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

Leavesden 25.10.44. To DH Witney for major inspection 7.5.45. To 12 Ferry Unit, Melton
Mowbray 12.10.45. To 18 MU Dumfries 11.2.46. Sold 12.4.47 to WA Rollason Ltd, Croydon.
Regd (initially erroneously as G-AKOG) G-AFND 4.12.47 to WA Rollason Ltd, Croydon. CofA
renewed 7.6.48. Regn cld 1.7.48 as sold abroad. Regd TJ-AAP 13.7.48 to Arab Airways
Association Ltd, Jordan. Transferred to Arab Legion Air Force as R301 .49; operated by No.3
Flt/Squadron .49. Fate unknown; reported as only one Rapide on charge by 1950 [which was
R300].
6444 CofA 6583 issued 11.5.39 to China National Aviation Corporation; dd via Far East Flying Training
School Ltd, Hong Kong; given number 38. Burnt out in a fire in the Eurasia hangar at Sanhupa
Airfield, Chungking 27.1.40.
6445 Regd G-AFSO 21.4.39 to Western Airways Ltd, Weston-super-Mare. CofA 6554 issued 22.5.39.
Operated by 24 Squadron, Hendon 10.10.39. Regn cld 4.1.40 as sold. Impressed as W6457
1.3.40, retained by 24 Squadron,. Forced landed nr Aneuil, France 31.5.40 during evacuation
and destroyed by German machine gun fire. Soc 3.6.40.
6446 Toc by RAF as R2485 under Contract 981944/39 at 8 MU 1.8.39. To 2 E&WS Yatesbury
11.10.39; renamed 2 SS 26.8.40. To DH for maintenance repairs 12.9.42 and soc Cat E..
6447 Toc by RAF as R2486 under Contract 981944/39 at 8 MU 28.7.39. To RAE Farnborough [for
trials?] 5.9.39. To 2 E&WS Yatesbury 3.10.39; renamed 2 SS 26.8.40. To ATA, White Waltham
12.3.43. To DH for overhaul 29.10.44. To Coastal Command Comm Flight, Northolt 19.1.45;
based Leavesden wef 12.4.45. To RAF Northern Ireland Comm Flight, Sydenham [undated]. To
5 MU 4.11.46. Sold 25.8.47 to Brooklands Aviation Ltd. Regd G-AKJY (CofR 11986) 22.12.47
to Brooklands Aviation Ltd, Weybridge (based Shoreham). CofA 9937 issued 13.5.48. New
CofR No R2259 issued .50. Cld 8.2.54 & regd 18.2.54 to WS Shackleton Ltd. London W1.
Regn cld 7.4.54 as sold in French Algiers. Inspected Toussus 15.4.54. Regd F-OAPT 22.6.54
(CofA 11.6.54) to Societe Aerotechnique, Algiers. Regd 30.9.57 to Societe Generale
d'Affretements Aeriens [SGAA/Air Fret], Algiers. CofA suspended Geryville 2.3.60. Regd
29.3.60 to Societe Cie Generale de Transports en Algerie [CGTA], Algiers (or Blida) for spares.
Regn cld 20.9.61 as destroyed.
6448 Toc by RAF as R2487 under Contract 981944/39 at 8 MU 28.7.39. To RAE Farnborough
30.9.39; returned to 8 MU 14.10.39. To AMDP 12.12.39. To 2 E&WS Yatesbury 25.5.40;
renamed 2 SS 26.8.40. To DH for major inspection & repairs 4.11.42; to 18 MU 4.2.43. To ATC
Flight, Halton 20.3.43. To DH for major inspection 27.7.43; to 18 MU 11.9.43. To 59 OTU
Milfield 17.9.43; renamed Fighter Leaders School 27.1.44. To DH for major inspection 12.4.45.
Dd A&AEE Boscombe Down 17.9.45 [officially toc 21.3.46]. Loaned to Vickers-Armstrongs, High
Post 18.4.46-15.5.46. To 5 MU Kemble 9.1.50. Sold 30.3.50 to Herts & Essex Aero Club [1946]
Ltd, Broxbourne. Regd G-ALZH (CofR 14965) 24.3.50 to Le Bryan Group Products (Great
Britain) Ltd, London N17. CofA 10874 issued 24.5.50. Regd 24.5.50 to William James Edward
Lee, London N21 (based Broxbourne). Gained some notoriety in May 1950 when it was looped
at Bembridge Air Display. Regd 6.4.51 to Aerocontacts Ltd, Gatwick. Regn cld 2.4.52 as sold in
Madagascar. Inspected Ivato 30.8.52. Regd F-OAKF 25.10.52 (or 28.4.53) to Societe
Air-Madagascar, Ivato. CofA suspended Ivato 21.4.62. Regn cld 25.3.63 “reforme”.
6449 UK CofA 6751 issued 23.8.39 to Dr Mario B Andra. Regd PP-LAA 30.3.40 to Cia Fabril de Juta;
named “Maristell”. Sold 22.7.42 and regd PP-VAN 27.7.42 to VARIG; named "Chui". Stored
unflown by VARIG [42-45] due to legal issues. Sold 5.11.45 & regd PP-OMA 19.12.45 (or
11.2.46) to Organizacao Mineira de Transportes Aereos (OMTA), Belo Horizonte. CofA lapsed
7.7.49. Regn cld 24.10.62 as adamaged beyond repair.
6450 Regd G-AFOI 28.7.39 to Scottish Airways Ltd, Renfrew. CofA 6720 issued 28.8.39. Regd
1.2.47 to British European Airways Corporation, Northolt. Cld 7.6.48 and regd 20.1.49 to
Gibraltar Airways Ltd. Regd 18.5.50 to James Henry Hoggart-Hill t/a Airmotive, Taunton [based
Speke]. Regd 28.6.50 to Airmotive (Liverpool) Ltd, Speke. Regd 5.6.52 to Handley Page Ltd,
Radlett. CofA lapsed 20.9.57 and open storage [11.57] Tollerton. Sold early .58 to Luton
Airways Ltd, Luton for spares (for G-ALBC). Regn cld 20.3.59 as pwfu. Remains extant at
Luton 3.60.
6451 CofA 6752 issued 24.8.39 to Portuguese Air Services. Regd CR-LAV 10.5.40 to Divisao de
Exploracao dos Transportes Aereos dos Servicos (DTA), Luanda. Current .59 – believed
crashed.
6452 CofA 6755 issued 29.8.39 to Portuguese Air Services. Regd CR-LAU .39 to Divisao de
Exploracao dos Transportes Aereos dos Servicos (DTA), Luanda. Current .52 but later wfu.
6453 CofA 6760 issued 29.8.39. Regd CR-LAT 10.5.40 to Divisao de Exploracao dos Transportes
Aereos dos Servicos (DTA), Luanda. Regn cld as sold France; inspected Libreville 15.7.56.
Regd F-OAVZ 7.56 to Transports Aeriens du Gabon, Libreville. Crashed into Sanaga River after
hitting tree en route Kribi-Douala, 20 mls (35km) from Douala 18.9.56; pilot killed [wreck not