Monday, 27 May 2019

Saunders Aircraft ST-27B 005 - 14087



When Saunders Aircraft did not pursue getting the Saunders ST-27 certified by the United States Federal Aircraft Administration (FAA) it followed that Saunders Aircraft needed to proceed with a completely new aircraft and perhaps an aircraft based on the Saunders ST-27 Heron conversion. That new aircraft is what we now know as the ST-28, and would undergo new certification under DOT and FAA specifications. Additionally as the number of De Havilland Heron surplus aeroplanes decreased and the price of these surplus airframes increased so the need for a new “build” aeroplane could be seen.

It would be many months before a completely new Saunders ST-28 aircraft could be built. To get a start on the new aircraft St-28 DOT / FAA certification process Saunders decided to convert a De Havilland Heron DH14 aircraft serial # 14087 into ST-28 clone instead of the normal ST-27 configuration, this test aircraft would be termed the ST-27B, Saunders serial number 005.

Some confusion arises among Saunders Aircraft enthusiasts as Saunders Aircraft was originally going to call the follow on new aircraft to the ST-27, the ST-27B but then designated the all new Saunders aircraft the ST-28.  Also the ST-27B #005 – 14087 carried the DOT registration letters of CF-YBM-X,  same registration letters  that the first Saunders ST-27 001 – 14058 carried back in 1969, again some confusion between ST-27 001 and ST-27B 005 arises.




De Havilland Heron #14087 came off the De Havilland assembly line at Hatfield in the UK in 1955 and went into service with the South African Airforce  (SAAF), and was give SAAF number 121.

DH 114 Heron 14087 in South African Airforce service as SAAF  #121 (Fritz Boer photo)
In 1964, Executive Engineering purchased Heron 14087 and the Heron was returned to the UK and registered at G-ASUU.

Figure 3- De Havilland Heron 14087 UK registered as G-ASUU (NA3T photo)

On March 3, 1971 the UK CAA registration record shows that Heron #14087 was transferred to a Canadian owner, which we feel was Saunders Aircraft Corporation.

UK CAA registration record for Heron 14087  G-ASUU

On June 18, 1974 Saunders Aircraft ST-27B, #005 - 14087  was successfully flown and entered the ST-28 flight certification program.

Saunders ST-27B  #005 - 14087 roll out (Bill Ewing photo)


Saunders ST-27B  #005 - 14087 takes off from Gimli (WFP photo)


Saunders Aircraft ST-27B  005 outside Hangar 5 at  the Saunders Gimli plant (SAC photo)
On April 14, 1975 the Winnipeg Tribune reported that Saunders had sold four ST-28's to California based airline Swift Aire.


To promote the sale the ST-27B aircraft was painted in Swift Aire colours.

Saunders ST-27B in Swift Aire colors inside the hangar at Gimli (SAC photo)


ST-27B #005 in Swift Aire colors, note the test probe on the nose (SAC photo)


By 1976 Saunders Aircraft was entering receivership and in 1979 the assets of Saunder Aircraft Corporation were sold to Otonabee Airlines.



The ST-27B and the now completed ST-28 were left at the Gimli Airport, probably because these were test aircraft had no formal type certificates.  Engines and parts were removed to support the Saunders ST-27's that were in commuter airline service.

By August 1981 the ST-27B was sitting in an empty hangar in Gimi still with it's wings on, later photos show the wings had been removed from the fuselage.

ST-27B, August 1981 (Paul Simpson photo)


ST-27B in 2001 inside Hangar 5 at Gimli (J. Stromenbergh photo)

In 2005 or 2006, the roof of Hangar 5 in Gimli caught fire, the fire was put out but  significant damage occurred to the old wooded WWII vintage roof  trusses and Hangar 5 was torn down. The ST-27B was gone from the  Gimli airport.

Fast forward to May 2019 and a phone call if I would like to look at this abandoned Saunders Aircraft in the bush near Gimli, you bet!  It's the ST-27B.  It seems that Barney Lamm of Ontario Central Airways (OCA) acquired the ST-27B. Barney Lamm then gave ro sold the ST-27B to one of his employees "J.R." and J.R. hauled the ST-27B out to his farm.  At this time the current land owner does not wish to be identified or the location of the ST-27B shown.

cheers - ken kalynuk

Abandoned ST-27B, May 2019 - note the Swift Aire blue trim (KK photo)
Abandoned ST-27B, May 2019 - note the Swift Aire blue trim (KK photo)

Abandoned ST-27B, May 2019 - elevator data (KK photo)




Abandoned ST-27B looking forward at the cockpit area May 2019 (KK photo)



Friday, 24 May 2019

Saunders Aircraft Canada - a short intro

Saunders Aircraft Canada  - a short introduction and a request for your help in telling the Saunders Canada story. "The best job I ever had"  is what one Saunders Canada employee emailed me.

Saunders ST-28, photographer unknown via the web
We'd love to hear from you, whether you or your parents worked for Saunders, DOT or FAA, Aviation Traders UK, Atlantic Aviation, ACES, St. Andrews Airways, Atonabee, On Air, City Express, Northland, Skywest, Swift Aire, Voyageur, Labrador, Aero Trades, OCA, Gimli Industrial Park,  De Havilland (Herons) or something related to Saunders or the Dehavilland DH114 Heron.

Tell us what you remember about working for Saunders, or on the ST-27's and the ST-28, maintaining the ST-27's, flying the ST-27, flying or maintaining the De Havilland Heron, email me at kenkalynuk@gmail.com  or join our Saunders Facebook group 

recognize anyone - photo by Saunders Aircraft Canada

In around 1970 the Gov. of Canada announced that "CFB Gimli", the airforce base in Gimli would  close in 1971 as a federal government cost cutting measure.



The Provincial Government of Manitoba looking at offsetting the employment losses from the base closing began seeking alternate industries or businesses to relocate or set up in the Town of  Gimli that had a population of around 2000.

CFB Gimli


One such firm that was offered a Manitoba Government grant to relocate to Gimli was Saunders Aircraft Canada based in Montreal, Quebec led by Saunders Aircraft president, David Saunders.

The 1970 September prov. gov. news release Aircraft Industry Planned for Gimli

We've been collecting material on Saunders Aircraft for the past five years and we always welcome more Saunders Aircraft material and stories, if you have something to share on Saunders Aircraft, please email me at kenkalynuk@gmail.com

We've started blogging on Saunders in January 2019 and will continue as the Saunders information comes in.
The blog posts do not follow a particular order, the blog subjects range from personal stories to technical aircraft information - use the search box on the upper right hand corner if you wish to find something specific.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Sincerely, Ken Kalynuk, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Alexander Paul Kalynuk ( Kalyniuk) in the Canadian Army 1940 to 1945

 I've created a pdf story of my father in the Canadian Army from 1940 to 1945, he was in the Lake Superior Regiment. The link to the PDF...