Where have all the D.H.103 Hornets gone?

[Noah Zark.]

Does anyone know how many D.H. Hornets were manufactured, and in turn were they all definitely disposed of, i.e. scrapped, de-manufactured, returned to produce, or whatever?
Is there not one of these beauties anywhere in the world that might stand a chance of becoming airworthy again? :confused:

[Tyres O'Flaherty]

None exist. All gone. Real shame. Although there is a project to reconstruct one www.dhhornet50.net (http://www.dhhornet50.net/index.php?f=data_home&a=1)

[BEagle]

Beautiful aeroplane - but not for nothing known as the 'Termite Queen' in NEAF!

[Kieron Kirk]

Excuse whilst I dust off my anorak.

DH 103 Hornet prototypes-2
Hornet F1-60
Hornet PR2-5
Hornet F3-132
Hornet F4-12
Sea Hornet FR20-79
Sea Hornet NF21-78
Sea Hornet PR22-23

Ciarain.

[Noah Zark.]

Thanks for the info, chaps. What a pity! Wonderful looking machine. Does anyone know if the one under construction as mentioned by Tyres is for static or a flyer?

[robmack]

Last Hornet was at Westhampnett Air Cadets-as soon as interest was shown in possible preservation, it was broken up/ burnt, sometime in early 60s. Mindset of authorities at that time inexplicable.

[Steve Bond]

Quite a few Sea Hornet rear fuselages survived on the dump at St.Davids airfields until around 1970. One of them at least was saved and is now at Salisbury Hall I believe.

[PaperTiger]

OT, but related I hope.

Mosquito VR796/CF-HML was delivered, shrink-wrapped by trucks (lorries), from Vancouver to Victoria BC yesterday. Two large pieces, fuselage and entire wing. Supposed to be flying by next year :ok:

[david collins]

Hello all,

Including prototypes there were just under 400 made.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, progress of my project to reconstruct at least a fuselage of one of these can be followed on this website:

www.dhhornet50.net (http://www.dhhornet50.net)

This is very much a static reconstruction, but all efforts are being persued to use the correct materials, and construction techniques in this build. In many cases, the sole surviving example of each bracket or component is being used to retain some level of authenticity.

Thank you for your interest,

Regards,
David Collins
de Havilland Hornet Project Manager
[email protected]

[Noah Zark.]

Good luck with your project, David. It would be nice to see one complete if ever you could get that far. :ok:

[emeritus]

Hi
My father flew the very last Sea Hornets which were stationed at St Davids in Wales. He was a war time R A F fighter pilot. (Jimmy Stewart) After the war one of his jobs was training Navy pilots on twin engine aircraft conversions.
He was in horror, as flying these aircraft daily at St Davids (and Mosquitos for years in the war) One day they were flying these Sea Hornets aircraft and coming to fly the next day, all the aircraft still in the hangars had their wings chopped off by the Ministry. (they said inter-crystalisation corrosion of the wing spars) and so that was the death and end of the Sea Hornets, not one was saved so to speak. but I think that the remnants must be still there under ground at St Davids?
Regards Ian Stewart

[Noah Zark.]

Hello Ian. That was a sickener for your Dad, no doubt. Hopefully some more info might be forthcoming following your post.

[larssnowpharter]

David,

I wish you the best of luck with your project. It's a great shame that one of the most beautiful aircraft ever to have taken to the skies is no longer with us except as a photographic memory.

Which reminds me, I have a project to scan may of my Father's old photos including many of the Hornet.

In the meantime here's one of me sitting in one:

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t295/larssnowpharter/nice2.jpg

[BEagle]

You have to ask why it was necessary to destroy all aircraft of a particular type when they became obsolete, rather than keeping just one example for a museum.

Back in the 1950s, the last surviving Westland Welkin lurked behind a hangar at RAF Merryfield - I wonder what became of it?

A shame that not one Hornet, one of the most graceful aircraft the RAF ever had, survived the termites and bulldozers.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Best to blame the buldozers, there are precious few termites within a thousand miles of St Davids.

[Davidsoffice]

Maybe the wrong type of insect repellant? Got the termites AND the hornets!

[Dick Whittingham]

Actually, there are termites across the water on Staunton Sands

Dick

[dakkg651]

I'm still waiting for the day that someone discovers a complete Hornet along with the Martin Baker MB5 hidden away in an old barn.

We can but dream.......

[Chris Scott]

Ah yes, the M.B.5 ...

[NeilCP]

I want to find a Westland Whirlwind fighter.Love that plane.

[Fareastdriver]

I beleive though I may be wrong that the purpose of destroying surplus military aircraft was to stop them from arriving in Israel. There had been a history of underhand deals by the Israeli government to acquire aircraft and for some reason the British govenment was trying to stop it. The first thing that happened to an aircraft when it was 'struck off charge' was that the mainspars were sawn through.

[norwich]

Two large parts from dH 103 Hornet / Sea Hornet photographed last weekend at London Colney ?

Keith.

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/mosquito%20mus/DSC_0124.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/mosquito%20mus/DSC_0125.jpg

http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii58/keithnewsome/mosquito%20mus/DSC_0040.jpg

[david collins]

Hi larssnowpharter
Great Hornet cockpit photos! Do you recall where this was? I am guessing by the attire of the man showing you the instrument panel, this may have been Hong Kong?? 80 Squadron aircraft? I'd love to see more scans if you have them please.

[email protected]


Hi Norwich,

The Merlin you have pictured was bought with donations by many of the Hornet pilots, ground crew, myself, and the DH Museum. It is in pretty good condition.

[Steve Bond]

Ian,

Fascinated to hear about your dad flying from St.Davids. A great friend of mine, Doug Turner, did the same so they may well have known each other. Sadly he passed away last year, but not before we had another long chat (recorded on tape) about those days - he loved the Hornet.

I don't suppose you have any photos at St.Davids do you? I have never managed to track any down despite decades of trying.

Regards

Steve Bond

[KiwiBoyZac]

Hopefully all those Hornet fans are still around to see this: Pioneer Aero at Ardmore, New Zealand is restoring Sea Hornet F.20 TT193 to flight.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4430/37234576885_95344210b5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YJhWtx)Classic Wings FB post 150917 (https://flic.kr/p/YJhWtx) by Zac Yates (https://www.flickr.com/photos/83399146@N05/), on Flickr