Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Commercial biplane transport

Power Plant:

Two 149 kw (200 hp) de Havilland Gipsy Queen 2 six-cylinder in-line air-cooled engines

Specifications:

History:

In 1933 de Havilland designed a faster and more comfortable version of the DH.84 Dragon and, when the prototype E.4 (later CH-287, HB-ARA, HB-APA – c/n 6250) was flown at Stag Lane, Edgware i n Middlesex by Hubert Broad on 17 April 1934, it was known as the DH.89 Dragon Six. Powered by the 149 kw (200 hp) Gipsy Six and Gipsy Queen series of engines, 728 aircraft were built during the next ten years. About 475 of these were known as the DH.89 Dominie, and were used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) as radio training and communications aircraft. Production took place at Hatfield in Hertfordshire, and Loughborough in Leicestershire, the latter building 346 of those delivered to the RAF. First production machine G-APCM (c/n 6251) was delivered to Hillman’s Airways Ltd.

The DH.89 Dragon Rapide became very popular and from 1936 production was in full stride, some modifications being made from c/n 6342 (G-AEOV), with the fitting of small trailing-edge flaps built into the lower mainplane outboard of the engine nacelles, and thereafter becoming known as the DH.89A.

The type was modified for military use, with a dorsal fin being fitted in order for it to compete against the Avro Anson for an RAF order. In the event the Anson was ordered, but a small number of DH.89s were supplied to Iran and Lithuania.

A number of DH.89s were impressed by the RAF early in World War II to meet the requirements of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), and the supply of military units in France before the fall of that country. A number were fitted with floats in Canada. In due course, to meet RAF requirements, the DH.89B Dominie Mk 1 for navigation and radio training appeared, and the Mk 2 for communications duties, these aircraft operating in a camouflage colour scheme.

After the war large numbers became available for civil use and the de Havilland facility at Witney in Oxfordshire converted many Dominies> Many others were bought and converted by new operators and the type could be seen in all parts of the world working as a small airliner or carrying freight.

The DH.89 was used in a number of long distance flights. In October 1953 New Zealand registered DH.89 ZK-ACO (c/n 6259 – ‘Tainui’) was fitted with long-range fuel tanks in the main cabin, increasing the range to 1,609 km (1,000 miles). It was entered and flown by Sqdn Ldr J D Hewett and C E Kay, with E Stewart as radio operator, in the New Zealand Centenary Air Race (Race No 60) from England to Australia. The aircraft came 6th in the handicap race and 5th in the speed race with a total time of 330 hrs, 51 mins and 10 secs.

Between 17 December 1969 and 2 January 1970 a further race was held from England to Australia, this event being the BP England – Australia Commemorative Air Race won by a Britten Norman Islander (VH-ATZ). In the event DH.89B Dominie ZK-AKU (c/n 6662) successfully completed the course, being flown by J E Moon, with D W Gray and M A Cooney as crew.

Dominie VH-IAN (c/n 6655 – ex ZK-ALB, NZ527, HG656), which resided at Shepparton, VIC for many years, was later based in Sydney NSW. It was re-registered VH-UTV in 1999 and has survived based at Bankstown, NSW.

Another DH.89 was imported in the 1970s and has been restored at Moorabbin in Melbourne, VIC where it became VH-UXZ² (c/n 6801 -ex G-AJSL, NR713).

VH-AAG (c/n 6668 – ex ZK-BBP, NZ531, HG669) saw service in the Snowy Mountains area of NSW with Alpine Airways but in 1964 ended up being used as a target by RAAF Sabres at Darwin, NT after it was damaged when it hit a kangaroo landing at a remote field near Darwin in 1963.

First of the type on the Australian Civil Aircraft Register was VH-UVS (c/n 6265 – ‘Spirit of Shell’), imported in March 1935 for the Shell Company.

Subsequently the type became quite popular with the airline industry. Examples were imported for Adelaide Airways, West Australian Airways, Holyman’s Airways, etc, and were used by such well known companies as Australian National Airways, Butler Air Transport, and Connellan Airways. A number were also used by the Queensland Ambulance Transport Brigade.

Two were operated by the RAAF for survey work shortly before World War II. The first became serial A3-1 (c/n 6270 – later VH-UFF and A33-3). The second became A3-2 (c/n 6314) but on 13 April 1936 was lost in the Newcastle Waters area, NT. During the war seven of the Australian civil aircraft were impressed into RAAF service: A33-1 (c/n 6259 – ex ZK-ACO, VH-UUO); A33-2 (c/n 6318 – ex VH-UVI); A33-3 (c/n 6270 ex A3-1 above); A33-4 (c/n 6346 – ex VH-UXT); A33-5 (c/n 6253 – ex VH-UBN, G-ACPO); A33-6 (c/n 6384 – ex VH-UZY); and A33-7 (c/n 6341 – ex G-AENO, EI-ABP, VH-ADE – later becoming VH-ADE again).

