DH.89a Dragon Rapide G-AKIF
Building on the commercial success of the De Havilland DH.84 Dragon, and filling the need for a faster, more capable aircraft, De Havilland came up with the DH 89 Dragon Six - sometimes called the Dragon Rapide, and later just Rapide - the prototype first flying in April 1934. With its DH Gypsy Major 6 engines of 200 hp, and capable of carrying eight passengers, it was an instant success in the civil market.
The De Havilland factory at Hatfield was soon occupied with orders for companies, and airlines such as Olley Air Services and Hillman Airways Ltd. In response to requests to improve landing performance, De Havilland fitted small flaps under the lower wings from 1936, which steepened the glide angle and prevented the problem of ‘floating’ which had affected the Rapide.
The RAF ordered two DH.89a aircraft as communication machines for No. 24 Squadron in 1938, but this was just the start of the flood. With the outbreak of war, orders poured in for aircraft for navigation training, radio operator training, air ambulances and more communications machines. These military aircraft were called Dominie T.1, and given the designation of DH.89b; they joined no less than 205 civilian machines which had been ‘impressed’ for both RAF and Royal Navy use.
With Hatfield starting to concentrate on building the impressive, new, Mosquito, De Havillands needed a sub-contractor to build the Dominie. They chose Brush Coachworks Ltd of Loughborough, Leicestershire, a company who normally built ‘bus bodies (which used a great deal of wood framework), and had built Avro 504 aircraft during the Great War. The Dominie was a true workhorse during World War II, with some even being supplied to USAAF units in the UK in a form of ‘reverse Lend-Lease’! This aircraft was built by Brush Coachworks in 1944 as a Dominie (serial no. NR750, c/n 6838) for the RAF.
The shape of British commercial aviation following WWII was to have been dictated by the Brabazon Report. However, some of the recommended ‘Brabazon Types’ were slow coming into service. Thus this demobbed now-DH.89a was sold in 1947 to A Hamson & Son Ltd who registered it as G-AKIF and passed it on to Manx Air Charters. It remained in the hands of a variety of small firms until 1968 when it was purchased by the Parachute Regiment's Free Fall Club at Netheravon.
In 1971 it was was repainted in Rothmans cigarette colours, named 'The Rothmans Skydiver' and operated in Norway as part of a sponsorship promotion of the British Army's Red Devils parachute display team. It was registered as LN-BEZ in Norway. The aircraft returned to the UK and its registration of G-AKIF in 1973 with Airborne Taxi Services Ltd.
On 2 August 2006, G-AKIF was damaged during a landing accident at Duxford Aerodrome with nine passengers on board which saw the aircraft pitch forward and the propellers dig into the ground. Subsequently it was restored to flying condition and is seen above taxiing towards take-off during the 2013 Duxford Air Show.
DH.89a Dragon Rapide G-AKIF
Building on the commercial success of the De Havilland DH.84 Dragon, and filling the need for a faster, more capable aircraft, De Havilland came up with the DH 89 Dragon Six - sometimes called the Dragon Rapide, and later just Rapide - the prototype first flying in April 1934. With its DH Gypsy Major 6 engines of 200 hp, and capable of carrying eight passengers, it was an instant success in the civil market.
The De Havilland factory at Hatfield was soon occupied with orders for companies, and airlines such as Olley Air Services and Hillman Airways Ltd. In response to requests to improve landing performance, De Havilland fitted small flaps under the lower wings from 1936, which steepened the glide angle and prevented the problem of ‘floating’ which had affected the Rapide.
The RAF ordered two DH.89a aircraft as communication machines for No. 24 Squadron in 1938, but this was just the start of the flood. With the outbreak of war, orders poured in for aircraft for navigation training, radio operator training, air ambulances and more communications machines. These military aircraft were called Dominie T.1, and given the designation of DH.89b; they joined no less than 205 civilian machines which had been ‘impressed’ for both RAF and Royal Navy use.
With Hatfield starting to concentrate on building the impressive, new, Mosquito, De Havillands needed a sub-contractor to build the Dominie. They chose Brush Coachworks Ltd of Loughborough, Leicestershire, a company who normally built ‘bus bodies (which used a great deal of wood framework), and had built Avro 504 aircraft during the Great War. The Dominie was a true workhorse during World War II, with some even being supplied to USAAF units in the UK in a form of ‘reverse Lend-Lease’! This aircraft was built by Brush Coachworks in 1944 as a Dominie (serial no. NR750, c/n 6838) for the RAF.
The shape of British commercial aviation following WWII was to have been dictated by the Brabazon Report. However, some of the recommended ‘Brabazon Types’ were slow coming into service. Thus this demobbed now-DH.89a was sold in 1947 to A Hamson & Son Ltd who registered it as G-AKIF and passed it on to Manx Air Charters. It remained in the hands of a variety of small firms until 1968 when it was purchased by the Parachute Regiment's Free Fall Club at Netheravon.
In 1971 it was was repainted in Rothmans cigarette colours, named 'The Rothmans Skydiver' and operated in Norway as part of a sponsorship promotion of the British Army's Red Devils parachute display team. It was registered as LN-BEZ in Norway. The aircraft returned to the UK and its registration of G-AKIF in 1973 with Airborne Taxi Services Ltd.
On 2 August 2006, G-AKIF was damaged during a landing accident at Duxford Aerodrome with nine passengers on board which saw the aircraft pitch forward and the propellers dig into the ground. Subsequently it was restored to flying condition and is seen above taxiing towards take-off during the 2013 Duxford Air Show.