De Havilland Hornet

The De Havilland DH.104 Hornet was a high‑performance fighter‑bomber developed by the British de Havilland Aircraft Company in the immediate post‑World II period. Designed as a successor to the renowned Mosquito, the Hornet first flew on 24 November 1944 and entered RAF service in 1946. Its wooden‑core, metal‑skin construction combined the Mosquito’s lightweight efficiency with powerful Rolls‑Royce Griffon or Napier Sabre engines, delivering up to 2,450 hp and a top speed of 475 mph (765 km/h). The aircraft featured a sleek, low‑drag fuselage, a laminar‑flow wing with a 45‑degree sweep, and provisions for up to 2 000 lb of bombs or eight 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machine guns, later upgraded to four 20 mm Hispano cannons. Excellent climb rate and long range made the Hornet ideal for low‑level interception, tactical strike, and carrier operations, where it served with the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm as the Sea Hornet. Though quickly eclipsed by jet designs, the Hornet demonstrated the final zenith of piston‑engine combat aircraft, influencing post‑war aerodynamics and showcasing de Havilland’s innovative use of composite construction, cementing its place in aviation history. Today only a few airframes remain on display in museums, serving as a reminder of the company's engineering prowess and the transitional era between propeller and jet power.

de Havilland Aircraft Company

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