Other DH.89s have included: VH-UVT (c/n 6319 – ex G-ADUP); VH-UXZ (c/n 6365 – ‘Marika’); VH-AIK (c/n 6497 – ex X7324); VH-CBU/VH-ECW (c/n 6530 – ex SE-CBU, X7370); VH-BKM (c/n 6543 – ex X7383); VH-AHI (c/n 6633 – ex G-AHLU, X7516); VH-BGP (c/n 6648 – ex ZK-BCP, NZ524, HG649), which for some years was displayed at Airworld, Wangaratta and has been restored; VH-CFA² (c/n 6713 – ex G-ALNT, HG728); VH-CFA (c/n 6814 – ex G-AKOC, NR726); VH-BFS (c/n 6886 – ex G-GSI, NR810), which later became VQ-FAZ; VH-AWG (c/n 6903 – ex ZK-BFK, G-AHGR, NR839), which later became VH-BIF² and was used in the 1970s for fire practice at Archerfield, QLD; VH-BKR (c/n 6929 – ex RL947), which later became VH-CLH, being withdrawn from service in July 1962.

The Dragon Rapide / Dominie series also proved very popular in New Zealand. Some 14 were registered over the years, with the main user of the type being Mount Cook Airways and the RNZAF. The DH.89 was obtained for the RNZAF, comprising five DH.89As (serials NZ555 to NZ559) and nine DH.89B Dominies (serials NZ523 to NZ531), which saw service from 1939 to 1954. The five DH.89As were impressed during World War II and allotted to the Air Gunners and Air Observers School formed at Ohakea in November 1939, and also in the general reconnaissance and communications roles. These aircraft were: NZ555 (c/n 6334, ex ZK-AEC); NZ556 (c/n 6305, ex ZK-AED); NZ557 (c/n 6306, ex ZK-AEW); NZ558 (c/n 6423, ex ZK-AGT); and NZ559 (c/n 6343, ex ZK-AEE).

The DH.89Bs were all ex-RAF aircraft and for many years operated in the communications role. These were: NZ523 (c/n 6647, ex HG648), later ZK-AKS ‘Tara’ and ‘Teoteo’, which crashed on Mount Soho on 15 June 1965; NZ524 (c/n 6648, ex HG649) which eventually became VH-BGP, was imported to Australia and has been airworthy in Western Australia; NZ525 (c/n 6653, ex HG654), which became ZK-AKY; NZ526 (c/n 6654, ex HG655) which later became ZK-BAU ‘City of Auckland’ but crashed at Milford Sound on 22 April 1964; NZ527 (c/n 6655, ex HG656) which was exported to Australia and became VH-IAN, later becoming VH-UTV; and NZ528 (c/n 6662, ex HG663) which later became ZK-AKU.

NZ529 (c/n 6664, ex HG665) became ZK-ALC ‘Tiora’ but was destroyed by fire at Rotorua on 14 January 1950; NZ530 (c/n 6673, ex HG674) became ZK-AKT ‘Tareke’ but had a double engine failure near Queenstown on 15 April 1967, force landed in the Shotover River and was written off; and NZ531 (c/n 6668, ex HG669) became ZK-BBP, later going to Australia as VH-AAG. Six were sold in 1946 and the remainder in 1952, all becoming civil aircraft.

A number of DH.89s have survivee. In New Zealand: ZK-AHS (c/n 6423) in Auckland; ZK-AKU (c/n 6662) at Ardmore; ZK-AKS (c/n 6647) at Mandeville; ZK-AKY (c/n 6653) at Mandeville; and ZK-SWR (c/n 6853 – ex NR777) at Taieri. This latter aircraft was found on a farm in Belgium and conveyed to the Croydon Aircraft Company of Mandeville for restoration by its owners, all former Swissair pilots, this work being completed by Southair Ltd at Taieri, the aircraft making its first post restoration flight in a Swiss colour scheme in March 2006. It was subsequently exported to Switzerland.

AnotherZK-AHS (c/n 6423 ‘Mokai’) in New Zealand National Airways Corporation markings is on display at MOTAT Museum in Auckland; and work is proceeding on restoring another to airworthiness, having been imported from Europe, this machine being restored by Avspecs at Ardmore for American collector, Jerry Yagen.