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De Havilland Dove

From Alfawiki
de Havilland
IndustryAerospace
Founded1920; 106 years ago (1920)
FounderGeoffrey de Havilland
Headquarters
Hatfield, Hertfordshire
,
United Kingdom
ProductsAircraft including DH.104 Dove, Mosquito, Comet


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The de Havilland DH.104 Dove represents a British short-distance airliner designed and produced by de Havilland. This monoplane was developed as a successor to the pre-war Dragon Rapide biplane, emerging from the recommendations of the Brabazon Committee report, which included a call for a domestically designed short-haul feeder aircraft for commercial airlines.

Recognised as one of the most successful British civil aircraft designs following World War II, the Dove enjoyed considerable popularity with over 500 units built between 1946 and 1967. Several military adaptations existed, including the Devon operated by the Royal Air Force and the Sea Devon utilized by the Royal Navy, along with service in various international military fleets.

A larger, four-engine derivative aimed at operations in less developed regions was developed as the Heron. Additionally, a substantially modified three-engine version was produced in Australia under the designation de Havilland Australia DHA-3 Drover.

Development and design

The Dove's development was led by Ronald Bishop, renowned for designing both the wartime de Havilland Mosquito fighter-bomber and the pioneering commercial jet, the de Havilland Comet. The aircraft was created to satisfy the Type VB specification issued by the Brabazon Committee. Its concept focused on replacing the earlier Dragon Rapide while also competing effectively against numerous surplus military transports available post-World War II, such as the Douglas DC-3. Unlike its predecessor, the Dove featured an all-metal airframe. Its design incorporated advanced elements for its time, including constant-speed propellers, wing flaps, and retractable tricycle landing gear.

In 1946, Flight magazine highlighted the Dove's modern attributes, praising its payload capacity, dependable performance during engine failure scenarios, and ease of maintenance. Significant emphasis was placed on maintainability; many components such as rudder, elevator, and engines were designed to be quickly interchangeable or removable. The engines were mounted using four quick-release points, while cable and piping layouts were arranged for accessibility. The wings and tail cone could also be detached for servicing. Extensive use of special Redux metal-bonding adhesives reduced reliance on riveting during construction, lowering overall weight and minimizing aerodynamic drag.

Typically configured to accommodate eight to eleven passengers in standard layouts, the cabin was designed with flexibility in mind to allow operators to switch between higher-density and more spacious seating arrangements. Removable features included a single lavatory and an aft luggage compartment to increase seating capacity when necessary. Specialized versions were developed for roles such as aerial surveying, medical evacuation, and airborne classrooms. The cabin floor was reinforced to support concentrated cargo loads. The Dove also found popularity as an executive transport seating five passengers in a business configuration, particularly among overseas clientele including those in the United States.

Crew composition generally involved a pilot and radio operator; however, easily installed dual flight controls could be fitted to accommodate a second pilot if required. The cockpit benefited from large windows combined with a transparent perspex roof section, providing excellent external visibility. Pilots appreciated the Dove for its straightforward handling characteristics and gentle stall behavior. An optional TKS anti-icing system was available, utilizing an alcohol-based gel dispensed through porous metal strips embedded along leading edges of wings and tail surfaces.

Operational service

File:DH.104 Devon NZ1802 RNZAF 42 Sqn WELL 21.04.71 edited-2.jpg
RNZAF Devon C.1 of 42 Squadron at Wellington Airport in 1971

The Dove's maiden flight occurred on 25 September 1945.[1] By December 1946, the aircraft commenced operations with Central African Airways.[2] Initial manufacturing of the Dove was conducted at de Havilland's Hatfield plant; however, from 1951 production shifted to the company's Broughton site near Chester.[3] The last Dove was delivered in 1967, with a total output of 544 aircraft,[4] encompassing two prototypes, 127 military-configured Devon models, and 13 Sea Devon variants.

