All Metal Model

[car15]

Can anynone please ID this all metal model? Eight inch wing span.

[grwebster]

de Havilland DH.114 Heron, 1950- 1963

[Dakota]

I think this model is made by Mattijs Verkuyl (NL) as ID model. He made in the fifties a 1:72 range of metal NATO ID models (matt black colour) for the Belgian AF. The Air Museum in Brussels has several models on display. The De Havilland Dove and Heron were part of this range.

[grwebster]

Dakota, I have not seen any Verkuyl stands in a while, is the one in the photo original?
The Heron was mostly a civilian transport, didn't think an ID model would have been needed.

[Dakota]

The stand is definetely not of Verkuyl origin. Verkuyl had different transport types in his range of ID models, English and US spotted.
For example the ones I remember are: York, Hastings, Heron, Dove, Viking, Varsity, Oxford, Anson and US C-119, C-54, C-118, C-47, C-46, C-131, C-121, C-74, C-97.

Why I found out the maker was Verkuyl?
A) +20 years a go I noticed these black coloured aluminium ID models in the Brussels Air Museum (several on display others in the storage area). I received several years later from a neighbour (ex. air force) a C-47 ID model, scale 1:72. Some time a go I bought an original Verkuyl DC-3 in BEA livery: exact the same casting. Fred Cox (DC-8 collector) had once a Verkuyl DC-3 in Western AL livery: same casting.

B) A local photographer with aviation interest received from his late grand father (ex. service) a complete set of ex. Belgian AF ID models (+100) I had the oppurtunity to check these models and found out: similar castings as the later civil propliners sold under Verkuyl label.

C) I have in my collection a Verkuyl BOAC Stratocruiser: same casting as the C-97 ID model.

Maybe other collectors can add some valuable information.

[grwebster]

Not many models were made in aluminum, especially IDs, hard to cast and lots of work to finish, or so I am told.
I have some 'masters' from Vekuyl's studio, Alan Turner, a Brit living in Amsterdam knew him and got lots of stuff from him, complete sets of transfer/decals for all the agency models, for example, and these models that Alan told me were masters with Verkuyl's writing on them. True or not? Who knows? They are the unfinished alu models on right of photo

There is a line of French ID models cast in aluminum, also. At least I must assume they are french as I have only see them in Paris flea markets. They all had the od brass support knob and letters like this JU-52.

I did find what I also must guess must be Swiss IDs in Alu. At least that is where these came from and the planes were mainly used by the Swiss AF.



I have a Venom, also, somewhere.

[Dakota]

correct Geoffrey,
Those two; the Shooting Star and Skyraider, are in black colour in the collection of the Brussels Air Museum (http://airmuseum.be/)

[angelreader]

de Havilland DH.114 Heron, 1950- 1963

Just an observation on this model,this is finished as G-AMTS the original De Havilland company demonstrator that appeared at the SBAC show Farnboriugh a few years,I wonder if this was made for De Havillands publicity department ? the Heron has particulat appeal to me as I was involved with rebuilding at least 35 different airframes in the sixties,G-AMTS met is fate whilst doing a go around on 'one' engine at Biggin Hill crashing into trees,sorry cannot help these historical connections !
Barry.