de Havilland T.K.4

de Havilland Aircraft Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1937 · light aircraft

The de Havilland T.K.4 was a diminutive British single-seat racing aircraft built by students of de Havilland's Technical School at Hatfield as a practical construction project. Despite its small size it was capable of impressive speeds.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Low-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	4.73 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

British racing aircraft built by de Havilland's Technical School students
Very small low-wing monoplane designed for air racing
Only one example built as a student training project

Very small low-wing monoplane with clean lines, a flush-fitting cockpit canopy, and retractable undercarriage; the tiny fuselage and short wing give it an almost toy-like appearance on the ground.

Specifications

The de Havilland T.K.4 has a length of 4.73 m (16 ft).
It has a wingspan of 6 m (20 ft).
Its maximum speed is 369 km/h (229 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 1937, the T.K.4 was the fourth in a series of Technical School racing aircraft, following the T.K.1, T.K.2, and T.K.3. It participated in several pre-war air races before the outbreak of the Second World War ended competitive racing in Britain.

Variants

Only one aircraft was built; it was a one-off student project.

Where you'll see it

Operated privately in the United Kingdom before the war; no military use. Its UK origin is directly relevant as it was built and flown in Britain.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 4,893 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.