DH Heron: A question, an answer and a Christmas puzzle

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 20 Dec 2006, 16:34

Well, having been in the aircraft and seeing the documents, the aircraft is identified as being part of "The Queen's Flight" in it's RN documentation, so it was used as the Queen's aircraft for several years during its life. The aircraft passed directly from the RN to Bud, so it's probably the same aircraft you identify as an Admiral's Barge.

d0mokun · Post by **d0mokun** » 20 Dec 2006, 16:44

IIRC the Queen's flight is 32 Squadron RAF.

Now they are the No.32 (Royal) Squadron and they operate transport roles, for the RAF.

Are you sure that it's correct? I mean, I could put a book in Lindy saying she served for 111sqn (for example), but it doesn't mean it's true..

KR
Dan.

EDIT- addendum, good wiki entry here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen%27s_Flight

Post by **Garry Russell** » 20 Dec 2006, 16:51

Never RN Queens flight only RAF Queens flight

Garry

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 20 Dec 2006, 17:03

Would it be possible the aircraft was attached to the Queen's Flight for some reason during the time it was assigned to the RN? In the US, this occurs on occasion where a specific capability is required and the primary service responsible doesn't have an aircraft able to fulfill it.

Post by **Garry Russell** » 20 Dec 2006, 18:56

Once they were replaced that was it

There was no Royal Navy Queens flight Herons

Garry

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 20 Dec 2006, 21:45

Back to the production list

If you look at c/no 14130, it was XM296 which I remember as QF.

But the listing also says Royal Navy later and

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0674949/L/

shows it as such.

And as N82D here:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0742276/L/

So a very rare Heron - both RAF and Royal Navy (both queen's flight

)

Post by **Garry Russell** » 20 Dec 2006, 22:04

That's right Ian

As I said earlier in this thread, one QF went to the Navy as an Admirals Barge

But it never flew for the QF after it went to the Navy as Chris seem to think

All the other Navy were ex Jersey Airlines

Garry

ianhind · Post by **ianhind** » 20 Dec 2006, 22:12

Sorry Garry,

I think I lost the plot there somewhere. So we agree that XM296 was QF, then Navy, but not QF while in Navy colours.

Ian

Post by **Garry Russell** » 20 Dec 2006, 22:17

No prob Ian

Yep that's exactly that

The Navy had 296 ex Queens flight...it was not in QF service with the Navy

I well remember her looking smatrt in QF style stripes but in green

Very smart

Garry

Chris Trott · Post by **Chris Trott** » 20 Dec 2006, 22:42

In her current guise, she has the Queen's Flight badge just forward of the entrance door to signify her service with the Queen's Flight. None of the pictures shown really seem to show whether this existed while with the Royal Navy. The service records are a bit confusing so what you are saying is certainly possible, it's just that the records seem to indicate delivery to the RN, then service in the Queen's Flight, then return to RN service, and finally being sold to Bud as part of a larger purchase of 4 Herons (N82D and 3 others from private hands, possibly the ex-Jersey aircraft) which were then ferried from the UK to Alaska. N82D is the sole survivor of the quartet. The other 3 were flown until their structural lives were reached and then recovered for spares to keep N82D and other Herons in the US flying. Bud has 2 outer wing panels, 4 engines, 8 props, a full set of landing gear, and several other large structures in a hangar just as spares.