Board of Trade Doves

[ZeBedie]

Until the early 70’s, the Board of Trade had a fleet of DH Doves. I believe they were used for initial CAFU IR tests. Were they used for anything else? Were all tests done in these or did schools like Hamble and Oxford use their own twins? Were the tests free, or subsidised at all?

[chevvron]

They were regularly deployed to Bournemouth to provide live training for ATCOs at the Colllege of Air Traffic Control.

[dixi188]

I remember them at Hurn (Bournemouth) until about 1967.
There would often be 2 in the circuit being controlled by trainee controllers. There were different radio frequencies for their use and we would listen in while they were being "talked down".
I can't remember if this was PAR or SRA.
When the Doves went Air Gregory Twin Comanches took over until simulators were used.
I think the Doves were based at Stansted along with the 2 HS748s used for ILS calibration.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I believe that Doves were used in the early trials of the Telecroscope, an optical device for calibrating Cat III ILS.

In the early 70s the Doves at Hurn were used in ATCO training for both general radar work as well as SRAs. I flew as a "safety pilot" a few times and it was great fun as we flew over the sea to wave top height to drop out of radar cover! Although Minair pilots usually flew them, there were also one or two ancient BOAC types who were keeping their hands in and were an absolute joy to fly with.

[ZeBedie]

So am I wrong about them being routinely used for IR tests?

[Tagron]

The Dove fleet dated mainly to the mid fifties, replacing a fleet of Airspeed Consuls. I don't know whether, in the early days, they were used for initial IR tests in addition to the activities already described in this thread. By 1967, and probably earlier, the schools were providing their own aircraft for the IR tests.

[Groundloop]

A sad end!

Photos: De Havilland DH-104 Dove 6 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/De-Havilland-DH-104/0704026/L/&sid=5956a5955be1e01c1cc9e9af8467fb73)

[chevvron]

Well remembering there were 'standard' airways routes for IRTs from Stansted, I would guess this was their primary use, but as HD says, they were great fun to fly as 'Safety Pilot' on your Approach Radar courses, especially when one of your colleagues on the course gave a 'wrong direction' turn eg if you were heading 170 and the controller said 'turn left heading 180' the pilot would do just that without querying direction of turn!!

[Planemike]

A less sad end !!!! A CAFU Dove is preserved in AirSpace at Duxford.

See De Havilland DH.104 Dove 6, G-ALFU, CAA (Duxford Aviation Society) (http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1111846/) for an image........

Planemike

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Nice pic Planemike. Obviously a low pass with a very high shutter speed to stop the props!!

[brakedwell]

During my IRE/TRE Course at Stansted in May 1975 I flew two CAFU Dove 6's, G-ANUT and G-ANUU

[Props]

I did my first I/R on a CONSOl with 2 Stage Amber and my IRE on a Dove both at Stansted

[treadigraph]

I can remember G-ANUT and G-ANUW (or 'UU?) parked at Biggin near Fairflight's hangar (I think) on one of my first visits in the mid-70s, still intact and presuambly for spares recovery. Sad end, but good that Duxford has kept one intact.

Flight in a Dove is on the "to do" list!

[John Miller]

Off topic but anyone know how many are left flying in the world and if it would be possible to go fly one in the UK? Heard so many nice things about their flying qualities and some not so kind words about the engines.

[G-APDK]

I have no connection or direct experiences with these companies but see Conciair.co.uk (http://www.conciair.co.uk/heritage.htm) and Fly in the de Havilland Dragon Rapide (http://www.classicflight.com/theAircraft)
for possible flights in a Dove

G-APDK

[wub]

This was taken at Keith Fordyce's aviation museum in Devon in the mid 80s

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h269/wub_01/Dove.jpg

[Sir George Cayley]

Caernafon Aircraft museum has a Dove and a Prentice I think

Frank leopald

[Ramshornvortex]

if it would be possible to go fly one in the UK?

Kemble airfield, 18th September, Dove/Devon VP981.

Battle of Britain Weekend Pleasure Flights (http://www.classicflight.com/K34BOBPF10)

I'm not connected with Classic Flight, but I know plenty of very happy customers of theirs....

Spoil yourself :)

[Liobian]

...and there's another example up at East Fortune. Wish I'd kept a record of the few flights I got during my APC RAD in '73. :ok:

[Helen49]

The doves and princes [?], mainly Stansted based, were used for navaid testing until replaced by AV748s.
Helen

[G-ASSV]

I can remember as a child playing in the derelict fuselages of the two Doves at Biggin Hill that were dumped in the long grass over behind the blue Air Touring hangar in 1978. There was at the time lots of Doves and Herons about on the airfield, it was a fascinating place. Seem to also remember a Britannia there too but might be mistaken.

[treadigraph]

G-ASSV, that would be them. Prior to that there was another Dove, CS-TAB on the fire dump.

First time I went there in 1975 was an ex Air Spain Britannia which had been vandalised; it was scrapped and an ex IAS Britannia arrived to take its place near the Express Aviation Services hangar I think. My recollection was thyey were there for engine tests, seem unlikely though.

[Double Zero]

This might be considered off-topic, but BAe operated several Doves as a 'hack' communications fleet between airfields in the 1970's-80's.

I had the pleasure of many trips in G-ASMG, Dunsfold's example; I'm not sure the pilots were quite so keen on the 1 engine out performance though.

A certain JF landed MG so smoothly one day we literally did not know we were on the ground...

Last I heard G-ASMG was still doing well in Australia / New Zealand.

[wub]

and there's another example up at East Fortune.....

Forgot I had this one

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h269/wub_01/IMG_3702-2.jpg

[S-N-A-F-U]

Does anyone know where there might be spares (NOS) for the dove? I'm chasing a nose tyre, pistons and rings. We also have a bunch of spares that we may be able to trade or buy out right.
cheers:ok:

[Planemike]

Try these folk: Devonair at Little Rissington (http://www.devonair.net/)

Planemike

[alisoncc]

Doves! Doves you call them. More like vultures picking over the corpses of itinerant aircraft engineers when the BoT ran the exams for LAME's, whom if successful were then licenced by the ARB. My last involvement with them was in 1968, when they turned a gifted ex-RAF avionics engineer into a gibbering wreck. Got all the licences though. :8

PS sorry for thread drift. But BoT and Doves didn't ring true. :ok:

[PPRuNe Pop]

In the latter years, certainly the mid 70's, the CAA did extensive calibration tests on ILS installations using Dove's up and down the country. Went on few myself. I much admired the pilots who flew them - great skills with a precise approach always.

[suninmyeyes]

There's a Dove at Compton Abbas.

I presume it will never fly again but I hope to be proved wrong.