de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
The DHC-2 Beaver is one of the most famous bush planes in the world. After World War II, de Havilland Canada was looking to produce a plane suited to operations in the extremes of the Canadian north. This aircraft has become a symbol of the Canadian north, and has since found use as a bush plane all over the world. The type was used for aerial application; (crop dusting and aerial topdressing), and has been widely used by armed forces as a utility aircraft; the U.S. Army Air Corps purchased several hundred. A Royal New Zealand Air Force Beaver supported Sir Edmund Hillary's expedition to the South Pole.
Design and development
After extensive consultation with bush pilots, de Havilland Canada began production of this reliable, single-engine monoplane that could be easily fitted with wheels, skis, or floats. The Beaver was designed for flight in rugged and remote areas of the world. Its short takeoff and landing capability made it ideal for areas normally only accessible by canoe or foot. Because it often flies to remote locations (that often are in cold climates) its oil reservoir filling spout is located in the cockpit itself and the oil can be refilled while the aircraft is in flight. The first flight of the DHC Beaver was in Downsview, Ontario by Second World War flying ace Russ Bannock on 16 August 1947, with the first production aircraft being delivered in April 1948. The plane was an immediate success within the Canadian aviation community. The de Havilland company hired veteran bush pilot Punch Dickins as their Director of Sales and when production finally ceased in 1967, 1,657 DHC-2 Beavers had been built.
Operational history
Despite the fact that production ceased in 1967, hundreds of Beavers are still flying, many of them heavily modified to adapt to changes in technology and needs. Kenmore Air of Kenmore, Washington zero-hours Beaver and Otter airframes and owns dozens of supplemental type certificates for aircraft modifications. These modifications are so well-known and desirable in the aviation community that the rebuilt Beavers were often called "Kenmore Beavers" or listed as having "Kenmore mods" installed. A 1950s Beaver that originally sold for under US $50,000 can now be seen for sale at prices reaching US $500,000.
Harrison Ford owned a Beaver (N28S), and has commented that it is his favourite among his entire fleet of private aircraft. The United States military operated two DHC-2s at the United States Naval Test Pilot School, where they were used to instruct students in the evaluation of lateral-directional flying qualities and to tow gliders.
The DHC-2 Beaver is sometimes used by skydiving operators due to its very high rate of climb. When fitted with a roller door that can be opened in flight, it can quickly ferry eight skydivers to 13,000 ft (or 4,000 m).
Later developments
At one point in its production, plans to license build the type in New Zealand were proposed. Although there had been rumours of Canadian companies manufacturing new Beavers, it remained an out-of-production aircraft. The remaining tooling was purchased by Viking Air of Victoria, Canada which manufactured replacement parts for most of the early de Havilland line.
In 1987, the Canadian Engineering Centennial Board named the DHC-2 Beaver as one of the top ten Canadian engineering achievements of the 20th century.
Variants
- Beaver I : Single-engined STOL utility transport aircraft.
- Beaver AL Mk.1 : STOL utility transport aircraft for the British Army.
- YL-20 : Test and evaluation aircraft for the US military.
- L-20A Beaver : STOL utility transport aircraft for the US Army, later redesignated U-6A in 1962, 968 built.
- L-20B Beaver : Basically similar to the L-20A, but with minor equipment changes. Six were sold to the US Army. Later redesignated U-6B in 1962.
- Beaver II : One aircraft was fitted with an Alvis Leonides radial piston engine.
- Turbo-Beaver III : Powered by a 431 kW (or 578 shp) Pratt & Whitney PT6A-6 or 20 turboprop engine.
- DHC-2/PZL-3S : After-market conversion by Airtech Canada in the 1980s, using current-production PZL-3S radial engines of 600 hp (450 kW)
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