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de Havilland
Canada DHC-2 Beaver |
de Havilland
Canada DHC-2 Beaver
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De Havilland
Canada's first purpose designed bush aircraft,
the Beaver was that company's most successful
program sales wise (both military or civil),
with 1.691 built in a production run lasting two
decades. The Beaver was designed as an
all-purpose utility capable of being equipped
with wheels, skis, standard floats, or
amphibious floats. With its all-metal
construction, high-lift wing, and flap
configuration, the Beaver is a robust aircraft
with excellent short take-off-and-landing
capability even with heavy loads. In addition to
its success in Canada, the Beaver found
acceptance in as many as 60 other countries all
over the world. Although not ordered by the
Royal Canadian Air Force, some 980 served with
distinction in the US Army and US Air Force.
Beaver
development work began in 1946 and the Ontario
Department of Lands and Forests had considerable
input into the final design and configuration of
this rugged and versatile utility. A prototype
flew on August 16 1947, with seating for five or
six, although the production Beaver grew
slightly to seat an extra two passengers by the
time civil certification was awarded in March
1948.
The only major
development of the Beaver (aside from a one off
powered by a 410kW/550hp Alvis Leonides 502/4
radial engine) was the Turbo Beaver. First flown
in December 1963 it featured a Pratt & Whitney
PT6A6 turboprop, which offered lower empty and
higher takeoff weights, and even better STOL
performance. The Turbo Beaver's cabin was also
longer, allowing maximum accommodation for 11,
including the pilot. Externally, the Turbo
Beaver had a much longer and reprofiled nose,
and squared off vertical tail. DHC also offered
conversion kits enabling piston powered Beavers
to be upgraded to Turbo standard. Other
conversions have been performed.
The de
Havilland L-20 Beaver “general’s jeep” entered
the Korean War late but proved to be a superb
liaison aircraft and also served later in
Vietnam. The rugged bush-born Beaver’ s wide
landing gear made it useful in off-field
applications. In 1962 the L-20 was designated
the U-6. |
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Developing nation: |
Canada. |
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Manufacturer/designer: |
de
Havilland Canada. |
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Production line: |
closed. |
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| Type
aircraft: |
Short Take-Off and Landing utility transport. |
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First flight: |
August 16, 1947, CF-FHB. |
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First delivery: |
April 1948. |
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DHC-2 Beaver Mk.1 |
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Cockpit crew: |
one
pilot. |
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Passengers: |
7. |
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Wing span: |
14,63 m. |
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Wing area: |
23,23 m˛. |
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Fuselage length: |
9,25 m. |
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Height: |
2,74 m. |
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Horizontal tail unit: |
4,83 m. |
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Wheelbase: |
6,94 m. |
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Track: |
3,10 m. |
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Engines: |
one Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp
Junior, nine cylinder radial piston engine rated
at 336 kW. |
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Propeller: |
two
blade variable pitch Hamilton Standard
propeller. |
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Weight: |
-
empty: 1.293 Kg.
- internal fuel 359 liters.
- wing tanks 164 liters.
- max. payload: 613 Kg. |
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Max. take off weight: |
2.313 Kg. |
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Cruise speed: |
225 km/h. |
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Max. speed: |
257 km/h. |
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Service ceiling: |
5.485 m. |
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Range: |
- max.
range 1.252 km.
- max.
range 777 km with max. payload. |
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Performance: |
- max.
rate of climb at sea level 311 m per minute.
- take-off run 170 m at max.
take-off weight.
- landing run 152 m at max.
landing weight. |
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DHC-2 Mk.1 Seaplane.*
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Length: |
9,98
m. |
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Height: |
3,18
m. |
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Weight: |
-
empty: 1.506 Kg. |
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Max. take off weight: |
2.309 Kg. |
*
Generally similar to the DHC-2 Mk.1 except in
the following particulars.
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DHC-2 Mk.3*
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Length: |
10,74 m. |
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Engines: |
- one Pratt & Whitney Canada
PT6A-6A rated 410 kW.
- one Pratt & Whitney Canada
PT6A-20 turboprop driving |
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Propeller: |
three blade constant speed Hartzell propeller.
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Weight: |
-
empty: 1.175 Kg. |
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Max. take off weight: |
2.436 Kg. |
*
Generally similar to the DHC-2 Mk.1 except in
the following particulars.
Production:
built 1691
24 de Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
written-off by accidents from January 2000:
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13-01-2000 |
C-FIVA |
DHC-2 Mk.1 |
CargAir |
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19-06-2000 |
C-GAXE |
DHC-2 |
AvNorth Aviation |
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09-07-2000 |
C-FDTZ |
DHC-2 |
Johnsons Construction |
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17-07-2000 |
N345KA |
DHC-2 Mk.1 |
Ketchum |
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22-09-2000 |
C-FOES |
DHC-2T |
Sea-Air Services |
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21-08-2001 |
N10395 |
DHC-2 |
Alaska Air Taxi |
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08-10-2001 |
C-GPUO |
DHC-2 Mk.1 |
Air Saint Maurice |
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24-06-2002 |
N211AW |
DHC-2 Mk.1 |
Alaska West Guides & Outfitters |
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12-07-2002 |
N3129F |
DHC-2 Mk.1 |
Big Foot Air |
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28-08-2002 |
N4478 |
DHC-2 Mk.3 |
General Com. |
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30-05-2003 |
N60TF |
U-6A |
Harris Aircraft Services |
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?.-06-2003 |
N272PA |
DHC-2 Mk.20 |
Pantechnicon Aviation |
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02-08-2003 |
C-GUXW |
DHC-2 |
Private |
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29-08-2003 |
C-GHAF |
DHC-2 |
Harris Air Freight |
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18-05-2004 |
C-GQHT |
DHC-2 Mk.3 |
Pickerel Arm Camps |
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24-05-2004 |
C-GEZW |
DHC-2 |
Green Airways |
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14-06-2004 |
C-GPAM |
DHC-2 |
Bernard Malo |
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26-08-2004 |
C-FDSB |
DHC-2 Mk.1 |
E.J.Aviation |
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26-08-2004 |
N49GB |
DHC-2 |
Alaska's Wilderness Lodge |
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20-09-2004 |
N712TS |
DHC-2 |
Harris Aircraft Services |
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03-03-2005 |
C-GAQW |
DHC-2 |
MJM Air |
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10-06-2005 |
N43446 |
DHC-2 |
Alaska Rainbow Lodge |
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12-07-2005 |
C-FOEW |
DHC-2 Mk.3 |
Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources |
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07-09-2005 |
N199BM |
DHC-2 Mk.1 |
MPM Airlease Corp. |
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