As our tribute to the largest Airborne Operation of the Second World War at that time, we wanted to display a Jeep, ready for air-lifting, alongside our original Airspeed Horsa glider exhibit. The Horsa was a British troop-carrying glider used during the Second World War. It was developed and manufactured by Airspeed Limited (a subsidiary of de Havilland Aircraft Company), and was named after the legendary 5th-century conqueror of southern Britain. The design team led by Hessell Tiltman was based at Salisbury Hall, London Colney, where the de Havilland Aircraft Museum now sits.
The Horsa was capable of accommodating up to 30 fully equipped troops. Others carried a combination of troops and medium equipment, such as the 6-pounder anti-tank gun, or the famous "Jeep" such as the one we have displayed here.
The Airspeed Horsa glider we have at the de Havilland Aircraft Museum is the most complete original example in the UK.
This video is being published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of Operation Market Garden in which hundreds of Horsa gliders participated.
Many thanks to Stuart from the Shuttleworth Collection for lending us his late-war Jeep for the duration of this display.