One of a few dozen bought by the RNZAF and this one was stored in reserve and never called upon. It was 'disposed' of like the others and this one spent time under a hedge and serving as a chook house etc. It was quite a restoration job for us but will never fly again as the spars have deteoriated. At least thats how I understand the story of 'our' Devon.

Thanks John,
Shame she wont fly but looks like a top Resto none the less, if you would like to email some more photo's and the storey of her restoration i can put them up on the FB page and Website.
[email protected]
Cheers, Dan.

DH.104 Dove Preservation Group
https://www.facebook.com/pages/DH104...23574834358937

Dan, I will be out there on Saturday and see what I can find..

John

What is it with the Kiwis and low-time airframes?

There is a Spitfire XVI in the Auckland Museum with only 638 hours! :{

Spitfire - Our galleries - Auckland War Memorial Museum

I understand the newly retired DC3 (ZK-AMY) is quite low hours too, 18,000 or so.

<<There is a Spitfire XVI in the Auckland Museum with only 638 hours!>>

I bet it was only used for going to church on Sundays too!

Not sure if this is the aircraft in John Hill's post earlier....

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/...psbbcd8f0d.jpg

Hi Brendan,
NZ1808 is still airworthy the Devon with 17 hour is NZ1829.
I will add you new pic to the website, do you have any more Dove/Devon photo's you havent put up on ABpic yet?
Cheers, Dan

I am missing the relevance of this comment..

Hi People,
Just a quick message to thank everyone for their support of this project, it is only early days but there are 18 members on our website and we reached 100 likes on facebook todayhttp://forum.keypublishing.com/image.../eagerness.png.
Below is a photo courtesy of Stuart Miller of NZ1805 that is taking to the skys again in 2014(if it hasn't already done so)
Thank you,
Daniel Sherburn
https://www.facebook.com/pages/DH104...23574834358937
DH.104 Dove Preservation Group
http://memberfiles.freewebs.com/27/2...n/1432083F.jpg

John,

I think HD's comment was in reference to the apocryphal used-car advert: "One owner, low mileage. Use by a little old lady to go to church on Sundays."

My mother had a car like that. Her dealer used to boast that it was the lowest-mileage vehicle for its age that they serviced. I think she drove 20,000 miles in about 20 years!

DanS333,

Here's another picture of NZ1808, taken at Tauranga in December 2009, some time after HD/Brendan's visit.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps4e579139.jpg

Note that the lettering on the fuselage is now more appropriate to the colour scheme. I can send you a higher-res version if you wish.

PS I've signed-up on the website.

Great piccy.. Tauranga also has a superb Heron which my wife and I went inside. Have never been inside a Dove - yet!

Dans333.. I'm busy going through all my pics for Air Britain and will upload any Doves/Devons.

Take care all..... Bren/HD

Probably the only fixed-gear Heron still in existence. She was looking very tatty last time I was there a year ago, but I was told still potentially airworthy.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psfcab93c4.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psea38a548.jpg


I'm going to be back there in November. I think I'll ask if I can line-up the props. ;)

PS I see there's another fixed-gear Heron at Newark.

Yes.

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1054748M.jpg

And one in Norway:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1299010M.jpg

And a Japanese one:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1006494M.jpg

Plus a barely surviving one in Oz:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1050789M.jpg

I am sure you are right India Four Two although I must observe that there are posters on Jet Blast topics who would make such a comment and intend it as an insult.

I believe there are the remains of at least four Devons at Ashburton.

One which was flying until a couple of years ago (I will try and get a picture of that one), the one on display in the museum, one disassembled and stashed in a shipping container where it has been for about three years and one in a shed of which only the front of the fuselage was recognisable.

I am very sorry to read about the Heron at Tauranga. When Ruth and I visited in March, 2007, it was immaculate. Great shame.

the sad looking heron minus wings pictured is the prototype. Hopefully restoration will begin soon
cheers

The Devon in the hangar at Ashburton that was flying about two years ago is ZK-XNZ. I understand it changed hangars a couple of days ago and got a little engine run at the same time.

Thanks John,
good to hear she had a run, hopefully she will get a chance to stretch her wings again soon, keep us updated if can.
Cheers, Dan
below is one of my photo's of NZ1817 at Mildura, now in the hands of a private collector and sadly once again will probably never fly again.
http://dh104preservation.webs.com/ph...14709-0001.jpg