DH-Aircraft

This project aims to recreate key de Havilland aircraft for the flight simulator, X-Plane, to the highest possible standard.

Guy Montagu-Pollock spent twenty years in the motor industry, at BMW and McLaren. He was responsible for technical documentation, and designed a web-based, language-independent information system for the McLaren F1 and Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, using photographs and computer-aided design. He is now a freelance architectural photographer.

Sir Giles Montagu-Pollock joined the de Havilland Technical School in 1946. He and his contemporaries witnessed the end of the piston-engined aircraft for front-line roles, and the dawn of the jet age. He was at Airspeed from 1949-1950 (Ambassador), and DH Engines from 1952-1956, before leaving DH to join Bristol Aero Engines (1956-61).

Roy Gillard trained as an engineer and has spent over 35 years in vehicle maintenance with various manufacturers, becoming proficient in the latest electronic systems and diagnosis though his interest in computing and programming. He gained his gliders licence some years ago, has flown small piston engined craft and loves flying real or simulated!

Sandy Nicol joined Rolls-Royce Motors in Crewe as a graduate apprentice and spent a number of years at the Mulliner Park Ward coachbuilding subsidiary.  He then moved into car service management and marketing with the BMW, Chrysler-Jeep, Skoda and Subaru dealer networks and is now involved in the promotion of battery-electric cars and trucks for urban use.

Thanks and Credits

de Havilland Heritage Centre, Salisbury Hall, London Colney, for frequent access to the Comet simulator.

BAE SYSTEMS Archive at Farnborough, for permission to use photographs on this web-site.

British Airways Archive, for access to BOAC flying manuals and photographs.

Brooklands Museum, for access to its collection of engines.

Duxford Aviation Society, for access to the aircraft that flew the first ever jet airline service across the Atlantic, G-APDB.

Austin Meyer, for X-Plane itself, for technical support, and for adding every single item on our wish list to the forthcoming Version 9.

Ben Supnik, for technical support on object files and animation.

Michael Wilson, who generously cancelled his own work on a de Havilland Comet model, and who has since provided invaluable advice and encouragement for this one.