Beginning in 1946, numerous units were sold globally to scheduled and charter airlines, serving as replacements or supplements for pre-war designs such as the de Havilland Dragon Rapide. Argentina placed the largest order, acquiring 70 aircraft,[5] primarily operated by the Argentine Air Force. Meanwhile, LAN Chile received twelve Doves starting in 1949; these remained active until their sale to several smaller regional U.S. airlines in 1954.[6]Template:Page needed

More than fifty Doves were distributed throughout the United States by Jack Riley, an overseas dealer for the type. Although de Havilland later took over U.S. sales directly, it was unable to replicate this initial commercial success.[7]

An initial delivery of thirty Devons went to the Royal Air Force[8], which utilized them as VIP and light transport aircraft for over three decades. The Royal New Zealand Air Force acquired thirty Devons between 1948 and 1954; these aircraft continued serving VIP transport, crew training, and light transport roles into the 1970s.[6]Template:Page needed

During the Nigerian Civil War, the Biafran Air Force operated a lone Dove; this plane was lost but later rediscovered in 1970 at a school located in Uli.[9] Another US-registered Riley Dove (N477PM), delivered from Switzerland to Port Harcourt in 1967, was prevented from reaching Biafra due to intervention by Algerian authorities.[9]

A Dove was utilized as the first official aircraft for a Paraguayan head of state during the administration of Alfredo Stroessner, before being replaced by a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter.[10]

As of 2011, a limited number of Doves and civilian-modified Devons remained operational within the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and other countries, primarily with small commercial operators and private pilots.

Variants

File:DH.104 Dove 1 G-AHRB Skyways Ringway 05.06.48 edited-2.jpg
Early model Dove 1 operated by Skyways in June 1948
File:G-OPLC (19405331973).jpg
Dove G-OPLC photographed in 2006
  • Dove 1 : A light transport aircraft accommodating up to 11 passengers, powered by a pair of 330 hp (250 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Queen 70-3 piston engines.[11][12]
    • Dove 1B : Mk 1 variant equipped with two 340 hp (250 kW) Gipsy Queen 70-4 piston engines.[8]
  • Dove 2 : Designed as an executive transport seating six passengers, powered by two 330 hp (250 kW) Gipsy Queen 70-3 piston engines.[12]
    • Dove 2B : Mk 2 version fitted with two 340 hp (250 kW) Gipsy Queen 70-4 piston engines.[8]
  • Dove 3 : Intended for high-altitude survey missions but never constructed.[8]
  • Dove 4 : Military variant used for transport and communications.[8]
    • Devon C Mk 1 : RAF transport and communications model.[8]
    • Devon C Mk 2 : An upgraded RAF version of the Devon C Mk 1 featuring revised cockpit design and powered by two 400 hp (300 kW) Gipsy Queen 175 piston engines.[13]
    • Sea Devon C Mk 20 : Royal Navy transport and communications adaptation.[8]
  • Dove 5 : Enhanced Dove 1 variant with seating for up to eleven passengers, equipped with two 380 hp (280 kW) Gipsy Queen 70 Mk2 piston engines.[14][8]
  • Dove 6 : Upgraded executive transport version based on Dove 2, seating six and powered by two 380 hp (280 kW) Gipsy Queen 70 Mk2 piston engines.[14][8]
    • Dove 6B : Reinforced for operation at a maximum takeoff weight of 8,500 lb (3,900 kg).[15]
File:DH.104 Riley Dove N673R Long Beach CA 04.87-2.jpg
Riley Dove featuring Lycoming engines and a taller swept fin at Long Beach airport in April 1987
  • Dove 7 : Further improved version of Dove 5, accommodating eleven passengers with two 400 hp (300 kW) Gipsy Queen 70 Mk3 piston engines and an updated cockpit layout.[8]
  • Dove 8 : Enhanced six-seat executive model derived from Dove 6, fitted with two 400 hp (300 kW) Gipsy Queen 70 Mk3 piston engines and a redesigned cockpit.[8]
    • Dove 8A : Five-seat configuration of the Dove 8 tailored for the U.S. market.[14]

  • Dove Custom 800 : A bespoke modification of the Dove executed by Horton and Horton in Fort Worth, Texas, often featuring removable bulkheads and a variety of interior layouts including airliner-style arrangements.[16]
File:DH.104 Dove 1 Carstedt CJ600F Falcon N4921V ADD 19.10.75.jpg
Carstedt CJ600F stretched cargo conversion of a Dove 1 fitted with TPE331 turboprops, at Dallas Addison in October 1975
  • Carstedt Jet Liner 600 : Modified Doves by Carstedt Inc., based in Long Beach, California, USA, fitted with two 605 hp (451 kW) Garrett AiResearch TPE331 turboprop engines. The fuselage was extended by 87 in (2,200 mm) to increase capacity to eighteen passengers.[17][18] Only six conversions were completed before one was lost due to structural failure in flight.[19]
  • Riley Turbo Executive 400 / Riley Turbo-Exec 400 / Riley Dove 400 : American conversions performed by Riley Aeronautics Corp, outfitting the aircraft with two 400 hp (300 kW) Lycoming IO-720-A1A flat-eight piston engines. These versions featured a taller swept vertical fin and rudder; those retaining the original DH fin were designated as Riley Dove 2. During the late ’60s, Riley Aeronautics at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida also provided interior refurbishments for both the De Havilland Dove and Heron models.[20][21]

Operators

File:De Havilland Devon XA880 - RAF Kemble - BB.jpg
de Havilland Devon
File:Ntps-dh104-N11XW-090302-01-cradj-8.jpg
Dove 6A operated by the National Test Pilot School departing from Mojave Airport, 2009
File:Dove cockpit.jpg
Cockpit

Civil operators

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  1. REDIRECT Template:DEU
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File:De Havilland Dove on display at HAL Aerospace museum Bangalore.jpg
Dove with tail number HW201 exhibited at the HAL Aerospace Museum in Bengaluru, India
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File:SAATAS East Indonesia de Havilland Dove DRW Wheatley.jpg
De Havilland Dove operated by SAATAS East Indonesia at Darwin Airport during the 1980s
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Template:Country data Kenya, Template:Country data Uganda, Template:Country data Tanganyika and Template:Country data Zanzibar
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Portuguese Angola

Portuguese Cape Verde

Portuguese Mozambique

File:Transportes Aereos De Timor De Havilland DH-104 Dove 1B Wheatley.jpg
Transportes Aéreos de Timor CR-TAG Dove at Bankstown Airport in the early 1970s. This particular aircraft is preserved in the Darwin Aviation Museum. A Bristol Freighter is also visible in the image.

Portuguese Timor

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File:Flag of South Africa (1928–1982).svg South Africa

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  • Operated by Air Wisconsin
  • Apache Airlines
  • Catalina Airlines
  • Golden Isles Airlines
  • Gulf Coast Airways[29]
  • Illini Airlines
  • Midwest Air Charter
  • Operated by the National Test Pilot School
  • Statewide Airlines
  • Superior Airlines (1960)
  • TAG Airlines
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  • [ [Jat Airways | Jugoslovenski Aero-Transport] ] (JAT).[30]

Military users

Template:ARG
Template:Country data Belgian Congo
Template:Country data Biafra
  • Biafran Air Force – A single Riley-modified Riley 400 was left behind at Port Harcourt by Bristow Helicopters during the onset of the civil war in 1967 and subsequently taken over by Biafran mercenaries.[33]
Template:BRA
Template:Country data Ceylon
File:Flag of Egypt (1922–1958).svg Egypt
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Template:IND
Template:Country data Iraq
  • Royal Iraqi Air Force – Seven aircraft: one Series 1 for Royal Flight delivered in 1947, followed by six Series 1s in 1948.[31]
    • Royal Flight
    • No. 3 Transport Squadron
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  • Irish Air Corps – Four aircraft including one series 1B in 1953, one series 5 in 1959, one series 7 in 1962, and a series 8 modified for radio and radar calibration in 1970.[31]
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  • Royal Jordanian Air Force – Six aircraft total: two Series 1 transferred from Jordan National Airlines, two aircraft originally intended for Jordan National Airlines converted to Series 5 and assigned to the air force, and two new Series 7s delivered in 1965.[31]
  • Royal Flight
Template:Country data Katanga
  • Force Aérienne Katangaise – Six aircraft operated.[31][34]
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Template:Country data LaosTemplate:Namespace detect showall Kingdom of Laos
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  • Lebanese Air Force – One Series 1 delivered in 1951, with an additional aircraft ordered but never delivered.[31]
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  • Pakistan Air Force – Two aircraft: one former Government of Sind Series 1 used until 1962, and a new VIP Series 2 delivered in 1949.[31]
    • No. 12 Squadron
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File:Flag of South Africa (1928–1982).svg South Africa
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Accidents and incidents

  • On 13 May 1948, a Skyways Limited Dove 1 registered G-AJOU crashed near Privas in France. All four individuals aboard lost their lives, including the Earl Fitzwilliam and Kathleen Cavendish, the second daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy.
  • A De Havilland DH.104 Dove 1 operated by Union of Burma Airways, registration XY-ABO, went down on 14 March 1949 in the Gulf of Mottama (Martaban) while flying from Mingaladon Airport (Yangon) to Moulmein Airport (Mawlamyine). The tragedy claimed the lives of nine passengers and two crew members, Captain P H Sparrow and radio officer L.A. Stephens.
  • On 15 October 1951, Airlines (WA) Ltd’s Dove VH-AQO crashed close to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, during a flight from Perth. The accident resulted in the deaths of all seven occupants and was ultimately linked to fatigue cracking in the wing spar.
  • The Argentine Air Force experienced a mid-air collision on 12 November 1953 when Dove T-82 collided with Junkers Ju 52 T-159 near Villa Mugueta, Santa Fe. There were no survivors among the 20 fatalities, including Vice-commodore Gustavo Argentino Marambio, a pioneer in Argentine Antarctic aviation.
  • On 1 December 1954, De Havilland Australia’s Dove 2B VH-DHD crashed near Narellan, close to Camden, Australia. Reginald Adsett, chief examiner of airmen for the Australian Civil Aviation Department, was killed, while two others sustained serious injuries.
  • Channel Airways’ Dove G-AOCE crashed on approach to Ferryfield Airfield at Lydd, Kent, UK on 15 January 1958 after both engines stopped due to fuel starvation caused by mismanagement. Fortunately, all seven people onboard survived.
  • The Iraqi Air Force’s de Havilland DH.104 Dove 1, RF392, carrying President Abdul Salam Arif crashed in southern Iraq on 13 April 1966. It is believed that sabotage by Ba'athist factions within the military was responsible for the incident.
  • On 11 April 1968, Egyptian Air Force Dove 1 Z-900 disappeared over the Sahara Desert following an instrument failure. The wreckage was only discovered on 1 June 1971; all nine occupants had perished from starvation.
  • TAG Airlines Flight 730 crashed into Lake Erie on 28 January 1970 due to an in-flight structural failure. All nine passengers and crew aboard were killed.
  • Apache Airlines Flight 33 suffered an in-flight structural failure near Coolidge, Arizona on 6 May 1971 while en route from Tucson to Phoenix. The crash resulted in the deaths of all twelve individuals onboard.
  • A privately owned Dove registered G-AMYP experienced engine failure during takeoff at Shoreham Airport on 9 July 1983 and crashed into the River Adur’s banks. The sole occupant and pilot, Keith Wickenden, died instantly.
  • On 3 December 1993, Dove VH-DHD, operating as a chartered dinner flight at Essendon near Melbourne, lost engine power during takeoff and collided with five houses. Although there were no fatalities among the ten passengers and crew or people on the ground, all onboard and one pedestrian required hospital treatment.
  • New Zealand-based Devon ZK-UDO (formerly RNZAF Devon 21) suffered a hard landing at RNZAF Base Ohakea on 3 February 2006 due to asymmetrical flap deployment during approach. All aboard survived with minor injuries; however, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair economically.

Aircraft Exhibited

File:F-12 DH104 Dove Argentine Airforce (8164169390).jpg
Dove 1 exhibited at the Museo Nacional de Aeronautica de Argentina
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Denmark
Germany
India
Netherlands
New Zealand
South Africa
  • ZS-BCC – Dove 6 displayed at the South African Airways Museum located in Germiston, Gauteng.
Sri Lanka
  • CS401 – Dove 5 exhibited statically at the Sri Lanka Air Force Museum in Ratmalana, Colombo.
  • CS402 – Dove 5 also on static display at the Sri Lanka Air Force Museum in Ratmalana.
  • CS404 – Another Dove 5 presented as a static exhibit at the same museum in Ratmalana.
Sweden
United Arab Emirates
  • G-ARDE - Dove 6 exhibited at the Al Mahatta Museum within Sharjah and painted to represent G-AJPR.
United Kingdom
United States
  • N234D – Dove 6A held in storage by the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum located in Reading, Pennsylvania.
  • N557JC – Dove 5A also stored within the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum facility.
Venezuela

Appearances in fiction

A de Havilland Dove plays a significant role in the adventure novel Shooting Script by Gavin Lyall. The aircraft registered as G-ARBH is featured in the 1962 movie The Wrong Arm of the Law, serving as the private plane of Pearly Gates, a character portrayed by Peter Sellers.

