De Havilland D.H.89 Dragon Rapide
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GrahamClayton, e-mail, 25.11.2023 05:47

Registration VH-BGP is currently residing in Mandeville Airport NZ, awaiting full restoration.


David Williams, e-mail, 14.07.2022 23:47

In about 1949 or 1950, my ex-RAF father and I were passengers on one of those joyride flights, from the huts on the north perimeter of London Airport. I can also remember even as a three-year-old noting signs of the construction site that would become the central development of Heathrow. Delighted to know that plane is still flying over 70 years later.


Nick Upton, e-mail, 01.01.2018 20:16

I worked for an aerial survey company in the late sixties [precise surveys ltd ]. Our aircraft was an Scillonian Airways Rapide flown by a pilot called Malcom Payne.Anybody out there know what happened to this aircraft.


Kevin Tegg, e-mail, 09.06.2017 18:45

When I started spotting in '53, there were 2 Dragon Rapides apparently based at Northolt giving pleasure flights.

Unfortunately, I didn't have the money!

Any info on these 2 would be appreciated.


John Stratford, e-mail, 26.04.2017 09:56

I recall my grandfather paying 10 shillings for me to enjoy a trip around the Isle of Wight in a Rapide in the summer of 1958. I was 11 years old and remember being surprised how much of the airframe was fabric covered. Whilst enjoying the flight and views on a perfect blue sky summer day I also amused myself by pushing my finger against the fabric covered fuselage sides. My mother on finding out about the flight was furious with her father for entrusting my safety to such a 'flimsy' machine. I still recall that flight with great affection.


Mike Healey, e-mail, 04.09.2016 13:22

Many thanks to davidmil, I had a look a your Rapide at the LAA yesterday,
The aircraft looks looks like new. It reminded me of my first flite at Blackpool as a child 57 years ago


Nigel Spooner, e-mail, 10.05.2016 17:53

My first flight was on G-AGJG at "London Airport" in the mid-50s. It was flown by my great-uncle, who was one of Monique Agazarian's pilots in Island Air Services. He also went on to fly G-AKIF when it belonged to the Surrey and Kent Flying Club at Biggin Hill. It is terrific that these two beautiful aircraft are still flying today!


TonySomerset, e-mail, 09.02.2016 12:22

Thanks Chris Dunwoody, like you at a similar age my family also took one of these pleasure trips from Northolt. So glad my grey cells have not given up!


Helicopter Museum Weston, e-mail, 16.01.2016 15:44

Did anyone fly or have connections with Weston Super Mare Airfield? We are opening a museum of Weston Aviation and would like to hear from you, for stories to display.


David Cherry, e-mail, 19.08.2015 17:38

In the early 50's, I had my first flight in a Dragon Rapide at Prestwick Aerodrome (Airport). Can anyone identify the likely 'plane/s? I'd love to know!


Ann Welch, e-mail, 10.08.2015 13:56

To stefan. k. I had my first flight in a Rapide at Squires Gate in the late 50's. The whole family went up (such a treat) but as I was a toddler at the time I have sketchy memories. As you were a plane spotter do you know any of the registrations that were giving rides at the time? I would appreciate knowing which aircraft I could have flown in. I'm trying to recreate the trip with my family now probably in one of the Rapides owned by Classic air force at Baggington. Thanks


Chris Dunwoody, e-mail, 03.06.2015 21:03

In the late fourties, aged five or six, I had my first flight. It was a Dragon Rapide, flying pleasure trips from Northolt airfield, I think the air must have had 'holes' in it as I can recall, if the few remaing grey cells are operating correctly, a quite lumpy trip. If anyone can recall the livery or any other details I would be grateful as I am now building a radio controlled model of the Rapide and would like to use the same details.


Phil Gallagher, e-mail, 11.11.2014 20:41

Not quite so exciting at low level on a hot day. I used to fly in the air survey camera 'op' position in the Rapide with Hunting Surveys in the late 60's and early 70's. It was not unusual when landing to refuel for the bowser driver to chase after you asking 'where the fuel cap was' - at the rear of the starboard engine cowling if I recall correctly.


stefan. k., e-mail, 25.10.2014 22:47

I REMEMBER ONE YEAR IN THE 1950/S. IN THE EVENING I USED TO GO TO SQUIRES GATE PLANE SPOTTING. ONE OCCASION THE LAST PLEASURE FLIGHT AROUND BLACKPOOL TOWER WAS ABOUT 8-30PM, THERE WAS A SPARE SEAT, THE PILOT ASKED IF I WOULD LIKE TO FLY. OH WHAT EXCITEMENT TO FLY IN A DRAGON RAPIDE.


Dave Moores, e-mail, 13.06.2014 18:35

Message to Jon, info=bath-hypno.co.uk, 01.12.2010
Browsing Rapide sites, I came across your entry re G-AIDL. I remember the aircraft from its Fox's Glacier Mint Days and have found two photographs that relate to that era, one dated May47. If you are still searching please contact me


Redherringz, e-mail, 08.02.2014 18:00

We had a day out at RAF Colerne (wiltshire) and I had enough money to go with my best friend Steve in a Dragon Rapide.
It was my first ever flight and the most beautiful aircraft
I could ever have imagined,the seats were leather with a big sick bag in the pocket of the seat in front. We flew out over Weston Super Mare along the bay and back to Colerne.
The female pilot was praised for landing in 35mph crosswinds
I know we were on one wheel for part of the landing!


