NOTE: RADIO CONTROL AIRPLANES ARE ON THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE PAGE.
The De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver is a high wing monoplane powered by a single radial engine that was produced to take off and land in short distances while equipped with heavy loads and optional floats. The design can withstand the rigors of sub zero temperatures and less than perfect landings on unimproved air strips, ice, snow, or choppy waters.
Beaver aircraft first flew in 1947 with production continuing through 1967. A total of 1,692 were produced of which some 718 were sold throughout the world. The remainder were purchased by the United States government for use by their army, navy, and air forces. The aircraft was even used by the U.S. as a utility transport over Korea during the Korean War.
Several hundred Beavers continue to fly today.
The Beaver has a one ton capacity, even when equipped with floats. Its rear doors are large enough for easy loading and unloading of 55 gallon drums. It is a true workhorse.
Three fuselage fuel tanks, with a total capacity of some 95 gals. are located in the front, bottom of the aircraft. This makes for easy refueling. The wing tanks of the Beaver hold an additional 46 gals. of fuel. When flying the Beaver, extra attention must be paid as fuel is consumed in order to keep the aircraft properly balanced.
Cold starting the radial engine is a bit more involved than with a conventional engine. To prevent locking that can result from the pooling of oil, the propeller should be hand turned several times. Once started, the engine should be run at idle for twelve or so minutes to make sure its oil supply and total mass is properly warmed.
Throttle management during take off acceleration is necessary so as not to build up excessive manifold pressure. This is a large, heavy aircraft, and while it will not get into the air as quickly as a Piper Cub, its short take off, especially when fully loaded, is impressive. The Beaver's flaps operate in conjunction with its ailerons to help produce exceptional lift.
Although the aircraft has a rather large side profile, cross wind landings and take offs are not difficult for experienced pilots. The controls are not heavy as one would expect, and are pleasant to handle. However, no one could ever say that the Beaver is quick to respond to control inputs.
The Beaver's radial engine and overall bulk produces lots of drag. Landings are made with the nose down and extra attention paid to speed on final. Bringing the nose up, even under full power, will just make the aircraft mush. To regain altitude, the stick must be moved forward. So long as the limitations of the aircraft are observed, landings are easy.
In 1964 a turbine engine Beaver was produced. Its engine had about 125 more h.p. than the standard radial engine and the aircraft was some two feet longer. However, only 60 were sold.
transport
four
P&W R-985
450 h.p.
30' 4"
48' 0"
2,850 lbs.
5,211 lbs.
141 U.S. gals.
2,100 lbs.
130 mph
160 mph
1,020 fpm
18,000 feet
470 miles
8/16/47
Radio Control Airplane
The rc Beaver ARF from E-flite. Made from balsa and ply. Wingspan is 68", length is 43" and weight about 5 1/2 lbs.
Radio Control Airplanes
Complete-A-Pac (CAP) makes a rc de Havilland Beaver kit that has a six foot wingspan. Balsa and plywood are used in its construction. Power can come from a .40 to .60 four cycle engine.
Pictured right above is the E-flite rc de Havilland Beaver ARF.
The AMA Plans Service has plans for a rc de Havilland Beaver with a 72" wingspan for engine power. The plan comes from the Oct. 1989 issue of Model Airplane News. Plan number is 26657.
Flying Styro has a rc de Havilland Beaver ARF for sale. It has a wingspan of 43" and a length of 28". Both floats and wheels come with it. Weight is around 1 lb. 4 oz.
For Sale in the first picture below is the ARF rc de Havilland Beaver from GWS. It makes a great first time rc airplane.
Kondor Model Products has a rc de Havilland Beaver ARF available with or without floats. The giant scale model has a wingspan of 96", weight around 16 lbs. ready to fly w/o floats, and uses 1.6 to 1.8 four cycle engines.
MR Aerodesign has a kit or plans for a giant scale rc de Havilland Beaver for sale. The model built from them is shown in the middle picture below. It has a wingspan of 104" with a length of 65.5". Recommended is a 38 cc engine. Weight is from 19 to 21 lbs.
MR Aerodesign has a giant scale Turbo Beaver rc kit or plans. Its wingspan is 104" and length is 67". Weight is from 20 to 23 lbs. Engine should be 38 cc.
Ikon N'wst has a rc de Havilland Beaver kit.Wingspan is 96" and weight is around ll lbs. You will need a 1.20 four cycle engine for power.
Air Age Store.com has plans for sale for the rc de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver. It has a 70" wingspan and a 46" length. You can use from .40 to .50 2C engines for power.
We would like to hear about your favorite rc de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver.
de Havilland Beaver
