VH-CLR  de Havilland D.H.114 Heron 2E               (c/n  14070)

                                  

                                     Rare image of a little-photograhed aircraft taken by Mike Madden at Alice Springs in January 1972
                                     (via the Geoff Goodall collection).  This Heron was originally delivered to Indian Airlines in April 1955
                                     as VT-DHH and went to Connellan Airways in March 1963.   Unlike their other Herons, it was never
                                     converted to Riley Heron standard by Connellans, but was sold off in Canada in December 1972 to
                                     Saunders Aircraft Corporation of Quebec, Canada, where it became CF-FZP.  It was one of a dozen
                                     or so Herons remanufactured by that outfit to ST-27 standard.   This entailed stretching the fuselage to
                                     accommodate 23 passengers, adding a lengthened nose to fit radar, reshaping the vertical tail (which also
                                     increased the area), and powering the whole lot with two Pratt and Whitney PT6A turboprops replacing
                                     the original four Gipsy Queen piston engines.  The conversions received meager sales success (due to
                                     some certification issues), and with old Herons becoming rare and more expensive, the program was
                                     abandoned  after the completion of 12 airframes.