1950's Archive Part 16: Propliners

Just spotted this post! Very, very cool! Worthy of a “bump” me thinks!

Oooo! Viscounts! Yes please! I grew up in Southern Africa and went off to school in Viscounts. Loved them then, still love them now, especially the 700 series…

The Cranfield Dove 5 was the College’s G-APSO, which went to Devonair/Kemble as parts source.
Several of the Morton Doves fluttered between XY- and AP- on seasonal charters.
Why, o why, did DH not have the wit to Rileyfy/Saundersify their products? There is a clear pedigree bloodline from Beech C-45/D.18S into today’s King Air. By Protecting DH Engine Co/DH Props, the DH Enterprise doomed the Aircraft Co.

Thanks to all for comments and additions, I have edited a few locations.
As usual, as soon as I finished the additions, two more came to light:

G-AKSV, BAC (To YI-AEH 1966):

5Y-KVC again (To G-AVCF, later N714R):

Plenty more to come. I feel like some Viscounts next week, maybe a separate thread…..

The latest batch of scans from Tony includes a lot more Doves and Herons. Most date from the mid Sixties, although exact dates and locations are unknown. The pictures are from both Gerald Lawrance and Tony himself, any further information would be very welcome.

Starting with the crowded Morton Air Services ramp at Gatwick circa 1965:

G-AJBI/G-AMYO/G-ANAN/G-AOXL/G-AOYC/G-APKT:

G-ANVC (Wfu by 1966):

G-ANWZ (Wfu by 1970):

G-AOGO (Later N585PR):

G-AOXL (Later LN-BFY):

Note the Morton Airways Hangar at LGW, it was a listed building due to its fancy wooden structure of laminated pine framing with planked boarding on the outside which was later replaced by cement board. The story was that it was going to be relocated in the 1980’s but it burned down one Sunday evening soon after BA took over BCAL.
At that time it was being used as a store for the larger DC10 spares such as undercarriage legs and flying control surfaces as well as a newly overhauled RB211-534e for a 757 and brand new INU’s for the 10’s. Several Million quids worth on the insurance claim.

Richard

the first two devons are gorgeous,

and the hercules you posted the other day in shiney natural metal finish:)

To complete the picture, three RAF Devons:

VP968 (Very shiny):

VP972 Royal Radar Establishment:

VP980 ETPS. At Farnborough:

More Doves:

G-ALCU (Wfu by 1973, now preserved Coventry as ‘G-ALVD’). At Biggin Hill:

G-AMFU (To OO-SCD 1969 and now preserved Lelystad). At Gatwick:

G-AMXY (To 9J-AAE 1969):

G-AMXY again, with ‘The Nuclear Power Group’

G-AMZN (To SE-GRA 1972, believed still in Sweden):

G-AOFI Tacair (Scrapped Coventry 1970). At Biggin Hill:

G-ARBH (Wfu by 1984, later derelict in Spain). At Blackbushe:

G-ARDH David Brown (To OY-DRP 1971) At Gatwick:

G-ARMT (To VH-DHA 1971):

G-AROI (To OY-AJR 1980). At Gatwick:

G-ARUM (To G-DDCD 1984). Landing Cambridge:

G-ARUM again. at Luton:

G-ARUM At Gatwick:

G-ASPA Dowty (Wfu by 1982):

G-AVHV Dowty (W/O 9-4-70). At Luton:

And last (for now) Riley Dove G-ASUW at Cambridge:

The latest batch of scans from Tony includes a lot more Doves and Herons. Most date from the mid Sixties, although exact dates and locations are unknown. The pictures are from both Gerald Lawrance and Tony himself, any further information would be very welcome.

Starting with the crowded Morton Air Services ramp at Gatwick circa 1965:

G-AJBI/G-AMYO/G-ANAN/G-AOXL/G-AOYC/G-APKT:

G-ANVC (Wfu by 1966), Gatwick again:

G-ANWZ (Wfu by 1970), Gatwick:

G-AOGO (Later N585PR), Gatwick:

G-AOXL (Later LN-BFY), Gatwick:

G-ASUZ (Later N565PR), Gatwick:

G-ASVA (Later N564PR), Gatwick:

G-ASVA at Gatwick again. Not sure if this is a ‘before’ or an ‘after’ previous shot:

Some more Herons:

5Y-KVC ‘Directorate Of Civil Aviation East Africa’. With Shackleton Aviation at Sywell 1965-1966 on the way to G-AVCF:

D-CASI Sudflug (1962-1963). At Coventry 14-8-63:

G-ANUO Shell Aviation (Now preserved Croydon as ‘G-AOXL’) At Cambridge:

On to the Doves:

HB-LAP (Became G-ATAP 1965, later SE-EUR):

PH-ILI Philips, a regular at Gatwick (later OO-WIP):

PH-KLS ‘Flashband’ Also at Gatwick (Ex and to G-AKET, Wfu by 1965):

Unknown Dove (EDIT: G-APSO), looks like Cranfield:

G-AJOT Sky Charters (To 6V-ABL 1968) At Gatwick:

G-AJPR (Wfu by 1969):

G-AKSR (To TJ-ACC 1965):

G-AKSS (Wfu by 1975). At Le Bourget:

G-APRI is at Luton, I think ….shape of tower, and its under the wingtip of G-ARXE a Britannia A/W Connie….if you enable the tag function on flickr anybody can add locations as tags which then show up on a search by location, whereas locations added as comments don’t

Excellent shots, could the Heron be in for repaint/refinish hence covered over windows?
Interesting cockpit window arrangement on the Fairey Surveys Dove.

Anyone enlighten me as to why the portholes on the last Heron pic are blacked out?

More great shots, btw, this is a brilliant thread.

The Herons:

G-AMTS (W/O 16-7-61):

G-ANNO (To HS-EAB 1980) Cambridge:

G-AOTI Rolls Royce (Wfu 1982) Heathrow:

G-AOZN Overseas Air Transport (1959-1962):

G-AOZN Mercury Airlines (1962-1964) Cambridge:

G-APRI (Ex Jordanian Air Force, To Riley Heron) 1965:

G-APRK (Later ST-27):

G-ARUA (1962-1965):

G-ASFI (To VH-CLW 1964) 1963-1964:

CF-CNX (Ex Kuwait Air Force, To ST-27) Fairoaks 13-2-72:

Dates and locations unknown unless stated

Someone asked for Doves and Herons:

G-AHRB Skyways (To CR-CAD 1957):

G-AIWF (To TF-BPD 1964):

G-AJZT, Probably Croydon 1950 (W/O 9-6-51):

G-AKJR Olley Air Service (Wfu by 1968) Cambridge 1950:

G-AKSK Olley Air Service (W/O 23-7-55) Probably Croydon 1950:

G-AKYS (To 6V-PRD 1964) 1950:

G-ALCU (Wfu by 1973, preserved Coventry) Cambridge Pre 1950:

G-ALCU (Wfu by 1973, presrved Coventry) Cambridge 3-7-51:

G-ALFT Ministry Of Civil Aviation (Wfu by 1973):

G-ALVS (Wfu by 1970):

G-AMKS Fairey Surveys (Wfu by 1972):

G-AOSE Precise Surveys (Scrapped 1974):

G-AOYC Morton Air Services (To PK-ICS 1969):

G-AOZW Channel Airways (Wfu by 1966):

G-ASPA Dowty (Wfu by 1982) Cambridge:

G-ATGI (To Riley Dove and VH-ABM 1974):

G-ATGI Riley Dove, McAlpine Aviation (To VH-ABM 1974) Cambridge:

HB-LAS (To G-AZPG 1972) Somewhere in Switzerland:

Dates and locations unknown unless stated

Excellent pictures again DCW, fantastic looking aircraft, and a shame that no whole ones survive.

Interesting comparison LS, surprising how many vital statistics are similar between the two types aswel, apart from the power.
I guess the Marathon could achieve almost the same performances as the Flamingo with less power?
I suppose the other thing that might have helped kill it off was the DH Heron, which shifted not far off the same amount of passengers, but with less power and lower weights etc.

Marathon

Pretty plane, but with that fuselage section they couldn’t pressurize it, could they? Which would have created problems for a turboprop version.I’m struck by the similarities in capability with the DH Flamingo which had rather more power