Following the commercial success of its single-enginedde Havilland Fox Moth that had first flown in March 1932, that aircraft's original commercial operatorHillman's Airways requested that a larger twin-engined version be built. The Dragon was a simple, light design with a plywood box fuselage using the same type of engine and similar outer wing sections of the earlier single-engined aircraft. It was originally designated the DH.84 "Dragon Moth" but marketed as the "Dragon". A prototype, which first flew atStag Lane Aerodrome on 12 November 1932, and the next four aircraft were delivered to Hillman's which started a commercial service in April 1933. It could carry six passengers, each with 45 lb (20 kg) of luggage on theLondon-Paris route on a fuel consumption of just 13 gal (49 L) per hour. The wing panels outboard of the engines could be folded for storage.[1]
An Australian-built DH.84 Dragon at Woburn Tiger Moth Rally 2007
The Dragon proved very attractive as a short-haul low capacity airliner and was soon in service worldwide. From the 63rd aircraft late in 1933, the Dragon 2, with improvements including individually framed windows and faired undercarriage struts, was produced. Even though these changes were largely cosmetic the streamlining improved the aircraft's speed by about 5 mph (8 km/h), allowed 250 lb (113 kg) more payload to be carried and added 85 mi (137 km) of range.
British production of the DH.84 ended at the 115th aircraft, when it was replaced on the assembly line by the more powerful and elegant DH.89de Havilland Dragon Rapide. However, after production was discontinued, the drawings and surviving tools and jigs were sent out from GB and quantity production was ordered for the RAAF (a total of eighty-seven) during theSecond World War atBankstown,Australia, as a navigational trainer for theRoyal Australian Air Force, being preferred to the Rapide because its smaller engines were then being manufactured locally forde Havilland Tiger Moth production, making a total of 202 produced.
A new four-seat Dragon was delivered in 1933 to the Royal Flight for use by thePrince of Wales. It was sold in 1935. It was later pressed into service by the Royal Australian Air Force during the Second World War.
A special aircraft namedSeafarer was built forAmy Johnson (a pioneering English aviator) and her husbandJim Mollison (a famous Scottish pioneer aviator) to make an attempt at the world long distance record. It had a strengthened landing gear and the cabin had extra fuel tanks. It was intended to fly fromNew York City toBaghdad, Iraq, but at their first attempt at a transatlantic flight fromCroydon Airport in South London to the United States on 8 June 1933 the landing gear collapsed. After repairsSeafarer leftPendine Sands in South Wales and arrived atBridgeport, Connecticut, in the United States 39 hours later. However, on landing the aircraft turned over and was damaged.[2]
EI-ABIIolar in 2012
The engines and fuel tanks were recovered fromSeafarer and used in another Dragon namedSeafarer II. After three attempts to take off fromWasaga Beach, Ontario, Canada, forBaghdad, Iraq, the attempt was abandoned and the aircraft was sold. On 8 August 1934, the new owners, James Ayling and Leonard Reid, took off in the Dragon, renamedTrail of the Caribou, from Wasaga Beach in another attempt at the distance record. Although the intended target was Baghdad, throttle problems forced the attempt to be abandoned, andTrail of the Caribou landed atHeston Aerodrome, an airfield west of London, in Middlesex, England, after 30 hours 55 minutes, making the first non-stop flight between the Canadian mainland and Britain.[3][4]
The inaugural service of the Irish AirlineAer Lingus was provided by a DH.84 Dragon, registration EI-ABI and namedIolar, which means "Eagle" in theIrish language. For the 50th anniversary of the airline in 1986, a replacement Dragon was acquired, restored, reregistered as EI-ABI and repainted as theIolar.
Following the War, surviving DH.84s passed into commercial service, with three still flying today.
