De Havilland DH114 Herons to Saunders Aircraft ST-27

[kenair]

Hi, I am looking for information on De Havilland Herons that were converted to Saunders Aircraft ST-27's.
They are Heron serials numbers 14019, 14050, 14051, 14054,14058 (XG603),14059 (XH375),14070,14087,14095,14097, 14112, 14129 (XM295), 14137,14141 (XR391).
I know that RAF Heron XG603 #14058 became the first Saunders Aircraft ST-27 001 conversion.

Any Heron or Saunders stories you have connected to the Heron or the Saunders Aircraft conversion would be great, whether you worked at De Havilland, Aviation Traders, ARB, Welltrade or Saunders Aircraft.

I am writing a book on the Saunder Aircraft Limited story - they were located in Montreal Quebec and later in Gimli Manitoba Canada from 1968 to 1976.
cheers - ken kalynuk

[Commander Taco]

Hi Kenair,

I believe Dave Saunders also designed and had built a single engined four seater with retractable undercarriage as well. In the ST27 he created an airplane for a market segment that wouldn’t exist for another couple of decades.

’Taco

[kenair]

Hi, thank-you for the note, the 4 seater was called the "Super Chettah", Saunders could not raise the cast to put that aircraft into production.
Saunders timing for the ST-27 was not that bad, in 1968 De Havilland Canada has their DHC-6 Twin Otter and Beechcraft had their Beech 99 coming off the production lines.

[kenair]

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/960x541/aic_chettah_montreal_gazette_1964_09_03_da305ce472af88693e67 d35bc8cb79f2b87efcdd.jpg
The Super Chettah designed by Dave Saunders.

[rotarywrench]

HI Ken
Northward Airlines of Edmonton operated 3 or 4 ST-27 out of Whitehorse YK to service the Yukon including Mayo in the late 70's, after their F-27s, for a year or 2. The ST-27s had a bit of a range issue as they had to be refueled when they landed in Mayo for their return trip to Whitehorse 200 miles away.

[kenair]

HI Ken
Northward Airlines of Edmonton operated 3 or 4 ST-27 out of Whitehorse YK to service the Yukon including Mayo in the late 70's, after their F-27s, for a year or 2. The ST-27s had a bit of a range issue as they had to be refueled when they landed in Mayo for their return trip to Whitehorse 200 miles away.

Hi RW, appreciate the note, the range issue especially in Canada would be a non-selling point. cheers - ken