Partly hiding in the shadows of the trees was this very nice 1957-built Gannet, with its distinctive pair of contra-rotating props. It was struck off charge in June 1970, and arrived at the museum on 24 March 1996, after many years of storage and preservation at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton and at the Wales Aircraft Museum at Cardiff. It is hard to see in this photo, but this aircraft still carries "BY" on the fin.

This Herald was last operated by British Air Ferries until withdrawn from use in Feb 1982 and stored at Southend. In July 1991 it was loaned to The Herald Society for restoration and preservation, and the aircraft was trucked in sections to the then newly-formed museum between August and October 1992. Assembly was completed in Mar 1994, and it was later painted in the BEA colours seen here, even though it only briefly carried these colours for a few months in 1962. The Herald was officially unveiled as such in a ceremony on 16 April 1997.

This Dove was built as a Dove 2A but soon converted to 2B and delivered in Jan 1953 as G-AMXR. In July 1954 if was delivered to the BFS, initially as D-CFSB but later reregistered to D-IFSB and converted to Dove 6. The aircraft made its last flight on 24 Oct 1978, and was trucked from Hatfield to the museum in March 1979.

Arrived at the museum on 9 May 2005 and seen here shortly thereafter, following 37 years of storage at Deception Island, Antarctica. Unfortunately the plans to restore the aircraft, which was on loan from the British Antarctic Survey, never materialised and in January 2012 the aircraft was returned to BAS. It was removed from the museum and transported to a barn at Newhouse Farm, Leaden Roding, UK, reportedly for restoration by Glyn Craig. Very faded "British Antarctic Survey" titles were still visible on the rear fuselage. In the background is the forward fuselage of Comet R.2 XK695 (c/n 06030).

This very early DH.125 arrived at the museum in 1979. On the right side it has "Rolls-Royce" titles and fin logo, with additional "Bristol Engine Division" titles, but on the left side it carries "Bristol Siddeley" titles with matching "BS" fin logo.

Built at Hatfield in 1935 as a DH.87A, but soon converted to DH.87B. It was first registered as G-ADOT on 6 Oct 1935, but impressed into the RAF on 29 Feb 1940 as X9326. On 20 May 1946 it was restored as G-ADOT. Wfu at Stapleford in Oct 1959, and cancelled on 18 Sep 1963. This Hornet Moth was acquired by the museum in 1974 and had been fully restored by 1988.

Former Rolls-Royce Heron seen here undergoing restoraton and painting. It would soon re-appear in its original Rolls-Royce colours. The Heron was originally delivered to RR in July 1956 and served with them until sold to Aces High in 1982. In the subsequent years it saw storage at Fairoaks, Exeter and Biggin Hill before being delivered to the museum on 19 Aug 1995.

This rare squared-window Comet was delivered to Air France in June 1953, but withdrawn very quickly, following the Comet disaster at Elba in Jan 1954. The aircraft became G-AOJT and ended up at RAE Farnborough for testing. Its fuselage survived, and after many years of cocooned storage, it was acquired by the museum in March 1985 and immediately trucked there, arriving on 20 Mar 1985. The Comet still carries its original Air France colours as F-BGNX. The all-silver cockpit section dates back to July 1999, when it was painted to resemble the all-silver Comet prototype G-5-1 for the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Comet's first flight.

This very early DH.125 arrived at the museum in 1979. On the left side it carries "Bristol Siddeley" titles with matching "BS" fin logo, but on the right side it has "Rolls-Royce" titles and fin logo, with additional "Bristol Engine Division" titles.

Ever since it was first delivered in Aug 1960, this Dove has been a De Havilland / Hawker Siddeley / British Aerospace company aircraft. It was finally withdrawn from use in Sep 1987 and stored at Hatfield. It was transferred to the de Havilland Aircraft Museum Trust on 16 Mar 1995, but not actually delivered to the museum until some time in the second half of 2000. At the time the museum was still called the Mosquito Aircraft Museum / de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre, but in January 2014 they changed their name to the much more appropriate de Havilland Aircraft Museum.

First delivered to the RAF in January 1952. On 25 Mar 1976 this Varsity was flown to Sibson, Peterborough, UK (together with Varsity WJ909 c/n 575), to be used as a clubhouse or a diner. These plans did not materialise and the aircraft was stored there until in 1984 the Nene Valley Aviation Society took it under its care. It remained preserved at Sibson for four more years until delivered from there to the Brooklands Museum on 13 Nov 1988.

Seen here undergoing restoration at the Brooklands Museum, with its wings still separate. Was not easy to photograph, with its nose in broad daylight and the tail section hiding away in a dark hangar. This Viking arrived at the museum from Cosford on 27 June 1991, after having been on display there since 1979. Before that it had been in use as a restaurant near Soesterberg, The Netherlands since 1964. Seen in front of the Viking is a nice taxiable 1909 Santos-Dumont Demoiselle replica, built in 1999.

First delivered to BEA in June 1958, this Viscount saw its career cut short when it was damaged beyond repair when Shorts 330 G-BHWT collided into it at Southend, UK on 11 Jan 1988. It was stored there as a spares source for other Viscounts, but eventually trucked to the museum on 11 Feb 1990.

Former British Aerospace Fly-By-Light development aircraft, with matching "Fly By Light Control Technology" titles. Was flown from Filton to the museum on delivery on 14 July 1994.