'EI-ABI' (EI-AFK) 1936 DH84 Dragon ll Aer Lingus Flying Legends Duxford 09.07.11 (1)
This airframe commemorates the original Dragon EI-ABI which operated the very first Aer Lingus scheduled flight from Dublin (Baldonnel) to Bristol on 27 May 1936. That machine was sold in the UK in February 1938 and was lost during WWII. EI-ABI represents half of the only airworthy Dragons in Europe and is the only UK built version as the other is an Australian produced machine constructed in 1942.
Built at Hatfield in 1936, this aircraft was registered in the UK as G-AECZ, and was flown by several small British operators until being impressed in 1939 and allocated the RAF serial AV982. It was restored to the civil register as G-AECZ in 1946 to Air Taxis Ltd of Croydon. After several changes of owner it was sold in Ireland as EI-AFK in 1950. Purchased by Aer Lingus in 1967, she was repainted to represent 'EI-ABI' and exhibited from 1976 in the Irish Aviation Museum in the Dublin airport passenger terminal. Aer Lingus decided to restore the aircraft to a flying condition with the approach of that company's fiftieth birthday so in 1985 a team of volunteers stripped down the aircraft and rebuilt her with a first post restoration flight in 1986 painted as the memorable 'EI-ABI'. She then spent five years on the circuit attending air shows and fly ins as well as starring at Aer Lingus corporate events. Stored from 1991 until 1996 then again restored to flying condition remaining active until 2001, when it had a two year break but again resumed flying in 2003 followed by a further grounding in 2004. With the seventy fifth anniversary approaching Aer Lingus again decided to restore this veteran to flight for May 2011 celebrations.
'EI-ABI' (EI-AFK) 1936 DH84 Dragon ll Aer Lingus Flying Legends Duxford 09.07.11 (1)
This airframe commemorates the original Dragon EI-ABI which operated the very first Aer Lingus scheduled flight from Dublin (Baldonnel) to Bristol on 27 May 1936. That machine was sold in the UK in February 1938 and was lost during WWII. EI-ABI represents half of the only airworthy Dragons in Europe and is the only UK built version as the other is an Australian produced machine constructed in 1942.
Built at Hatfield in 1936, this aircraft was registered in the UK as G-AECZ, and was flown by several small British operators until being impressed in 1939 and allocated the RAF serial AV982. It was restored to the civil register as G-AECZ in 1946 to Air Taxis Ltd of Croydon. After several changes of owner it was sold in Ireland as EI-AFK in 1950. Purchased by Aer Lingus in 1967, she was repainted to represent 'EI-ABI' and exhibited from 1976 in the Irish Aviation Museum in the Dublin airport passenger terminal. Aer Lingus decided to restore the aircraft to a flying condition with the approach of that company's fiftieth birthday so in 1985 a team of volunteers stripped down the aircraft and rebuilt her with a first post restoration flight in 1986 painted as the memorable 'EI-ABI'. She then spent five years on the circuit attending air shows and fly ins as well as starring at Aer Lingus corporate events. Stored from 1991 until 1996 then again restored to flying condition remaining active until 2001, when it had a two year break but again resumed flying in 2003 followed by a further grounding in 2004. With the seventy fifth anniversary approaching Aer Lingus again decided to restore this veteran to flight for May 2011 celebrations.