The Geoffrey de Havilland Story (2015) - Trailer

The Geoffrey de Havilland Story is a drama documentary by commercial and display pilot Steve Bohill-Smith and award winning BAFTA nominated “Director of photography" Ashley Rowe BSC.

The home made flying machine had just been rolled out of a shed in a field on the Highclere estate in Hampshire. It was the winter of 1909. After a few adjustments to the Iris engine ( his own design) all seemed to be running well. Over the preceding few weeks a number of short taxi trials had been made down the slope and the machine had been found to keep surprisingly straight. Nerves were becoming strained as the nights were closing in and the weather was invariably unfavourable, the wind often blowing in the wrong direction to attempt a first take off. Geoffrey de Havilland had not flown or even seen another aeroplane at close quarters before.

You can see the result of the first flight attempt in this drama documentary “The Geoffrey de Havilland Story”. Five years in the making it covers Geoffrey’s early years in Nuneaton, the family move to Crux Easton, his discovery of engineering and aviation and his desire to fly. The words determination, courage and persistence spring to mind. Geoffrey de Havilland was a true aviation pioneer and was responsible for the design of many important aircraft, from the Be2 biplanes of WW1 to the DH Mosquito fighter bomber of WW2, to the first jet fighters post war to the first long range jet airliner the DH Comet. He created one of the largest aviation companies in the world which was always at the leading edge of technology. He was Knighted in 1944.

Thanks to BAe Systems for help in supplying copyright material included in this film.