vixen