de Havilland Devon
Serial Number:
VP952
Period:
Post-WWII
Collection Ref: 1987/0015/A
Location: RAF Museum Cosford, Transport & Training
The Devon aircraft was developed for the RAF from the
civil de Havilland Dove 4 as a light communications and transport aircraft.
The de Havilland Dove was designed to replace the de Havilland Rapide, and first
flew on 25 September 1945. A military version, the Devon C1, was produced
and thirty aircraft were supplied to the RAF from 1947. Others were acquired
for the Royal Aircraft Establishment, the Empire Test Pilots School and
the Fleet Air Arm.
Some Devons were re-engined to Dove 8 standard and were known as Devon
C2, being used as light transport aircraft until 1984.
This aircraft was the first to be supplied to the RAF and was used in
the military trials by the Handling Squadron at RAF Hullavington.
The civilian Devon was a commercial success. Five-hundred aircraft were
produced and they flew in practically every country in the world.
