De Havilland

Until 1920, Geoffrey de Havilland's de Havilland Aircraft Company had been known as Airco, where he was owner and chief designer. The new company was based at Hatfield, in Hertfordshire, England.

De Havilland Australia

De Havilland's first foreign subsidiary was set up in Australia in March 1927. The company moved to Sydney during 1930 where it acted as an agency for the parent company, with assembly, repair and spares facilities for the company's popular sporting and airliner types. Aircraft design and full manufacture by de Havilland Australia did not take place until the Second World War, when the company began production of the DH-82 Tiger Moth primary trainer at Bankstown, NSW.

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During the War the Australian company began to manufacture the Mosquito, with deliveries to the RAAF being first made in 1944. A total of 212 Mosquitos were built at Bankstown between 1943 and 1948. Some of these aircraft continued to be in the service of the RAAF until 1953.

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Licensed production of the de Havilland Vampire began by 1946.

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A completely indigenous design, the DHA-3 Drover, was manufactured, although only about 20 were produced, mostly for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). Some were also operated by Trans Australia Airlines and QANTAS. Production of these aircraft took place between 1948 and 1952. The DHA-3 Drover was a 3-engined light transport capable of carrying 6 - 8 passengers, designed as a replacement for the de Havilland DH-84 Dragon, which was common in Australia at the time. The engine chosen for the new design was the 3 De Havilland Gipsy Major Mk-10 4. Several Drovers were later re-engined with Lycoming flat 4 engines.

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