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Old 17th Jun 2021, 09:37
  #33 (permalink)  
DHfan
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Derbyshire
Age: 72
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I was born in Watford and moved to Hertford at an age when I was still measured horizontally rather than vertically and then 6 years later we moved to Welwyn Garden City.
I'm sure it wasn't actually so frequent but it seemed like every weekend we went to Watford to visit one or the other sets of grandparents. This meant passing Hatfield, Radlett and, every other visit, Leavesden.
I clearly remember the de Havilland office building and the airfield being open and many years later I went to one of the last open days and air displays there. It didn't matter what the company name was on the building, it was and always will be de Havilland to me. From the house in Welwyn Garden City we could see aircraft coming up from Hatfield but which particular aircraft now up to 60 years later I've no idea. Most likely Tridents I imagine.
A few miles later we crossed the end of a runway at Radlett, on what was then the A405. I only actually remember seeing one aircraft coming in there, or not really seeing it as it passed directly over the roof of the car, extremely low. Dad looked at the roof of the car when we arrived and when I asked what he was doing he said checking for tyre marks.
Leavesden I don't remember seeing any aircraft movements, although my dad remembered seeing new Mosquitos being pushed out of the hangars during the war. I guess any aircraft movements in the later 50s and 60s would be helicopters so probably nearer the factory buildings - and not necessarily at weekends anyway.
Again I remember seeing the name change from de Havilland Engines, to Bristol-Siddeley Engines and then to Rolls-Royce Small Engine Division.
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