Geoffrey de Havilland
/ˌdʒefri də ˈhævɪlənd/
/ˌdʒefri də ˈhævɪlənd/
- (1882-1965) a British aircraft designer whose company produced many of Britain's best-known aircraft. He started the company after designing planes in the First World War, and it produced the Mosquito fighter plane during the Second World War and then the Comet, the world's first passenger jet plane. He was made a knight in 1944. His company became part of BAE Systems.