De Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter

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The correct title of this article is de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.

DHC-3 Otter

Turbo Otter in Harbour Air livery
Type	STOL utility transport
Manufacturer	de Havilland Canada

Another in de Havilland Canada's successful line of rugged and useful STOL utility transports, the single engined, high wing, propeller-driven DHC-3 Otter was conceived to be capable of performing the same roles as the earlier and highly successful Beaver, but was bigger, the vertible "one-ton truck."

1 Design and development
2 Operational use
3 Military operators
4 Turbo Otter
5 Specifications
6 Reference
7 See also
8 Related content

[edit] Design and development

de Havilland Canada began design work on the King Beaver(the Otter's original name) in January, 1951, with Canadian certification given in November, 1952. Using the same overall configuration of the earlier and highly successful DHC2 Beaver, the new design incorporated a longer fuselage, greater span wings and is much heavier. Seating in the main cabin is for 10 or 11, whereas the Beaver could seat six. Power is supplied by a 450kW (600hp) Pratt & Whitney R1340 Wasp radial. Like the Beaver, the Otter can be fitted with skis and floats. The amphibious floatplane Otter features a unique four unit retractable undercarriage, with the wheels retracting into the floats. The Otter served as the basis for the very successful Twin Otter which featured two wing mounted Pratt and Whitney PT-6 turboprops.

Image:C-FUKN-Northway-Aviation-DHC-3-Otter-2.jpg

[edit] Operational use

Although the Otter found ready acceptance in bush airlines, as in a similar scenario to the DHC-2 Beaver, the US Army soon became the largest operator of the aircraft (184 delivered with the designation U-1A Otter). Other military users included Australia, Canada and India but the primary role of the aircraft as a rugged bush plane continues to this day.

[edit] Military operators

Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, United Kingdom , United States (US Army, US Navy).

[edit] Turbo Otter

Some aircraft were converted to turbine power using a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop. The Walter 601 Turboprop engine, manufactured in the Czech Republic, may also be fitted to the Otter. The PZL radial engine from the Antonov An-2, a plane that fulfills a very similar role, may also be fitted to the Otter.