The De Havilland Aircraft Company was founded by
Geoffrey de Havilland, and Englishman who was born in 1882. He
became fascinated with aircraft as a young man, and with the
assistance of a wealthy grandfather pursued his first aircraft
design. The first major success of this start-up company was the
DH-4, a two seat bomber. This design was licensed to the US
military, and more than 5,000 DH-4s were built. Following WW I de
Havilland set up an internal engine design and manufacturing
capability that was utilized to great success with their series of
Moth trainers. De Havilland Aircraft was one of the early leaders in
jet aircraft. They built the first jet aircraft the Comet that
entered service in 1952. Unfortunately the Comet had some structural
flaws that caused break-up of the aircraft in mid-flight.
Withdrawing the aircraft and returning to the drawing boards cost
the Company the lead and they never caught-up to either Boeing or
Douglas. De Havilland Canada was set up in 1928 as a subsidiary of
the U.K. company. Following WW II the Canadians wished to make their
own mark. They developed the Chipmunk, a successful, all metal
trainer that was purchased by many countries. The Canadian company
also saw the opportunity to design and build an aircraft especially
built for the rugged northern bush country of Canada. The Company
surveyed many bush pilots and the result was the development of the
Beaver, possibly the most successful bush plane of all time. The
Beaver first flew in 1947. It was an immediate hit, with its ability
to handle rough terrain, and operate with floats or skis. Thirteen
countries purchased the Beaver for military use, and it was
nicknamed the “general’s jeep” for its ability to shuffle top brass
in and out of remote areas. The other aircraft in Stan’s painting is
a Noorduyn Norseman. It was first flown in 1935 and went into
production in 1936. The aircraft was 32 feet in length and had a
wingspan of more than 51 ft. A Pratt and Whitney Wasp 9-cylinder
engine putting out 550-HP powered the Norseman. It had a cruising
speed on 150-MPH, a service ceiling of 22,000 feet, and a range of
600 miles. With a single pilot, a Norseman could carry 8-9
passengers. A total of 904 Norseman were built. The aircraft was
flown by the RCAF, USAAF and many commercial and private airlines.
The Norseman had a reputation as a solid, well-built, reliable
aircraft, and it was widely used in bush flying where it could be
utilized with wheels, floats, or skis. Unfortunately, Glen Miller,
the famous American bandleader, was lost during the War while flying
in a Norseman. One theory is that Miller’s aircraft may have been
accidentally destroyed by Lancaster Bombers dumping bombs over the
English Channel prior to landing.
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Collector Sized Lithograph:
$40
16" x 11 1/2"
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Giclee on Canvas:
$445
18'' x 27''
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