DH.89 DRAGON RAPIDE 6250 Prototype Dragon Six ... - Ab-ix.com

egd 3.1.02 to Reynolds Heritage Preservation Foundation [Byron Reynolds], Wetaskiwin,
Alberta. On display [03] at [renamed] Reynolds Alberta Museum. On rebuild to fly [08].
6255 Regd G-ACPR [CofR 4959] 20.2.35 to Railway Air Services Ltd, Croydon; named "City of
Birmingham". CofA 4743 issued 18.3.35; delivered 30.3.35. Operated .36 by Imperial Airways
Ltd for pilot training. Cld 5.12.38 and regd 31.1.39 to Great Western & Southern Air Lines Ltd,
Shoreham [later Speke]; named "Valkyrie". Operated by 'C' Flight 24 Squadron, Hendon
17.9.39-7.12.39. Forced landed in snowstorm and overturned Burford, Shropshire 19.2.40.
Regn cld 18.2.40 (sic) as pwfu.
6256 CofA 4602 issued 10.12.34 to Cyril Hull (although sold new to African Air Transport via Jack
Barclay Ltd). Handed over 14.12.34 & departed Hatfield 29.12.34 for
Johannesburg/Baragwanath; pilot HN Hawker. Regd ZS-AES 31.1.35 to African Air Transport
Ltd, Germiston; named "Mau Hea Tom". Regn cld 30.6.38 to Southern Rhodesia. Regd
VP-YBZ [CofR 59] 6.38 (or 26.9.38) to Rhodesian & Nyasaland Airways, Salisbury. Taken over
by SRAS as 302 1.2.40. Reverted to VP-YBZ [.4.42]. Crashed 11.43.
6257 Regd G-ACTT [CofR 5120] 6.34 to Anglo American Oil Co Ltd, Heston. CofA 4475 issued
20.10.34. Not delivered and replaced by G-ADCL. Reverted to DH at Hatfield by 7.1.35 for
refurbishment for Prince of Wales (allegedly chosen to satisfy Royal requirement of "last two" on
registration). Regd [CofR 5644] 25.2.35 to Flt Lt Edward H Fielden on behalf of HRH Prince
Edward, Prince of Wales and based Hendon. Delivered 27.4.35 but little used and offered for
sale 10.35. Sold 13.3.36 and regd [CofR 6872] 30.3.36 to Olley Air Service Ltd, Croydon.
Damaged in minor accident in France 27.9.37; repaired. Regn cld 9.2.40 as sold. To 24
Squadron, Hendon 9.2.40 and impressed as X8509 31.3.40. Damaged 14.7.41 and to De
Havillands 27.7.41. SOC as spares by DH Witney 29.8.41.
6258 Regd G-ACTU [CofR 5121] 3.9.34 to Claud R Anson, Itchel Manor, Crondall, Hants (based
Hanworth). CofA 4477 issued 24.9.34; dd 11.34. Regd [CofR 7193] 17.7.36 to Arthur PH
Forbes, The Rt Hon Viscount Forbes and operated by Personal Airways Ltd, Croydon. Regn cld
[probably as sold abroad] following attempted acquisition by a Frenchman acting for the Spanish
Republicans 8-9.36, which was thwarted. Regd [CofR 7426] 2.11.36 to Viscount Forbes [again].
Regd [CofR 7994] 14.7.37 to The Channel Trust Ltd, operated by Norman Edgar (Western
Airways) Ltd, Weston-super-Mare. Regd [CofR 8445] 9.4.38 to Weston Airport Ltd; operated by
Western Airways Ltd, Weston-super-Mare. Regd [CofR 8854] 1.11.38 to Western Airways Ltd,
Weston-super-Mare. Operated by 24 Squadron, Hendon 30.9.39; detached to Le Bourget
8.11.39. Returned 5.40 to Western Airways Ltd. Regn cld 4.6.40 as sold and to 8 AACU Filton
10.6.40 (later Weston Zoyland & Cardiff). Impressed as AW115 25.7.40. Stalled on take-off and
crashed into garden Cardiff 15.2.41 and dbf; 3 injured. SOC 28.2.41.
6259 Regd ZK-ACO 8.10.34 to NZ Melbourne Centenary Air Race Committee, Mangere; named
"Tainui" (and officially handed over 3.10.34). UK CofA 4535 issued 9.10.34. Race No.60, it was
flown by Squadron Ldr JD (Jim) Hewett & Cyril E Kay, departing Mildenhall 20.10.34 and arriving
Melbourne 3.11.34 (after suffering tail damage at Cloncurry 28.10.34). It finished fifth in speed
race with an elapsed time of 330 hr 51 min and flying time of 106 hr 51 min. Flown to
Palmerston North, New Zealand 14.11.34 and then shipped back for sale to Sydney, Australia on
SS Wanganella; arriving 27.5.35. Erected and test flown Essendon 5.6.35. Regd 10.6.35 to The
Melbourne Centenary Air Race Committee). Regd in Australia as VH-UUO [CofR 528] 10.6.35
to West Australian Airways Ltd, Perth. Regd 1.7.36 to Adelaide Airways Ltd, Adelaide (and
which on same day became Australian National Airways). Badly damaged on landing Mount
Gambier, SA 30.9.36; trucked to Parafield and rebuilt by 3.37. Regd 25.11.36 to Australian
National Airways Pty Ltd, Essendon [based Parafield]; named "Malonga". Regd 8.8.39 to
Guinea Airways Ltd, Adelaide; named "Lae". Regn cld 8.7.40. Impressed as A33-1 2.7.40; to 1
EFTS Parafield 2.7.40. To 1 AOS Cootamundra 26.8.40. To DCA 15.4.42. Regd VH-UUO
21.4.42 to Airlines of Australia Ltd, Sydney. Regd 26.6.43 to Australian National Airways Pty Ltd,
Melbourne; named "Yuptana". Leased to Queensland Airlines Ltd [pre.50]. Regd 7.2.50 to
Butler Air Transport Pty Ltd, Mascot. Forced landed in heavy rain and low cloud and dbf
Warrumbungle Range, nr Tooraweenah, NSW 23.5.52; en route Baradine-Tooraweenah, NSW;
no casualties. Regn cld 8.9.52.
6260 To Ala Littoria with CofA 4633 issued 27.12.34. Regd I-DRAG [CofR 1640] 29.1.35 to Ala Littoria
SA, Rome (based Littorio); dd 8.2.35. Regd 5.8.36 to Franco Mazzotti Biancinelli, Milan. Regn
cld 9.36 as pwfu. Purchased by Spanish Republicans at Le Bourget 8.36 [or at Croydon early
8.36] through Rollason Aircraft Services and flown to Barcelona 14.8.36 by Corniglion-Molinier.
Reportedly wrecked in a taxying collision with captured Fiat CR.32.
6261 Regd G-ACYR [CofR 5375] 15.10.34 to Olley Air Service Ltd, Croydon [with non-standard
“luxury” cabin fit]. CofA 4534 issued 2.2.35; dd 7.2.35. This Rapide was the one used by
General Franco in July 1936 on his way to lead the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War; (for full