At the start of the 1980 film Flash Gordon, characters Dale Arden, a travel agent, and Flash Gordon, quarterback for the New York Jets, board a de Havilland Dove. This plane subsequently crashes into a greenhouse next to Dr. Hans Zarkov's secret lab. The crash was caused by atmospheric disturbances created by Ming the Merciless, ruler of planet Mongo. The crash scene was shot using a 30-inch scale model of the Dove diving into a miniature set.

In the ninth episode of season two of the British television series The Crown, Prince Philip is depicted piloting a de Havilland Dove.

In the Simon Templar episode titled Queen's Ransom from The Saint, a Riley Dove 2 powered by Lycoming engines, registration G-ASUW, appears configured in an executive layout.

Specifications (Dove 7)

File:De Havilland Doves Series 5 3-view silhouette.jpg
de Havilland Dove Series 5

Template:Aircraft specs

See also

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Notes

  1. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Jackdh p443
  2. ↑ "Hawker Siddeley Aviation." Flight International, 26 November 1964. p. 919.
  3. ↑ Jackson 1987, p. 444.
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Bae History
  5. ↑ Jackson 1987, p. 445.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sykes 1972
  7. ↑ Collins, Richard L. "On Top: Life of Riley." Flying Magazine, April 1975. 96(4). p. 8.
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 Jackson 1987, p. 446.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Cooper, Tom. Template:Usurped Acig.org 13 November 2003.
  10. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ↑ Gunston 1980, p. 158.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Jackson 1987, pp. 446–446
  13. ↑ Jackson 1987, p. 449
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Gunston 1980, p. 159.
  15. ↑ Jackson 1987, pp. 446, 450
  16. ↑ Schlaeger September 1961, pp. 30–31.
  17. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  18. ↑ Gunston 1980, pp. 159, 238.
  19. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  20. ↑ Jane 1972, p.432.
  21. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 22.8 Stroud 1994, p. 67.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Stroud 1994, p. 68.
  24. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  25. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  26. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  27. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  28. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  29. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  30. ↑ Air-Britain Archive Winter 2009, p. 148
  31. ↑ 31.00 31.01 31.02 31.03 31.04 31.05 31.06 31.07 31.08 31.09 31.10 31.11 31.12 31.13 31.14 31.15 31.16 31.17 31.18 31.19 31.20 Sykes 1973, p. 56-60
  32. ↑ "F-12 (cn 04156)". airliners.net, 11 February 2006. Retrieved: 11 October 2011.
  33. ↑ Sykes 1973, p. 22
  34. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

Bibliography

  • "Complete Civil Registers: 15: X- UN- Yu- Yugoslavia". Air-Britain Archive, Winter 2009. pp. 147–148. Template:ISSN.
  • "de Havilland Dove." Flight International, 30 May 1946. pp. 547a-547e.
  • Ellis, Ken. Wrecks & Relics, 23rd Edition. Manchester, England: Crecy Publishing, 2012. ISBN 9 780859 791724.
  • Gunston, Bill. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Propeller Airliners. Exeter Books, 1980. ISBN 0-896-73078-6.
  • Jackson, A.J. de Havilland Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam & Company Ltd, 1978. ISBN 0-370-30022-X.
  • Jackson, A.J. de Havilland Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam, Third edition, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-802-X.
  • Jane, Frederick Thomas. Jane's All the World's Aircraft. Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1972.
  • Schlaeger, Gerald J. "de Havilland Dove Custom 800." Flying Magazine, September 1961. Vol. 69, No. 3. pp. 30–31, 64, 66.
  • Stroud, John. "Post War Propliners: de Havilland Dove". Aeroplane Monthly, Vol. 22, No. 10, October 1994. pp. 64–69.
  • Sykes, T. (editor) The DH104 Dove and DH114 Heron Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1973.
  • "The de Havilland Dove." Flight International, 12 April 1945. pp. 399–400.
  • Taylor, John W. R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1966–67. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Company, 1966.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).

External links

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