De Havilland DH-89 Dragon Rapide
Designed in late 1933 as a faster, more comfortable successor to the DH.84 Dragon, the DH.89 Dragon Rapide first flew at Hatfield on 17 April 1934, effectively scaling down the four-engined DH.86 Express into a twin. Its tapered wings and streamlined fuselage fairings gave it a cleaner look than most biplanes of the era, and its light, strong plywood construction let regional airlines fly it profitably on short domestic routes carrying six to eight passengers. Wartime demand pressed many civilian Rapides into RAF and Royal Navy communications service, and total production reached 727 aircraft by 1946. Several airworthy examples still offer pleasure flights over the English countryside today.
Did you know?
The Rapide is the tapered, streamlined plywood biplane that made short domestic routes profitable for small airlines, and some still fly today.
Specifications
| Length | 10.5 m (34 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 14.6 m (48 ft) |
| Height | 3.9 m (13 ft) |
| Persons on board | 8 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 2.3 t |
| Range | 480 NM (889 km) |
| Service ceiling | 19,500 ft (5,944 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 15,000 ft (4,572 m) |
| Rate of climb | 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s) |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
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