De Havilland Heron #14058 to Saunders ST-27 001 / 15058

 The history of aircraft De Havilland Heron #14058 to Saunders ST-27 001 / 15058.

De Havilland Heron #14058 became the first Saunders Aircraft ST-27 conversion. 14058 had a remarkably interesting history prior to being purchased by Saunders Aircraft. Heron #14058 came off the De Havilland Aircraft assembly line at Hatfield Hertfordshire in 1954 was delivered to the Royal Air Force and given RAF registration XG603. XG603 was attached to the British Joint Services Mission in Washington, DC. and outfitted with eight executive seats.

De Havilland Heron 14058 with the RAF number XG603

RAF officer Glover with XG603 at Andrews Airforce Base

When the British Air Attaché was told that XG603 could only carry eight passengers, he had a quick look inside the aircraft and suggest that this Heron might be all right for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, thus Heron #14058 / XG603 was nicknamed “Snow White”.

Heron 14058 / XG603 "Snow White" article

After serving the British Ambassador in Washington and carry notable passengers such as Lord Louis Mountbatten, XG603 was sent to the RAF far east air force in 1966 and flew for the Air Attaché in Saigon, Vietnam while the Vietnam war was on.

October of 1968, XG603/ #14058 was declared RAF surplus was purchased by Hawker Siddeley Aviation and later Cimber Air. Saunders Aircraft purchased 14058 from Cimber Air on January 24, 1969.

Saunders Aircraft converted De Havilland Heron #14058 to the new ST-27 001 / 14058. Saunders Aircraft leased hangar space from Atlantic Aviation at Dorval Airport in Montreal, Quebec do the the conversion work.

Heron #14058 under conversion to Saunders ST-27 001 / 14058

Heron #14058 under conversion to Saunders ST-27 001 / 14058

ST-27 001 / 14058 painted but without marking and registration

The new ST-27 001 / 14058 ground running the new PWC PT-6 turboprop engine.

Dave Saunders in the cockpit of ST-27 001 / 14058

ST-27 001 / 14058. made it's first flight on May 26, 1969, a formal invitation was sent out for the unveiling of the aircraft on May 23rd.

the invitation to the unveiling on ST-27 001 / 14058

ST-27 001 / 14058, this may be the first flight on May 26, 1969 as the landing gear had to stay  down and locked

Saunders Aircraft ST-27 001 / 14058 in flight over the Montreal area  - May 1969

ST-27 001/14058 was sold to Millardair on August 27, 1969

In January of 1972 ST-27 001 / 14058 was sold to Aerolíneas Centrales de Colombia (ACES) and registered as HK-1286 in Columbia.

ST-27 001 / 14058 in ACES markings, registered as HK-1286

ST-27 001 / 14058 in Aerolíneas Centrales de Colombia (ACES) paint and registered as HK-1286 in Columbia on the ramp at Medellin Columbia.

In 1976 ST-27 001 / 14058 HK1286 was repossessed by Saunders Aircraft and returned to Gimli.

ST-27 001 / 14058 was then allocated the Canadian registration of C-GYCQ but it is unknow if this registration was ever applied.

ST27 001/ 14058 was then sold to

Otonabee Airways in the Saunders Aircraft receivership sale and used for spare parts.