Devon airborne downunder
 

ZK-KTT was airborne at Tauranga on 30th December, for the first time in 30 years. Dave Phillips of Hunter, Mosquito and Tiger Moth fame at the controls.

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

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps76qasr3m.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps1f8pphpg.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pss7ybr3h5.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psnsyfj5iv.jpg

That second photo reminds me of the time when in response to a radio call from Air Traffic about the amount of smoke on start up the pilot replied that everything was OK but he was going IMC to start number two.

Is that just black paint on the leading edge of the rudder?

Looks a bit like a de-icing boot, but I don't recall ever the Dove/Devon ever having those.

Oh what joy. I saw it at Ardmore in 2007 looking resplendent. Many congrats to all those who worked to achieve this milestone.

some later Doves seem to have had a de-ing strip on the tail

de Havilland DH104 Dove Mk.8 ? de Havilland Aircraft Museum

• cabin fresh air intakes above the windows,
• open inlet pipes protruding forward from the engine exhausts to provide exhaust-heated cabin hot air,
• a wing leading-edge intake on the port side of each engine for the pneumatic system compressors,
• porous strips in the wing and tail leading-edges for pumping out de-icing fluid,
• a fully castoring nosewheel allowing turning by differential braking while taxiing,
• a twin-tread anti-shimmy nosewheel tyre,
• a landing light on the nosewheel bay front door.c

Aah, just lovely

Now they just need to get the Heron airborne. See pictures 1 and 3.

This one I guess?

http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/...psnmbrfs9t.jpg

I think the black stripe at the top of the rudder horn balance is probably just paint. It might be a rubber protective strip, as the rudder is fabric-covered.

As far as I remember, the TKS porous metal strips are only installed on the leading edges of the outboard wings and tail plane. I don't think the fin has one.

I ferried one from Malta to the UK. It had been sitting out in the sun for a few months. After a good few engine runs and a test-flight, we set off. Traversing a cold front just south of Sicily, we started picking up some ice. I switched on the TKS system and watched, fascinated, as the ice ridges continued to grow! After a few minutes more, and following a lightning strike, I decided to turn it off. The ice stopped growing and eventually ablated after we exited the clouds. I reckon water/condensation had settled in the TKS fluid tank and so I was growing my own ice!

(About 1000 hrs on Doves in the 70s and 80s.)

HD,

That's the one. I first saw her in 2011. Looking more tatty than in your pictures. Some tears in the flap fabric, but I was told she's potentially airworthy.

I had completely forgotten that there were fixed-gear Herons.

eckhard,

Thanks for that interesting anecdote.

Lovely! I always considered the Devon to be one of those aircraft that looks "just right".

That black bit on the rudder leading edge is paint, Doves Devon s were fitted with liquid anti iceing via porous strips on the leading edges of wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers supplied by a 6 gallons tank aft of the main baggage hold and windscreen anti iceing via a hand pump fed from a 1 gallon tank forward of the nose bay hatch, however they are all removed from most of the type with only one exception which I am aware of.

The anti iceing needs a good five minute prime before being used in anger to clear moisture and get the fluid up to the strips, " growing your own ice " what a wonderful and poetic discription, I remember once having a good two inch shelf of snow sticking out underneath the strip, above and top of the wing were perfectly clear, a very odd thing to see and very frightening the first time, no bother to the old girls though.

Wonderful. Flew on a Devon out of Northolt once in early 60's. Brought back some nice memories long forgotten.

You mean 'aah De Havilland'.

chevvron,

You are Roger Bacon and I claim my £5. ;)


I should give a credit to Peter Mole for the Devon photos. You can see more great photos here:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004565670700

And for Heron fans, here's an engine run from three years ago, with a bit of a post-start whoopsie:

https://www.facebook.com/Classicflye...2926445465347/

Chev - that too.


ZFT - if before Jan 63 you would have been over the top of our house whilst I was around. Devons, Ansons, Expeditors, Flamants, etc, all day every day

Yes, I'm aware of the TKS system on the Dove's fixed aerofoils.

But getting either de-icing fluid or hot air to the leading edge of a moveable control surface like the rudder sounds like a lot of hard work.

I'll settle for it being a paint marking.

It probably was. You can add Pembrokes, Valettas and those wonderful IAF Connies to that list too.

Ah the old Smokey start ups, there is no descret way to fire up a gypsy queen,