Kendall Herons?
 

Hi all,

Having a bit of a conversation with some old fellas who remember Kendall operating Herons. I never knew they did. Does anyone have any further info or pictures please? Would like to see what it/they looked like.

Thanks

Photos: Riley Turbo Skyliner (DH-114) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Photos: Riley Turbo Skyliner (DH-114) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

I flew The Herons at Kendalls in 1978/9, VH-CLW & VH-KAM, IO-540 Lycomings fuel injected 290 H.P. We cruised at 60% power, 22"@2,200 R.P.M.
Gave a TAS between 160-170 kts on a total burn of 220 litres/Hr. With CASA (DOT) approved 3,000 hour T.B.O.
Don Kendall said the break-even load factor was about 5 Pax out of 15 seats. Max T.O.W. 13,500 lbs. for two pilot R.P.T. operations and we sometimes operated single pilot charter flights at 12,500 lbs. Max. Interesting A/C to fly, great in x-winds with a 30 Kt. limit, fully castoring nosewheel, pneumatic brakes, flaps and gear and a thumb operated brake bar on the control wheel. It was a little deficient in the anti-icing area, pitot heat only which made the MEL-MER sectors in the winter a little interesting at times.

Zlin

Surely that should read pounds, not kgs???

Accident description

Date: 23 OCT 1975
Time: 19:28 EST
Type: de Havilland DH-114 Riley Heron 2
Operator: Connair
Registration: VH-CLS
C/n / msn: 14067
First flight: 1955
Crew: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Passengers: Fatalities: 8 / Occupants: 8
Total: Fatalities: 11 / Occupants: 11
Airplane damage: Written off
Airplane fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: 3 km (1.9 mls) N of Cairns Airport, QLD (CNS) (Australia)
Phase: Approach (APR)
Nature: Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport: Mount Isa Airport, QLD (ISA/YBMA), Australia
Destination airport: Cairns Airport, QLD (CNS/YBCS), Australia
Narrative:
The aircraft was on a runway 15 ILS approach when the crew reported they were going around. The aircraft was then seen flying at low height until it crashed 2813m NW of the runway threshold. Weather was poor with lightning and heavy rain.

More tears as one remembers the old girls:)
I used to fuel them at Tulla back when I was 'somebody else':)
Having flown their smaller cousins (The DH104's) I would loved to have flown a 4 eng plane/version, same at the B747 right?:ok:
I even recall the Aero Commanders they operated, PA31's too I think?
Then the Metro 2's SP, & so on all the way to regional jets, from then on it was downhill all the way:bored:.
Real planes they where, now just part of our memories & the history books


CW

Remember fondly the first imported into Oz, VH-ASH by Associated Airlines with the original Gypsy installed, brand spanking new and complete with a drift sight. Fortunate to fly a number of trips as pax, but on the nostalgia stakes not a patch on the Lockheed 12A it replaced.
Tailwheel, yes should be pounds.

VH-KAM
 

Here's the full history of VH-KAM She is currently being repainted in Airlines of Tasmania livery.

VH-CLW went to Sunflower in Fiji as DQ-FDY. One wing was virtually destroyed when the hangar doors blew in during a cyclone. The wing was rebuilt and the aircraft returned to service. The aeroplane now resides with the Aust Aviation Museum at Bankstown. Thankfully the lovely Heron is well represented in Australian museums but most require engines, props and other parts.

Rgds

Great links there thxs guys:ok:



CW

Did some time on a DH-104 Dove....VH-OBI

The machine had only 1600 hrs total time even in the 90's and hasnt flown much since then. If I recall right one of the engine was still a factory installation and was still the best one to get it going.
Gotta love the art of learning to use the steering with the braking system, might go through the front window if not carefull.... and the "Master Air Valve" ;), wonder how many times people have taken off with the thing turned off and nothing worked after takeoff.... I know of once ! watched it from the ground ;)

Few fun facts....
- range just about limited with oil
- if no oil leaking when parked then the engine is out of oil ;)
- always carry spare spark plugs prfereably an engineer !
- plenty of rags on board

Great for passenger comfort, Great art to operate, surely turns heads with the looks and the lovely humm on those inverted engines.....all in all a great vintage machine for fishing trips with the mates and a whole heap of slabs at the back :E

Smoothie...... :ok:

'SmoothC' yr description sums up pretty much any DH A/C well but what about draining the air tank/s making sure there ain't too much oil in them? We had a special tool made up from a ring spanner, only trouble is I couldn't work out whether the air had too much oil in it or the oil had too much air in it:E I was beginning to think that I was draining an oil tank not an air tank!:bored: We might as well add placing the U/C external locks in place as well, this was done so as to not have them fold up whilst parked, talk about the 'B&W Minstrals' (white shirt, black hands)after doing that!. Seen a couple of 'em get airborne with them still in place, enter one fixed gear Dove !:E Still nice pommy airframe, a delight to hand fly, in fact come to think of it that's all we ever did, hand fly 'em!


CW

Yes, I remember ASH and also the sound of the pneumatic braking system, not to mention the difficulty the pilots had in starting the Queens with a downwind blowing into the exhaust pipes.
Interestingly enough, ASH was one of the first Heron MarkII's, the previous version having FIXED undercarriage.

The Lockheed certainly had the edge on the Heron in the noise stakes also. I don't know what happened to ASH, but the last I saw of ABH was at Dragues Museum in Wangaratta looking terrific.

Heron aircraft
 

I have a trophy at home with a Butler Airlines registration on it. A good looking machine.

Tmb

I believe the Butler Herons were of the Mark 1 variety with the fixed gear.

Could stand to be corrected though....

Didn't the original Southern Airlines operate a Heron Mk1 between Melbourne and Flinders/King Is before they were taken over by Ansett?

they did, may I suggest you read the book entitled Ansett available from Flarose, great production book with all the oldies in them

Apparently the rear luggage bay was comfortable enough for the FO when his seat was required for fare paying pax :rolleyes:


Rumour site innit?

Couple of nice photos of ASH here VH-ASH
ASH ended up with Allegheny Commuter Airlines registered as N3FB and converted to flat engines. Photo here AirlineFan Allegheny Commuter Airlines DH-114 Heron 2D N3FB Photo
While landing at Cleveland Hopkins airport, USA, (2 crew 15 pax) a ground controller cleared a vehicle onto the runway and the inevitable happened. Injuries listed as minor/none and the aircraft remains were sold to Susquehana Airlines for spares.

Thanks for all the info guys. Fantastic stuff.

Did Qantas ever operate a Heron?