De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter
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- The correct title of this article is de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
| DHC-3 Otter | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Turbo Otter in Harbour Air livery | |
| Type | STOL utility transport |
| Manufacturer | de Havilland Canada |
| Designed by | Richard D. Hiscocks and Frederick H. Buller |
| Maiden flight | 12 December 1951 |
| Introduced | 1953 |
| Status | Still active |
| Primary user | regional and remote air carriers |
| Produced | 1951-1967 |
| Number built | 466 |
The de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter is a single engined, high wing, propeller-driven, STOL aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada. It was conceived to be capable of performing the same roles as the earlier and highly successful Beaver, but was overall a larger plane.
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[edit] Design and development
When de Havilland Canada began design work on the King Beaver (the Otter's original name) in January 1951, it was trying to extend the company's line of rugged STOL utility transports that had begun with the earlier and highly successful Beaver. The single engined, high wing, propeller-driven DHC-3 Otter was conceived to be capable of performing the same roles as the Beaver, but was considerably larger, the veritable "one-ton truck" (in company parlance- the Beaver was the "half-ton truck").[1]
Using the same overall configuration of the earlier and highly successful DHC2 Beaver, the new design incorporated a longer fuselage, greater span wings and was much heavier. Seating in the main cabin is for 10 or 11, whereas the Beaver could seat six. Power is supplied by a 450kW (600 hp) Pratt & Whitney R1340 Wasp radial. Like the Beaver, the Otter can be fitted with skis and floats. The amphibious floatplane Otter features a unique four unit retractable undercarriage, with the wheels retracting into the floats. The Otter served as the basis for the very successful Twin Otter which featured two wing mounted Pratt and Whitney PT-6 turboprops.
The Otter received Canadian certification in November 1952 and entered production shortly after.
[edit] Operational use
Although the Otter found ready acceptance in bush airlines, as in a similar scenario to the DHC-2 Beaver, the US Army soon became the largest operator of the aircraft (184 delivered with the designation U-1A Otter). Other military users included Australia, Canada and India but the primary role of the aircraft as a rugged bush plane continues to this day.
[edit] Military operators
- Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Canada (RCAF), Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, United Kingdom (Royal Air Force), United States (US Army, US Navy).
[edit] Variants
- DHC-3 Otter : Single-engined STOL utility transport aircraft.
- DHC-3-T Turbo-Otter : Otter fitted with a 494-kW (662-hp) PT6A-27 turboprop engine.
[edit] Modifications
Some aircraft were converted to turbine power using a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop[1]. The Walter 601 Turboprop engine, manufactured in the Czech Republic[2], or the Garrett/Honeywell TPE331-10 engine by Texas Turbine Conversions[3] may also be fitted to the Otter. A Polish Pezetel radial engine has also been fitted to the Otter[4].
[edit] Specifications
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
- Length: 41 ft in (12.5 m)
- Wingspan: 58 ft in (17.7 m)
- Height: 13 ft in (4 m)
- Empty weight: 5,287 lb (2,398 kg)
- Loaded weight: 8,000 lb (3,628 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney S1H1-g Wasp radial, 600 hp (447 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 160 mph (258 km/h)
- Range: nm (960 mi, 1545 km)
- Service ceiling: 17,900 ft (5,460 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (305 m/min)
[edit] References
- ^ Rossiter, Sean. Otter & Twin Otter: The Universal Airplanes. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1998. ISBN 1-55054-637-6. p.55.
- Hayes, Karl E. DHC-3 Otter(CD-ROM.). Crakaig, Killiney Hill Road, Killiney, Co. Dublin, Ireland: Karl E. Hayes Publisher, 2006. (also available via CANAV Books, Toronto)
- Hotson, Fred W. The de Havilland Canada Story. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1983. ISBN 0-07-549483-3.
- Milberry, Larry. Aviation In Canada. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-07-082778-8.
- Molson, Ken M. and Taylor, Harold A. Canadian Aircraft Since 1909. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. ISBN 0-920002-11-0.
- Rossiter, Sean. The Immortal Beaver: The World's Greatest Bush Plane. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre, 1999. ISBN 1-55054-724-0.
[edit] See also
[edit] Related content
Related development
Comparable aircraft
Designation sequence
DHC-1 - DHC-2 - DHC-3 - DHC-4 - DHC-5 - DHC-6
See also
DHC-1 · DHC-2 · DHC-3 · DHC-4 · DHC-5 · DHC-6 · DHC-7 · DHC-8
CS2F Tracker · Gipsy Moth · Tiger Moth · Fox Moth · Mosquito
Timeline of aviation
Aircraft · Aircraft manufacturers · Aircraft engines · Aircraft engine manufacturers · Airports · Airlines
Air forces · Aircraft weapons · Missiles · Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) · Experimental aircraft
Notable military accidents and incidents · Notable airline accidents and incidents · Famous aviation-related deaths
Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft
