DH114 HERON Keep-it-Simple de Havilland airliner

In this interview, museum volunteer Kelvin talks about our DH114 Heron MK2 airliner and explains the 'keep-it-simple' design philosophy that made it the right plane for certain jobs.

[@deHavMuseum]

A couple of corrections: a) Near the end I mention Heron conversions and said “put extra engines on”. This should have been "put DIFFERENT engines on’”. For example, one conversion involved replacing the 4 Gypsy Queens with Lycoming engines. b) I also say that there are only half a dozen or so still in existence. I should have said “only half a dozen or so IN THE UK AND EUROPE”. For your info in Europe there are 5 Herons plus 1 Riley Heron whilst in the rest of the work there is the prototype (in storage in Oz), 7 other Herons, 3 Riley Herons and a sole Saunders ST-27. I apologise for these errors.

[@captainmedway]

Worked on the Dove and Heron and the Riley conversion almost 40 years ago now at Fairflight Biggin Hill, One of my favourite aircraft, thank you for the video brings back memories.

[@davidobyrne9549]

I helped maintain the last flying Heron in the UK, G-AORG. Sadly it now lies derelict at Jersey Airport in the Channel Isles. It was a fun machine to work on and beautifully smooth in flight. The Gipsy Queen engines of 250hp were reliable and had interconnected prop/throttle control, something the Americans never adopted in all their years of engine manufacture, even on their turboprops. The mixture control on the Gipsy engines was also automatic, so you had true 'single lever' operation for each engine. There were 2 interlinked carburettors on each engine. The only real weakpoint was the wheel brakes, the pneumatic bags of which became impossible to obtain. Because of this we converted G-AORG to disc brakes, using BaE Jetstream components, a big improvement.

[@lawriegreen8374]

I was surprised to see G-AORG at Jersey Airport last year

[@colvinator1611]

As a young un in the 50's, our family went to a Yeadon aerodrome airshow ( I think it was 59 ). I had 15 bob saved up and spent it on a flight on one of these planes. I'll never forget it ! Nobody at school had been on a plane I found out later. Many wanted to know what it was like. A 10 minute trip round the area, fantastic ! Thanks for the memory.

[@ross.venner]

As a child, I lived under the northern approach path to RNAS Daedalus. I vividly recall the Devons and Herons coming over us. What a shame that the British aircraft industry was crushed by government incompetence. Today, I was examining a De Havilland mast for a sailing dinghy. It was made in Australia by a subsidiary of the aircraft company.

[@wkelly3053]

Thank you. A simpler airliner from a simpler time! Very nice.

[@alexlupsor5484]

Good evening Gents, I do Hope to find you and your team in great health along with your families. As a Canadian, I’ve had a prolonged interest in DH aircraft mostly of its military variety. My interests increased with the WW1 DH-4 fighter bombers which was a game changer and I’ve been following other aircraft, starting with the Albatross and the Mosquito and it’s various types. Why wasn’t the Albatross returned to the industry and followed through, after the war as an Airliners. While testing the Vampire for supersonic flight, it crashed with the loss of Geoffrey DeHaviland as it’s test pilot. This disaster was important to the future of your company most of all, to the family members he left behind.

[@oldergeologist]

As an Australian I recognise Kelvin as a quintessential Aussie.

[@prrichgaby]

Puerto Rico had an airline called Prinair which used this aircraft but i believe they had the Lycoming engines.

[@apollogeerman8063]

They had a handful of them with the original Gypsy Queens. They did the conversion to Lycoming themselves. They also had a Heron with an extended fuselage but don't remember which engines this conversion had

[@guidor.4161]

Lovely aircraft. I flew in an Indian Airlines plane once in the early 70's as a joungster. I was very much impressed at the time how such a small machine should have 4 engines.

[@nervo6321]

I love these videos and really love seeing these old charismatic aircraft.

[@johnjephcote7636]

I always saw the Dove as an updated Dragon Rapide and the Heron as an updated Express (the four-engined Dragon).

[@frizzlefry5904]

wonderful, must visit you soon.

[@guaporeturns9472]

I love these cool planes that look like you took a twin engine aircraft and removed the two engines and put 4 small engines on instead

[@prs00001]

Great video and best museum in the country

[@1D84down]

Excellent - thank you

[@smalcolmbrown]

Thanks :)

[@Dragon-Slay3r]

Heron airplane wasnt that the same plane with the issi volcano with the piano women shiva situation with no arms or legs when shiva has it all now anyway wasnt it the same place when the pigeon twirled so the snow man at the busstop held the white cotton bag with its head down? Oh pigeon wants to eat while behind 33 😂 what happened to the 33 fly drawing corner?😂

[@kapitan517]

Greetings, rogue AI.