Saunders Aircraft Limited Canada Research Project: Saunders Aircraft ST-27B 005

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