1950s Regional Airliner and Flying Doctor

Due to the rugged and arduous duties expected of a utility aircraft in the outback, de Havilland's Australian subsidiary set to work designing a suitable replacement to the venerable de Havilland Dragon biplane. First flight of the three-engined Drover took place in January 1948 under the control of test pilot Brian Walker.

Although in a sense a development of the parent company's DH-104 Dove, in fact there was little resemblance in detail. Drovers were built at de Havilland's Bankstown works, and deliveries were made to Qantas, TAA, The Department of Health, the Department of Civil Aviation and a number of operators in New Guinea, Fiji and the islands. Best known operator was the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

Wingspan: 17.37 metres, length 11.12 metres, height 3.28 metres, maximum speed 254 km/h.

Powered by three 145 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major 10 Mk II inverted four cylinder in-line piston engines. MK III powered by three 180 hp Lycoming O-360-A1A 4 cylinder horizontally opposed piston engines.

Exhibit courtesy of the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney

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