De Havilland Devon C.1

The Devon C.1, a military version of the standard 8-passenger Dove light transport, was chosen by the I.A.F. for communication and liason duties, the first batch of four aircraft in June 1950 being followed by a further sixteen Devons. On strength of the H.Q. Communication Squadron and other flights, the Devon’s service with the Indian Air arm was singularly undistinguished and the aircraft, type dogged with technical and operating problems which resulted in a number of mishaps. One incident almost cost the Indian Army six of its senior generals when, on 3rd February 1952, Devon (HW-516) its engines on fire, crash landed soon after take off from Lucknow.

Devons have continued to serve as a light military personnel transport although their load-carrying capacity has been severely restricted. The I.A.F.’s Communication Squadron retains a small number as do the Communication Flights serving with Training and Maintenance Commands at Bangalore and Nagpur respectively. A Devon was transferred to the Indian Naval Air Squadron 550 in 1967.

Notes:

The D.H.104 Dove was produced to fill a variety of civil roles including executive, survey, ambulance and crop-spraying and versions could transport eight/eleven passengers. Powered by two 380 h.p. d.H. Gipsy Queen 70 Mk.2 engines, the Devon C.1 was a Series 4 Dove equipped to R.A.F. standards for use as a military personnel transport and supplied to the New Zealand, South African, Swedish and Indian air arms.