PASSENGER FLIGHT | DH.104 DOVE
Jürgen Schelling en joys a flight in a beautifully restored German-based de Havilland DH.104
Flying in a de Havilland DH.104 Dove is a little like having a time machine, offering a truly nostalgic journey to the post-war period.
Each passenger has a superb view courtesy of the panoramic windows – smaller glazing would be necessary if cabin pressurisation were a feature of the aircraft – and all on board also seem to enjoy studying the landscape 10,000ft (3,048m) below. Onboard entertainment is meanwhile provided by the pilots.
But, of course, we’re not talking about any song and dance act: there’s no cockpit door, so merely observing their actions during the flight offers a fascinating glimpse of what it takes to control this vintage gem.
The type first flew on September 25, 1945 – its design a result of the requirements demanded by the UK Ministry of Supply’s Brabazon Committee in 1943 for a post-war civilian short-haul ‘feeder’ airliner.
De Havilland’s all-metal Dove, with its low-wing configuration and retractable undercarriage, was a major departure from its predecessor, the Dragon Rapide biplane. A total of 544 DH.104s in eight different versions were built between 194…
