Although I have never flown a Dove I have flown both the original engined Heron as well as the Lycoming conversion
Even though the Gypsy aircraft was under powered, it was the second best aircraft I've ever flown (The Citation 550 is my favourite). It only had power levers with the mixtures and condition functions inter connected. Just push the throttles forward and away you went.
The Lycoming one, had the grunt to make it an 180kt short field performer. To achieve prop control we had switches on the pedestal to activate an electric motor that drove the pitch control.
If Dhavilland had not been so Britsh and stuck with the Gypsy engine they would have sold 3 times the number to the USA commuter airlines.
Saunders proved this even more so when they re engined the Heron with PT6s. This became the Saunders ST27, a real winner. But the Canadian government had to chose between the DHC6 or the ST27, history tells which they chose.
To indicate how good the Heron was I operated the last commercial flights in a Heron around Australia and out in the Pacific. The longest flight we ever did was from Sydney island hopping to the Cook Island without a hiccup.
What killed off the Heron, government bueauracy. Basically CASA didn't want the aircraft operating any more.