FR Heron Progress

[mike_cyul]

Coming along! Presently working on liveries, of which there are lots and lots to chose from, as this aircraft type flew for airlines around the world, on every continent. Package will include all four marks of Heron, 1, 1a, 2 and 2a, the last also having working featherable props. More screenshots as liveries are done, these here are just a small sample....

The BEA aircraft here has the spray-guard on the nose-wheel, as it spent much of its long career servicing Scotland and its associated islands, including landing on the famous airport beach at Barra.

Mike

 

[Flyboy208]

Fantastic ! Mike

 

[Portia911]

Sweeeeet!
Looking forward to this.

 

[Sundog]

Those are looking great. Maybe I'll re-enact that delivery flight when one was flown to Hawaii for an airline there. I don't remember if they had more than one, but they had to fly around the world eastward to get there, because it didn't have the range to fly from the west coast of the U.S. to Hawaii. It island hopped from the West to get there. Thanks for the previews.

 

[DaveWG]

Looking good Mike.

 

[huub vink]

Very nice Mike (as ususal). Are you sure about the registration of one in the Lufthansa livery? The registration is Dutch and indeed belonged to a Heron 2b from January 1962 until July 1963, however this Heron was owned by Martin's Luchtvervoer Maatschappij NV, Schiphol (Martin's Air Service/Martinair).

It could be that the aircraft was hired by Lufthansa, but I could not find any record of this.

Cheers,
Huub

 

[Stickshaker]

Looking very nice, Mike!

 

[spatialpro]

Lovely!

 

[mike_cyul]

Very nice Mike (as ususal). Are you sure about the registration of one in the Lufthansa livery? The registration is Dutch and indeed belonged to a Heron 2b from January 1962 until July 1963, however this Heron was owned by Martin's Luchtvervoer Maatschappij NV, Schiphol (Martin's Air Service/Martinair).

It could be that the aircraft was hired by Lufthansa, but I could not find any record of this.

Cheers,
Huub

Here you go, Huub:

Mike

 

[nio]

It is good to learn of your further progress.

I am very much looking forward to the release.

best

nio

 

[Roger]

Looking good Mike!

 

[Javis]

Superb!

What's the story on the spray-guard, Mike ? Didn't the gear retract anymore on this type ?

cheers,
jan

 

[mike_cyul]

Superb!

What's the story on the spray-guard, Mike ? Didn't the gear retract anymore on this type ?

cheers,
jan

Hi Jan,

Marks 1 and 1A had fixed gear, while the 2 and 2A had retracting gear - not that it made a huge difference in performance, apparently!

The spray guard was mainly for landing on beaches, as seen here:

Mike

 

[Alan_A]

Looking really good!

Prinair in the base package, please? Any chance?

Or should I start harassing repainters now?

(Or finally learn to paint... yeah, I know...)

Am very much looking forward to this.

 

[huub vink]

Here you go, Huub

Thanks Mike, the aircraft must have been hired by Lufthansa for a short period as the aircraft received a UK registration in Juy 1963 already and the registration PH-VLA was used on a Dove. But that's another story!

Cheers,
Huub

 

[Javis]

Hi Jan,Marks 1 and 1A had fixed gear, while the 2 and 2A had retracting gear - not that it made a huge difference in performance, apparently! The spray guard was mainly for landing on beaches, as seen here:

Mike

Thanks, Mike ! Interesting and very peculiar ! ( landing on beaches and all... ) I must read up about the Heron. Know more about the Dove... ( my first ever digital aircraft model, BAO A&SD for FS4... )

Can't wait to try a first beach landing with the Heron !

Cheers,
Jan

 

[Javis]

.... and the registration PH-VLA was used on a Dove. But that's another story!

Still hoping that it isn't.... ( notch,notch,wink,wink, )

Cheers,
Jan

 

[clmooring]

The fixed gear is very unique. I don't think I have seen another modern (1950/60 something) low wing airliner with fixed tricycle gear. More amazing that it didn't much affect the performance in range or speed?


Very nice work