Flying Devons, how many?

Here’s a little on the Australian Doves.
Riley Dove VH-NBM (04416) has been parked minus an engine for many years at Wallan Airport

That certainly is going nowhere. I would classify this as abandoned. Missing an engine and various parts, sitting outside in the saltish south-VIC weather for some 10+ years without maintenance would not make this a viable potential flyer.

I saw VH-EOB at Mackay about 2 months ago, and I can tell you it won’t be flying again anytime soon, if ever, sadly.

I have spotted D-IKUR airworthy in oct 2009 at Wenningfeld airstrip(Germany), D-INKA last spring at the same location.

DGH- VH-OBI was in the hands of receivers earlier this year so I guess it may well be out of action. The NTPS at Mojave have a Dove that is airworthy.

Looked after VH-OBI for a while. Understand it has been stored at Tocumwal since 2004. Is in very complete condition, indoors. Potential flyer, but needs a thorough inspection and works on the engines plus a new radio. lots of spare parts though. Have pics somewhere if you’re interested.

That’s the one. I admire your photo research capability so thanks for that.

It very probably is this one although when I saw it it was still in RNZAF colours. It does look as though it has had a recent respray doesn’t it? Thanks for the “heads-up” anyway.

Ok! Maybe this one
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_htqAniX9Wo4/ScCxbR1-q8I/AAAAAAAAGCQ/mWvCMTfsoFA/s1600/03-12-DCP01873WanakaMuseum.JPG

It very probably is this one although when I saw it it was still in RNZAF colours. It does look as though it has had a recent respray doesn’t it? Thanks for the “heads-up” anyway.

Unfortunately I don’t have any photographs but I’m fairly sure there was at least one Devon at the museum at Wanaka airport in New Zealand when I was there three years ago. Like most stuff there it was a non-flyer.

Guess you mean this on ZK-RNG
http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1090366M.jpg

Unfortunately I don’t have any photographs but I’m fairly sure there was at least one Devon at the museum at Wanaka airport in New Zealand when I was there three years ago. Like most stuff there it was a non-flyer.

N11XW was still active in October 2004 according to ‘North American Surivivors’
Here is a photo of it taken at Mojave in 2001.
The 2nd photo is of the stored N4916V(04275) Dove 5BA also taken at Mojave in 2001

N11XW still alive March 2010
http://futurshox.net/planes22/mv-Dove-N11XW-13.jpg

and N4916V still stored March 2011
http://www.oldprops.ukhome.net/Dove%20N4916V%20d1.jpg

Martin

N11XW was still active in October 2004 according to ‘North American Surivivors’
Here is a photo of it taken at Mojave in 2001.
The 2nd photo is of the stored N4916V(04275) Dove 5BA also taken at Mojave in 2001

Devons

Thanks everyone for the help and info.

Thanks for all the updates guys. 🙂

At my last check I think there was about 130 Doves / Devons still in existence around the world out of the 544 made. As Bruce says there are many that could be restored to airworthy condition but I dont expect many will.It is a shame as I think they are an ideal aircraft for a group of like minded people to buy and use as a cool way of getting to airshows etc. They dont seem to go for that much money in the grand scheme of things ( sure I saw one advertised for £30,000 not long ago ) although I’m sure they must be pretty expensive to maintain.

David I believe the NTPS aircraft N11XW (04401) hasn’t flown in a couple of years but again I would love to be proved wrong, so little information drifts through about these aircraft it is hard to keep an eye on the one’s in a different country.

According to this website – which seems to be able to answer many questions posed in this thread – D-ISFC crashed in Munich in 1983.

What happened to the former D-IFSC? I know where ‘SA and ‘SB are, but I thought ‘SC was still around and potentially flyable?

Bruce

Regarding D-INKA in Germany:

This immaculate aircraft is actually owned Messrs Presser (retired LTU Captain) and Knauer (Condor Captain) and not by LTU, the latter “only” sponsoring its operation as they did with its restoration. LTU was originally intending to acquire the aircraft but decided against it for technical and organisational reasons. The owners have set up a nice website too: www.ltu-classic.de. All information from the German magazine “Flugzeug Classic” (Nov. 2005).

Potentially airworthy Doves/Devons:

DH 104-2B D-IKUR (c/n 4296, ex HB-LAR) stored in Soest/Bad Sassendorf in Germany. Apparently requires an (expensive) “Check 4” (equivalent to an airliner D-Check) in order to fly again but is hangared and otherwise in good condition (sources: “Flugzeug Classic” Mar and Nov 2005).

DH 104 Series 8 OY-BHZ (c/n 4270, ex RAF WB534, G-BLPZ) stored in Stauning in Denmark. CoA expired in 1995, but it is still on the Danish register. Pictures here . Seems to require some work to get it airborne again.

I fully agree with the opinions expressed earlier that this elegant aircraft is disappearing at an alarming pace from the skies. Is it perhaps the required check mentioned for D-IKUR which grounds them? A quick glance at the list above shows that there are less airworthy Doves/Devons than a certain British WWII fighter…. 😀

Jack Riley in the U.S devised a modification to re-engine Doves and Herons with either Lycoming or Continental engines and a host of other smaller mods to the airframe i.e swept fin and rudder. There were some conversions carried out by McAlpine in the U.K
including the Jordanian Air Force Doves. Various other operators devised their own mods mostly to Herons in Japan,Australia and the U.S following a similar format.
Riley himself turned his attentions to other types like Cessna 337’s for speed mods.

So what’s a Riley Dove then?

Here’s a little on the Australian Doves.
The ex-Rudge Air Dove VH-DHA (04514) has been exported to New Zealand. The rego VH-DHA has recently been appllied to a DeHavilland Australia Tiger Moth.
VH-ABM (04097) has been parked minus an engine for many years at Moorabbin Airport and could only be described as a potential candidate for airworthiness.
Riley Dove VH-NBM (04416) has been parked minus an engine for many years at Wallan Airport
In October 2004 I saw VH-DHI (04410) in storage at Redcliffe Airport Qld. This has been advertised for sale recently and I believe it is airworthy. (I think this is a Sea Devon)
Others currently on the Australian register are VH-ABM (04097) and VH-DVE (04420) but I don’t know their current status.
The 2001 register shows VH-DHQ (04533), which was also owned by Rudge Air and was exported to New Zealand as ZK-DHW
There was a recent post on derelict Aussie Doves
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=49631

And how many potential flyers do we have. How many have flown in the last 5 years, that are currently resting?

The airworthy population is certainly dwindling, which is a great shame.

Bruce