1 May 2018
A Heritage Lottery Fund grant of nearly £1.9m has been awarded to the de Havilland Aircraft Museum at Salisbury Hall, Herts. But another £250,000 has to be raised by the museum before building of a brand new hangar can start.
The museum at Salisbury Hall, London Colney is close to the former Hatfield Aerodrome where de Havilland built aircraft.
Museum chairman Alan Brackley said, “Thanks to the money raised by the National Lottery players, the project will not only safely display several important aircraft exhibits inside the new building away from the rigours of the British weather, including the DH Comet 1a, the world’s first passenger jet airliner, and DH Sea Vixen, but it will be able to offer the local community an exciting venue for meetings, conferences, parties, learning and other social events.
“The museum needs to fund raise a further £250,000 before we get the National Lottery’s permission to start the building works,” said Mr Brackley, “so all support is very welcome and donations made through our website or at the museum.”
Artist’s impression of the new hangar at Salisbury Hall.
Salisbury Hall, a Tudor mansion, was used during WWII by de Havilland as its secret design centre for the Mosquito twin-engine multi-role aircraft. The prototype Mosquito is one of three examples of the type on display.
Since the museum was formed by the then owner of historic Salisbury Hall, Walter Goldsmith, and its small hangar opened to the public in 1959, it has acquired more than 20 de Havilland aircraft.
This led to the construction of a second, larger hangar, which was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 1984.
Mr Brackley said, “We are a working museum where visitors can watch restoration work being carried out and can get up close to the aircraft.
“It is run by volunteers, some of whom were among the many thousands of people who worked for de Havilland.”
