A little while back, I posted about some local herons. One of my friends (who shall remain unnamed) made a comment expressing disappointment that it wasn’t the de Havilland version of a heron. Imagine my surprise when, only a few weeks later, Mark and I were driving through Oregon en route to Klamath Falls when we passed through a small town called Chiloquin and, right by the highway, was a de Havilland Heron. This was a Royal Navy example that had found its way to the grounds outside a motel.
It wasn’t in the best of shape. One wing was completely gone and it was sitting on the ground rather than its gear. However, the paint finish was still pretty reasonable. No engines, of course. They will have been salvaged at some point when it became clear the airframe was not going to be a flier again. The grass had grown up quite a bit around it. Late June probably means it grows well and someone hadn’t cut it for a while. I wandered around to try and get different angles on it. The light was rather shady and I was using my phone rather than the main cameras but it was fine. There was even a large rock that could be used to gain some elevation. This trip was proving to be a lucky one for getting unplanned things and this added to that in a way we hadn’t anticipated.
I just passed it, Aug 7, 2022. Had to look it up. Found some details here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jack-wolbrink-7ab4a5_xr442-de-havilland-dh-114-sea-heron-c-1-activity-6877545437268594688-M6MD
That’s cool. Thanks for letting me know.
Hi,
Are you sure it was by the 97 in Chiloquin ?
The reason I ask is that last weekend ( 21st Oct 2023 ) we drove down to Crater Lake
from Oregon City on the 97, and passed the Heron on the way – we never went as far south as Chiloquin.
It caught my eye because I am British, and I had flown several times in civilian Herons in the
Channel Islands in the dim and distant past.
Best Regards, Rod
Yes, it is right across the road from the airport. Here is the location and you can see the airframe in the aerial photos. https://maps.app.goo.gl/hoAnZnYbhXngmyZ4A
Thanks very much for that link…..this is so bizarre because I know we didn`t drive past Crater Lake
but turned off on the 138. Wish I`d stopped and taken a couple of pictures – the side nearest the road had the wing removed just inboard of the inner starboard, ( No.3 ) engine leaving a few feet
still attached to the fuselage, as we were driving in the direction of the fuselage eg tail to nose.
Maybe my mind is beginning to show my age after a lifetime of flying for the airlines. 🙂
All the Best,
Rod
XR442 is currently residing at Melita’s Motel & Cafe in Chiloquin Oregon. The owner of the motel, gave me a rather incoherent story of it having come into his possession after its previous owner, a Dutchman, was unable fulfil his plans for it. I first saw XR442 at Albany in 2007, when it in flyable condition, and decorated at the time by Happy Miles, its then owner, as a right-wing (no pun) advertisement. He also had a number of spare engines for it. I am trying to find news of Happy Miles, but I fear he may no longer with us. A sale by him is recorded 2009, and last known FAA action is 2018, but between those dates it was registered as N82D in flyable condition. It is plainly visible (no pun( in Google maps, but is now accompanied by four or five shipping containers, which I was told had ‘parts.’
Further to my earlier post : https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/320413