St Albans and, whatever happened to de Havilland, part of Britain's aircraft heritage?

Who was/is Big Kev? We don't know, but we did enjoy his bench

We leave St Albans tomorrow and head back to The Midlands for a few days before going to Bristol for our last planned housesit of the summer. But whatever happened to De Havilland, a Great British aircraft manufacturer? Read what Jackie has written below and photo descriptions to find out:

Tomorrow we leave little Tatty and big Max, we shall both be sad. I had to work quite hard on Tatty who was very shy to begin with, but has spent a lot of time on the bed. A comment yesterday from Laura, after I sent a picture of Tatty on my lap on the sofa, that it took Rich about three years to get to that stage made me feel much better. Max was our friend from the beginning, but has still changed, he can now throw Brian to the bed when he wants fuss which is a bit of a novelty.

A breakthrough with Tatty cat. Three weeks ago she wouldn't come near us, now look

The unlikely location for the excellent Cafe Sen 

Our last week, again, we’ve only taken the car out twice, once because we decided to take ourselves to Bletchley to go climbing (and to have another bowl of yummy Vietnamese Pho), and the second time to visit the de Havilland museum. We haven’t been climbing indoors, just the two of us since we started travelling, so although we really enjoyed it our arms didn’t last that well! We are hoping we can get a climb in when we are in Bristol too.

The de Havilland museum was interesting. They made the mosquito, a wooden plane, that flew high and fast during the Second World War, before moving on to passenger planes. The museum seems to be mainly run by very enthusiastic volunteers, keen to talk, but also work on projects. All over the place there is building and maintenance and ‘things’ in progress. You really just want to have a poke around. Not to mention we were all welcomed by Larry, a cat from the neighbouring farm, who has realised that fuss and snacks are freely available just next door!

But look at the food! Beef Pho cooked by Ho Chi Minh City ex pats and took us right back to our three month trip there four years ago. It's on an industrial estate near to Big Rock Bond climbing centre in Milton Keynes and attracts many employees from surrounding businesses

More than that we’ve continued running, when my Achilles has felt up to it, and walked when it hasn’t. We’ve also continued eating our way around St. Albans with visits to Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey Morocco and Mexico.

What to say about Britain's lost aircraft building industry? It was established in 1920 by Geoffrey de Havilland a true entrepreneur who innovated and designed many aircraft before and during WWII and, for other companies during WWI. His early designs were biplanes, the Moth, Tiger Moth and Gypsy Moth (flown by Amy Johnson solo from England to Australia in 1930). Prior to WWII he was working on the Mosquito prototype and, as aluminium was in short supply due to the war effort, he made the decision to make it in wood, readily available as were the cabinet making craftsmen. The MOD turned him down so he went on using his own money to develop a plane that had a decisive impact on Britain's war effort and, in 1943 was the fastest plane in the world, setting a speed of 493mph. After the war he concentrated on commercial aircraft, developing several jet aircraft, the Comet being the centrepiece. Problems with metal fatigue and several breaking up in flight with large loss of life set the company back. By the time of Comet 4, Boeing had their 707 and DC-8, both of which were faster and more economical. The company was eventually sold to Hawker Siddeley in 1960 where de Havilland's last designed aircraft the Trident was finally produced (photo above). Hawker Siddeley was incorporated  into BAE Systems and, in 1993 aircraft production in Britain came to an end. Today the de Havilland name lives on in Canada, originally a subsidiary, then owned by the Bombardier company and, since 2019, new owners Longview Aviation Capital Corp. renamed it De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd and still produce the Dash 8 aircraft

The museum is stacked full of really enthusiastic volunteers, devoting all their spare time  to renovation old de Havilland aircraft. Here a volunteer is producing a full sized replica of an early design

And here's what we came to see the Mosquito. Fast, adaptable and loved by the pilots who flew them. It had a decisive impact on Britain's war effort. This on is the original prototype and one of three preserved in this hangar 

Just look at that poking out of the open hangar door!

So much to see, so many different deHavilland designs and so many incredibly enthusiastic volunteers to talk to

Not forgetting Larry, the deHavilland museum cat

They even have an original prototype bouncing bomb. This one was the 'Highball' spherical bomb developed to attack shipping (particularly the German Tirpitz), although never deployed, unlike it's cylindrical sister used by the dambusters. This one was used as a prototype and was launched from a Mosquito over Loch Striven in Scotland and bounced across the surface before sinking. It was raised by a team of divers and donated to the museum

We've been for a few longer walks this week, in preparation for Brian's six day hike along The Ridgeway (87 miles) in early October. This is Redbournebury water mill the only one still working of originally 11 mills in the area. See our short video with a map and more photos by clicking here 

You don't see this often - warning: hedgehogs!

Our other walk was an 11 mile walk through and round St Albans. This is the Ver River valley. See our short video with a map and more photos by clicking here

And this might look like a pile of rubble, but it's the remains of the London Gate and is in Verulamium Park

Here's what the experts think it looked like. Watling Street, the London to Chester road ran right through here. It's now been diverted a couple of miles away. Zoom in on the photo if you want to learn more

Part of the original Roman wall built in 3rd century. Most of the old town and walls were broken up to build the abbey and other housing in the area but it is thought this survived as it was deep in a wooded area 

This is a ditch! Not just a ditch (and bank) but one built by iron age man, pre the Romans. It surrounded their original city that the Romans destroyed. The Romans utilised the defensive nature of the ditch and bank and built a city or wood. That was destroyed by Boudicea (various spellings exist!) in AD61 along with Colchester and London. It was rebuilt in stone and a wall constructed around the original bank

Look at this for a cozy evening photo. A cat each, what could be better!

Look at this interesting caterpillar we found crawling across a roadway. Nasty looking spike on it's back! It's apparently a Hawkshead and will turn into a moth 

Food photos I know, but this was Sunday lunch today in Al Farid St Albans, 2 minutes walk from where we're staying. Bottom is Chicken Tagine, top is Chicken Shish. Both were fabulous! Swilled down with an excellent bottle of red, we haven't felt like doing much this afternoon funnily enough, other than write this!