This view of the Queen Bee neatly shows the historically accurate, slightly lighter shade of the camouflage colours on the lower wings.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

KEITH WILSON photographed Colin Knowles (in the rear seat) and Mike Woollard airborne in de Havilland Queen Bee LF858/G-BLUZ.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

The Queen Bee’s deepened centresection fuel tank is one of the features which distinguishes it from the Tiger Moth.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

This fine air-to-air portrait of sole airworthy Queen Bee LF858/G-BLUZ reveals that the aircraft’s upper wingtip undersides are painted red, the mark of a normally unmanned aircraft.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

The fuselage-mounted windmill which drove the air compressor for the pneumatics.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

De Havilland D.H.82B Queen Bee K5107 makes a pilotless water take-off under radio control. Delivered to No 2 Gunnery Co-operation Flight (later No 3 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit) at Kalafrana, Malta, on March 12, 1936, it crashed in the sea on October 5, 1937, and was subsequently struck off charge at Aboukir, having logged more than 59hr in the air.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

A Queen Bee of No 1 AACU, possibly N1828, is launched from its catapult at the RAF camp at Doniford in Bridgwater Bay in the Severn Estuary in July 1939. This AACU had numerous Flights at various locations.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

Queen Bee K4229, with an open front cockpit, displays the drone’s landplane configuration. After trials at the RAE in mid-1934 it went to the Gunnery Co-operation Flight at Gosport, ending up on Malta in 1940.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

The anti-aircraft guns at Doniford Range open up on a harmless Queen Bee during a practice shoot. Clearly visible in the background on the left are the launch catapult and the crane used to hoist the aircraft on to the catapult.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

LEFT The rear cockpit, full of pneumatic pipework for remote actuation of the controls.
RIGHT The pilot’s cockpit, with telephone-dial-type controller at top centre, was manned for trimming flights.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935

Another Queen Bee, LF789, has been restored for static display in the de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre (Mosquito Aircraft Museum) at London Colney in Hertfordshire.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Queen Bee / D.H.82B - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1935