The DHC-2 is 75 years old!
Thread Starter
The DHC-2 is 75 years old!
What’s better than a picture of a Beaver? A picture of two Beavers!
Picture by https://www.simonblakesley.ca/index
Picture by https://www.simonblakesley.ca/index
And the Beaver still seems to be the most common type of aircraft in the wilder parts of Alaska -the US very dependent on a 1940s Canadian aircraft. Some now turbine powered, but the original radial also seen in large numbers.
Always a happy sight!
Always a happy sight!
Thread Starter
I had some stick-time in a Turbo Beaver many years ago, but I had never flown in a round-engined one until I was in Tofino in 2015.
I was kindly given a ride in an Army Air Corps Beaver while stationed at Kuching '64-65. Quite a noisy trip as the RH rear door was removed for our maildrop /emergency spares aerial delivery, the latter item being dispatched under a 'hand made' (bodge) chute.
The drop zone was a chopper landing pad somewhere out in the sticks. Both drops landed on target. The spares delivery drop (a radio cable IIRC) was carried out from just above treetop height - great fun, and very accurate!.
The actual aircraft was XP820 which is at the Historic Army Aircraft Flight at Middle Wallop.
The drop zone was a chopper landing pad somewhere out in the sticks. Both drops landed on target. The spares delivery drop (a radio cable IIRC) was carried out from just above treetop height - great fun, and very accurate!.
The actual aircraft was XP820 which is at the Historic Army Aircraft Flight at Middle Wallop.
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One of those types that if you haven't made space for an example in your fantasy hangar then your Total Aviation Person certification would be reviewed...
Looking at the two serials in Brakedwell's pic, XR215 was w/o in 1972, 213 flies on as C-GDKA in Quebec.
Looking at the two serials in Brakedwell's pic, XR215 was w/o in 1972, 213 flies on as C-GDKA in Quebec.
Thought they had always worn Army khaki.........!..
When I was a Hercules airdrop instructor I did a couple of trips in AAC Beavers to Scotland to assess strips for Hercules use. I carried a CBR Cone Penetrometer to asses the strips. What amazed me was that no one else was interested in the job ! Very enjoyable days out.
I was told a story about the arrival of the Beavers in Oman.
At Bait al Falaj there was a discussion as to which could fly slower, the Piston Provost or the Beaver.
A race was decided upon and bets were placed.
A Beaver and a Provost took off and flew along the runway at about 5ft. as slow as possible. Slowly the Beaver was pulling ahead and the Provost supporters claimed a win, however the two crew in the Beaver pushed the doors open with their feet and slowed down to win the race.
Told to me when I was at Seeb '76 to '79.
I worked on a couple of SOAF Beavers at Hurn earlier in '76 when they were on their way back to Canada, changing the crystals in the 10 channel STR9X com sets.
At Bait al Falaj there was a discussion as to which could fly slower, the Piston Provost or the Beaver.
A race was decided upon and bets were placed.
A Beaver and a Provost took off and flew along the runway at about 5ft. as slow as possible. Slowly the Beaver was pulling ahead and the Provost supporters claimed a win, however the two crew in the Beaver pushed the doors open with their feet and slowed down to win the race.
Told to me when I was at Seeb '76 to '79.
I worked on a couple of SOAF Beavers at Hurn earlier in '76 when they were on their way back to Canada, changing the crystals in the 10 channel STR9X com sets.
AAC Beaver visit Neu Ulm Germany Aug 1969
Several times we had an AAC Beaver visit us at our grass field Neu Ulm Germany during 1969
We had Sikorsky CH-34's and a US Army Beaver stationed there.
DH 2 Mk 1 Beaver AAC XP811 cn1466
We had Sikorsky CH-34's and a US Army Beaver stationed there.
DH 2 Mk 1 Beaver AAC XP811 cn1466
I served at 5 FTS (RAF Thornhill) near Gwelo (Gweru) in S. Rhodesia between 1951 - 1953 and CAA (Central African Airways) DHC Beavers were regular visitors running regular feeder services in the colony.
A chunky-looking aeroplane designed for short airfields the DH Beaver was as simple and rugged as a pick-up truck; it could carry six passengers and their luggage. Initially Central African Airways (CAA) used them on feeder services connecting the capital Salisbury (Harare) in the north with Bulawayo in the south via Gatooma (now Kadoma), Que Que (now Kwekwe) and Thornhill (Gwelo - now Gweru). Another service flew from Bulawayo to the east of the colony via Thornhill to Fort Victoria (now Masvingo), Umtali (now Mutare) and on to Salisbury (Harare).
A couple of photos from my album.
CAA Beaver
CAA Beaver among the 5 FTS Harvards
CAA Feeder Services 1952
A chunky-looking aeroplane designed for short airfields the DH Beaver was as simple and rugged as a pick-up truck; it could carry six passengers and their luggage. Initially Central African Airways (CAA) used them on feeder services connecting the capital Salisbury (Harare) in the north with Bulawayo in the south via Gatooma (now Kadoma), Que Que (now Kwekwe) and Thornhill (Gwelo - now Gweru). Another service flew from Bulawayo to the east of the colony via Thornhill to Fort Victoria (now Masvingo), Umtali (now Mutare) and on to Salisbury (Harare).
A couple of photos from my album.
CAA Beaver
CAA Beaver among the 5 FTS Harvards
CAA Feeder Services 1952
In about 1958 we at de Havilland Hatfield had a visit from the Alvis Leonides powered Beaver experimental aeroplane which immediately had lots of us apprentices (and the fitters we were working with!) taking a close look at it.
We were pleased to see it was well up to the build standard we expected . . .
We were pleased to see it was well up to the build standard we expected . . .
What my Ex suspected my passengers looked like. My reply of “Yeah, right,, In my dreams!” was not the correct answer.
The Harbour Air ePlane team is excited to announce that the first direct all-electric point to point test flight has been completed. The historic De Havilland Beaver has been completely retrofitted in 2019 to operate using 100% electricity flew 45 miles in 24 minutes. The aircraft left their terminal on the Fraser River adjacent to YVR and landed in Pat Bay adjacent to YYJ. This is a major milestone in the advancement of all-electric commercial flight
There is definitely something about the Beaver. They used to regally arrive from Germany (BAOR) at RAF Manston for customs clearance on a Sunday. I had an RC one in 2003, the early days of lithium batteries, even so, I could keep it airborne for 30 minutes at max economical cruise
