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The De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide is a six/eight-passenger bi-plane
airliner. Developed from the De Havilland commercial twin DH.84 Dragon
and DH.86: the DH.89 Dragon Six prototype was first flown on April 17,
1934. Delivery of the DH.89 Dragon Rapide started in 1934. The D.H.89A
entered production in 1937. When the production in July 1946 ended, a
total of 728 DH-89 were built, including 475 DH.89B Dominie Mk.1 and
DH.89B Dominie Mk.2 for the R.A.F. & Fleet Air Arm |
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De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide s/n 6541 was manufactured in 1940 by
De Havilland at Hatfield. The aircraft was delivered in 1941 and was operated
first as DH.89A Dominie X7381. On 30 March 1950, after wfu from military service,
the aircraft was sold to Herts and Essex Aeroclub (1946) Ltd. On 24 March 1950 the
aircraft was registered G-ALZF with Herts and Essex Aeroclub (1946)
Ltd., Broxbourne aerodrome. On 2 August 1950, DH.89A Dragon Rapide
G-ALZF was registered with East Riding Flying Club (Speeton) Ltd.,
Bridlington aerodrome. On 2 August 1951, the G-ALZF was registered with
Frank Joseph Rand Elliot, Middlesborough. On 5 September 1951,
The aircraft was sold to an unknown party and registration G-ALZF was cancelled.
In August 1952, the bi-plane was sold in France and on 9 October 1952, registered F-BGON with Société Fransair, Paris, France.
On 31 October 1952, the F-BGON was registered with ETAT / Direction
Générale de l'Aviation Civile / SEFA. SEFA (Service de l’Exploitation de
la Formation Aéronautique) with headquarters at aerodrome de Muret
l'Herm, near Toulouse, provided airline pilots to organizations such as
Air France. Over the years, after engine failure at Etrepagny the aircraft was
run into non-flying condition and stored. On 2 June 1976, the F-BGON was registered with Daniel
Robert and at that time the aircraft was stored at Etampes. In 1980, the Dragon
Rapide was restored in flying condition by L'Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis and on 20 January 1981
the Dragon Rapide was registered F-AZCA with Jean Salis and based at aerodrome Cerny near
La Ferté Alais. On 22 March 1996, the F-AZCA was registered with L'Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis
(AJBS).
On 6 August 1988, the restored De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide was seen as F-AZCA
"RAF ZCA" at Aérodrome de Cerny la Ferté-Alais near Paris in France. |
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