de Havilland Iris replica
This is a replica of the de Havilland Iris engine – the first aero engine to be designed by Geoffrey de Havilland.
By 1908 Geoffrey de Havilland was working as a designer for the Motor Omnibus Construction Company in London. He produced drawings for a new engine for powering his first aircraft – the de Havilland Biplane No. 1 – and commissioned Iris Cars Ltd to build it.
The engine is a horizontally opposed, four-cylinder design with a single camshaft operating poppet valves through pushrods that were hollowed to save weight. The crankshaft was supported on ball bearings which allowed a simple ‘splash’ lubrication system to be used. Cooling was by water with the cylinders being encased in copper jackets.
In 1957 instructors and apprentices from the de Havilland Aircraft Company Technical School decided to construct a replica engine, almost 50 years after the original Iris was built.
Flight magazine had featured an article on the engine in May 1910 with a detailed technical description and line drawings. This information along with the original designer’s memory were used to produce a new set of drawings and components. Several companies involved with the original engine assisted with new parts.
View More Aircraft & Engines
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award
The de Havilland Aircraft Museum has qualified for Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame from TripAdvisor because the Museum has earned a Certificate of Excellence every year since 2016.
The Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence was awarded to the de Havilland Aircraft Museum in recognition for Excellence in Hospitality.
As a recipient of this award, it means that our volunteers and staff have been recognized for delivering consistently great service, as defined by the reviews of travelers and visitors.
The recognition distinguishes the Museum from other attractions and gives visitors more reason to choose the de Havilland Aircraft Museum.