Romancing Heron

At the end of the War, Australia’s airlines began taking delivery of tour-engined, propeller-driven airliners then coming off the production lines. In 1946, when the first Douglas DC-4s arrived in the country there came a succession of these magnificent airliners. They have now all gone and with them much of the romance of air travel.

However, it may surprise some to know that it is still possible to fly in Australia in a four-engined, propeller-driven airliner, which first saw delivery in the early 1950’s. Though not one of the classic reciprocating engined airliners it nonetheless represents a different age of air travel. The aircraft is the De Havilland DH114 Heron which is operated by the Launceston-based Airlines of Tasmania. The history of this unique aircraft and the story of its selection and operation by Airlines of Tasmania is the subject of this article.

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