HERON

The short and medium range four-engine De Havilland DH.114 Heron was an enlarged version of the DH.104 Dove, powered by four Gipsy Queen 30 engines. It was a commercial aircraft as well as a military communications aircraft and executive transport.

 

VH-CLW was owned by the De Havilland Company after leaving the factory before being sold to Deutsche Luftwaffe as communication and personal transport for Luftwaffe Chief-of-Staff in 1957. It was reportedly used as Chancellor Conrad Adenauer’s the personal aircraft. VH-CLW also flew in the UK and Portuguese Guinea, before joining Connair in 1970.

 

A total of 6 Herons were used by Connair.  VH-CLW was one of the Riley Herons upgraded with Lycoming engines at the Alice Springs workshop in 1972.

 

Retired after 6 years of service, VH-CLW was sold to Premiair / Kendell Airlines in December 1976. It flew for several operators before being damaged at Nadi Airport on August 21, 1988.  VH-CLW was donated to the Australian Aviation Museum, Bankstown in May 1999.

 

In 2015, VH-CLW was acquired by this Museum and declared as a Heritage Object by the NT Heritage Council. After 2 years of restoration and now displayed in its purpose built open sided hangar, VH-CLW was officially 'opened’ on November 1, 2017, by The Hon, Michael Gunner MLA, Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.

 

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Technical Details

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Engine: 4 x 250HP DH Gipsy Queen 30 Mk.2 6-cylinder

Wingspan: 21.8m / 71’6”

Length: 14.79m / 48’6”

Performance: Cruising Speed 295km/h / 183mi/h

Capacity: 2 Crew and 14 passengers

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