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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.
The ICAO Aircraft Type Designator for the De Havilland DH.89A is DH89. |
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De Havilland DH.89A s/n 6862 was manufactured in 1945 as a Dominie I by
British Electrical Engineering Company. On 29 March 1945, the aircraft was
taken on charge with RAF 18 MU as NR786 and on 8 July 1945 to CRD at Lancashire Aircraft
Corporation. On 28 March 1946, the aircraft was sold to Lancashire Aircraft Corporation and on 1 April 1946,
registered G-AHGD with them. From 17 October 1946 - 1 October 1949, the G-AHGD was
registered with Universal Flying Services at Kidlington / Fairoaks. From 31 October 1949 - 27 March 1951, the
aircraft was registered with North Sea Air Transport, Hanworth / Brough. From 6 April 1951 - 23 November 1970,
the G-AHGD was registered with Leonard H Riddell, Sherburn / (later Yeadon/Teesside). On 22 December 1970, the
G-AHGD was registered with Lowe & Oliver Ltd, Booker, and painted in BEA colors. On 1 May 1975, the Dragon Rapide
was transferred to Michael R.L. Astor, Booker, and repainted as Z-7258 'Women of the Empire' in 1980. On 15 April
1991, the aircraft was sold at Robert Brooks Duxford auction, and on 28 May 1991, registered to Paul A Wood & Andrew
Wood, who loaned the aircraft to the Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden. On 30 June 1991, the aircraft was destroyed
in a fatal crash following stall turn at Audley End, near Saffron Walden, Essex. On 9 October 1991, registration
G-AHGD was cancelled as destroyed. On 27 November 1991, the G-AHGD was restored to the register with Ralph Jones, Membury,
for rebuild, or as use spares for G-AHAG. On 27 January 2006, the G-AHGD was transferred to Stephen G Jones, Hungerford, with
the remains of the airframe stored at Membury. On 26 July 2013, registration G-AGHD was cancelled as "Permanently withdrawn
from use". The remains of the G-AHGD are now being absorbed into the restoration of Rapide G-AHAG.
On 7 August 1967,
De Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapide G-AHGD was seen at Airport Rotterdam-Zestienhoven. |
