DeHavilland  DHC-4 Caribou Demonstration and Test Aircraft

 

Newest data is shown in red                 Updated  December 1, 2024

 
A Canadian deHavilland Caribou demo aircraft being tested at Fort Myer, Virginia on December 9,1958. Dave Fairbanks, manager of deHavilland flight operations, obtained permission from the FAA to use the Fort Myer parade field with a level, 900 feet grass section. Fairbanks arrived in a Caribou in front of the military observers, took on 32 troops, took off, circled and landed. He loaded again with cargo and vehicles and want through same routine. Next day the procedure was demonstrated in every detail for General Howze, Secretary of Defense Wilson and a number of congressmen. The convincing display put an abrupt end to the debate - the Army could buy the airplane they so badly wanted and began ordering them in batches of 50. (webmaster)

 
CF-KTK-X (c/n # 1) with short fuselage during its flight test period.  (de Havilland)

 
Demo Caribou  CF-LAX-X (c/n # 2) landing at Fort Rucker, AL sometime between Jan 1, '59 and April 10, '59 (Gordon Stobb)
<<< CF-LAX-X (cn # 2) In demo paint. Downsview, Ontario, Canada/date unknown.

>>> A test model of Caribou is atop a DHC Otter date & location unknown. (DHC)
<<< CF-UYM (c/n #250) used for pilot training then registrated as N949GA.

>>> CF-LAN-X (cn # 2) loading Canadian troops for PR photo shot.Location and date unknown. (AOCA Historian Archives)
 


CARIBOU DEMONSTRATION TOURS
Tour Number 1 - October 1959 to May 1960 using CF-LVA (CN #9) Demo covered Europe, Scandinavia, Middle East, India, South East Asia, Australia and Northern Canada
CF-LVA showing off for the British military at Hatfield (HTF) airport - UK, November 1959   (Clive Dyball)
PR photos of CF-LVA , location/date unknown. (Bombardier Regional Aircraft)


Tour Number 2 - October to December 1961 using CF-LAN (CN #2)  Demo covered Flordia, West Indies and Latin America.
Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco at Montevideo, Uruguay. (Norman Eastaff collection via Janic Geelen)
Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco at Montevideo, Uruguay. (Norman Eastaff collection via Janic Geelen)
Aeropuerto Internacional de Carrasco at Montevideo, Uruguay. (Norman Eastaff collection via Janic Geelen)


Tour Number 3 - March to July 1964 using CF-OYE (CN #40)  Demo covered Alaska, Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Middle East, East Africa, Libya, Europe
<<< CF-OYE (c/n #40) on demonstration tour parked at Melsbroek (EBMB) Belguim on June 28, 1964 (Robert Roggeman)
At the Rabat Airport, Morocco in June 1964. Bob Fowler flying.  (Norman  Eastaff collection via Janic Geelen)
At the Rabat Airport, Morocco in June 1964. Bob Fowler flying.  (Norman  Eastaff collection via Janic Geelen)  

  

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