21 February 1935 – two American sisters, Jane and Elizabeth Du Bois, jumped from G-ACEV ofHillman's Airways, en route fromStapleford Aerodrome, Essex, to Paris. They were the only passengers and the pilot was the only crew-member. The two women had bought all the seats on the aircraft, but claiming before take-off that their companions could not travel that day. Their bodies were found on waste ground inUpminster, but the pilot only became aware of what had happened some time later when over the English Channel.[8] The women were the daughters of the American Consul in Naples, Court Du Bois; they had been well-knownsocialites and their deaths were widely reported. Press speculation linked their double suicide with the recent deaths of two R.A.F. pilots, with whom they had been romantically linked.[9][10][11] The pilots had been both killed in the crash of aShort Singapore flying boat nearMessina, Italy, six days earlier.[12]
On 22 July 1935, G-ACMP of Jersey Airways,[14] operating a domestic flight fromBristol toCardiff, with a pilot and two passengers on board, crashed while approachingCardiff Airport. The aircraft spun and dived into theBristol Channel about two miles off the Welsh coast, nearRumney, Cardiff killing all three on board.[15][16]
On 26 March 1936, G-ACAP ofCommercial Air Hire crashed nearLyndhurst, Hampshire, England killing all five on board. The aircraft had flown fromCroydon Airport and was carrying out military co-operation work around Southampton. Commercial Air Hire had a contract to fly at night to give searchlight crews practice at locating aircraft.[17]
On 7 May 1937, VH-UZG ofNorth Queensland Airways crashed into trees near Cairns Airport, one passenger later dying from his injuries. The pilot and three other passengers were also seriously injured.[18]
21 September 1951 – Pilot First Officer Frederick George Barlogie ofBondi, New South Wales, was killed when his Qantas DH-84 Dragon crashed into mountainous country 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) southeast of Arona in thecentral highlands of New Guinea.[20]
On 13 December 1951 – The pilot and two passengers were killed when a Qantas Dragon crashed in mountainous country nearMount Hagen in thecentral highlands of New Guinea, Qantas's third fatal crash in four months, and most recent fatal accident to date.[21]
DH-84VH-UXG (Riama), 2003
1 October 2012 –2012 Riama crash. A privately owned 1934 de Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2 registration VH-UXG, named Riama (pictured) went missing in bad weather returning from an air show nearMonto, Queensland,Australia toCaboolture.[22]Queensland Police found the wreckage nearBorumba Dam. All six occupants were killed and the aircraft destroyed after impacting a ridge.[23] The pilot and owner had flown into unexpected thick cloud and issued asécurité call. The aircraft's only primary instruments were an airspeed indicator and altimeter.
Dragon 2: Improved version. Fitted with framed cabin windows and two faired main undercarriage legs.
DH.84M Dragon: Military transport version. The DH.84M was armed with two machine guns, and it could carry up to sixteen 20 lb (9 kg) bombs. Exported toDenmark,Iraq andPortugal.
^"Fall From An Air Liner".The Times. No. 46995. London. 22 February 1935. p. 14.
^Terry Carter, "Jane and Elizabeth Du Bois – an American tragedy in Essex,"Loughton and District Historical Society Newsletter 189 (March/April 2011): 5–6.
Jackson, A.J. (1973).British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2. London: Putnam. p. 382.ISBN0-370-10010-7.
Justo, Craig P. (January–February 2004). "Timeless Transport: Australia's Resurrected DH.84 Dragon".Air Enthusiast. No. 109. pp. 2–11.ISSN0143-5450.
Lucchini, Carlo (April 1999). "Le meeting saharien de 1938" [The 1938 Sahara Air Meeting].Avions: Toute l'aéronautique et son histoire (in French). No. 73. pp. 53–57.ISSN1243-8650.
Lewis, Peter (1971).British Racing and Record-Breaking Aircraft. London: Putnam.ISBN0-370-00067-6.
Poole, Stephen (1999).Rough Landing or Fatal Flight. Douglas: Amulree Publications.ISBN1-901508-03-X.
