DH Heritage centre London Colney.

I had a nice visit to the De Havilland Heritage Centre, on a photography expedition today.

My it has changed since last year, as one would expect.

The aircraft formerly on tarmac (barring the comet fuselage, which wasn’t open… Damn) have been moved into a paddock type area with temporary walk ways, with Chipboard under the wheels. I have to say I like it because there is more space around the planes I think makes it easier to appreciate them.

The BAE146 fuselage was open, at last! quite stunning inside, they’ve done a smashing job with the leather seats and fully fitted cockpit, very mood inducing low lighting!

The new temporary hangar for the Tiggie, Queen Bee, Autogiro etc is actually not bad, quite cosy but still room enough. I was excited to see the progress on the DH88 replica, now in grey primer I assume and with canopy frame on, but with lots of work to go.

The Horsa is disassembled further in the main hangar, nose detached from body, being restored by the looks of it.
The Mossie prototype is well and so is TA112 with some progress.

The new ‘Foreman’s Office’ (where the aeroshop once was) is nice with its display of plaques showing the different DH planes and also a section on De Havilland Apprentice.

Overall a good visit, even though not as many planes were open as last time I think…The Heron had its stairs gone, HS125 (With tailplane blowing freely and noisily in the wind)

But now questions.

Firstly, where hath the Dove 6 gone, the one with German markings?
Secondly, and this is unrelated to my visit, but wasn’t there a HS125 cockpit? where’s that, along with the remains of a Mossie cockpit used for filming.
Finally, I could’ve sworn I saw something about a DH Beaver, that just disappeared to, whence I don’t know?

Sorry for the lack of photos (they were abstract and don’t give much in the way of a review of the new set up)

Can’t wait for the new hangar!

Chris