Graham Westwood, e-mail, 11.11.2013 18:45

I flew in a rapide for my twelfth birthday from the Isle of Wight to Southampton and returned later this was schedule flight starting in Croydon and finishing in Cornwall. On 17th August 1948. Doe's anyone know more about these flights


Davidmil, e-mail, 13.05.2013 20:10

It's nice to read so many happy comments about the Rapide. I have G-AGJG at Duxford, and it spent several years of its life at Heathrow flying joyrides for Monique Agazarian's company. Try Googling the registration G-AGJG if you want a picture of it. It is lovely to fly, too!


Ron Halkett, e-mail, 21.03.2013 13:33

RE: my previous post, Serial No. shoul;d have read: GA-GSH


Ron Halkett, e-mail, 21.03.2013 13:09

A DH89A, (GA-GASH) was the RAF Sport Parachute Club's 'mount' in the 1970's. The pilot was a Jerry Schellong. The aircraft had previously been owned by BEA and flew from the Channel Islands.


Andy Mathison, e-mail, 18.12.2012 21:45

I was about 5 or 6 years old and my parents took the whole family (4) up from a landing strip close to Hoddesdon, Herts, UK. My first ever flight, probably 1951 or 2, I have never ever forgotten it......even though I have flown a lot in my life, like the first girlfriend I ever had when I was 14......
Great website, easy to use, many thanks. I'll be back!


Nihal De Silva, e-mail, 23.10.2012 18:43

Yes I flew one of two that was servisable at the Air Accadamy Colombo Sri Lanka.1967. The Aeroplane was extremely stable The Gypsy queens responded so nicely to the two side throttles and the manual flap lever was so nice. True the single pilot was difficult but we did change mid air once trimmed


Ernie Cox, e-mail, 14.08.2012 19:03

I too flew (first time)in the early 1950s from LHW when it was virtually unknown. The trip was a surprise from my Scout Master who had taken me for an outing to look for aircraft.

We flew over central London for about 25-30 minutes with a ticket price of seven shillings and sixpence (37.5p)( I still have the ticket). I see current flights in the Rapide are priced at ~ £100. How things change!


Pat Portsmouth, e-mail, 22.07.2012 22:52

I did the maitenance and repairs on a Dominie at Lee-on_Solent (HMS Daedelus) in the 1950s. The squadron commander used to fly it over to Ireland at Christmas time to get duty free!!


P.G. Cox, e-mail, 16.03.2012 05:44

I once flew in a Rapide of Jersey Airways from St. Peter Port, Guernsey to Southampton, Eastwick in 1960. It was the only time that I was weighed as well as my luggage. Based upon that the seats were assigned accordingly to trim the aircraft. Crew of one,the pilot, and eight passengers in two lines of four on each side of a center aisle.I believe some are still flying.


Alan Vernon, e-mail, 02.03.2012 20:35

I literally grew up to the sound of Dragon Rapides. I lived in Birmingham, under the flightpath for Elmdon [now B`ham International] and Don Everalls` 10 bob joyride Rapides were a daily site.I`ve just started a painting of a prewar Rapide- any suggestions on prewar colour schemes?


peter, e-mail, 31.01.2012 17:59

flew for the first time in G AIDL on a 30 min flight around Isle of Wight with my sister when we were in our teens ( 1978 ?) Our parents were not amused!
We saw a Pitts Special biplane doing loops from ABOVE. very odd. I think we were overtaken by a train as we headed into the wind, so our ground speed was about 35mph.
Isle of Wight trains were even older than the 1946 Rapide.
If you get a chance to fly in one DO !


john cameron, e-mail, 06.01.2012 01:22

In 1950 I was aircrew on Dominies at Donibristle in Fife. These were still the stressed skin models. No toilet facilities, sick bags only. My pilot managed to get us to 9,000ft. in twenty minutes!! Good old Fleet Air Arm, poor relation to the RAF. We flew in Mk1 Ansons when the RAF had Mk23. We always got what the RAF gave up on including a/c and safety equipment etc. One fogbound day we were staggering through the sky to alarge airforce base . they had Superforts. We had no sophisticated nav systems and chose to follow a railway line.I saw a number of things glinting through the fog. Turned out to be the top of the tails of the Superforts. Thia guided us in to Middleton St.George RAF. We pulled up to the ATC.Pilot and passengers got out for a break. An RAF bowser came alongside. The Sgt asked me "What do you do,wind up the elastic"! Ijust looked at him and said "Take a look around. Who is still flying? You or us?" He left.


Laurie Harris, e-mail, 02.01.2012 22:22

I took my first joyride in a Rapide from Northolt in 1946. The lady pilot was Monique Agazarian. A few years later I checked her out in one of our club's aircraft and told her that she gave me my first flight in a Rapide. She could remember the occasion and said that she had to give the joyridding up for a while because she was so pregnant she couldn't pull the control column back far enough to land. Over the winter of 1963/64 I flew a Rapide from Biggin to Cape Town and back to Biggin with a family of five. We landed at 26 different countries during the 16,000+ mile trip and I clocked up 152 hrs on her. Later on I did many 10-minute joyrides on the same aircraft (G-ALGC) at Lands End and one day I did no less that 34 flights. By this time the MOA had made me an 1179 examiner on them. Then I went into the airlines and never had the chance to fly that wonderful aircraft again, but I'll always remember her with nostalgia.


bob gray, e-mail, 18.11.2011 18:42

In the early 1950's, BEA used the Dragon Rapide for flights from Eastleigh, Southampton, to Alderney in the Channel Islands. I flew on them quite a few times. They were replaced by Herons when Jersey Airlines took the route over. I lived in Stanwell, just outside what is now Heathrow, and I clearly remember saving the bus fare by walking from home to the grassed area in the centre of the airfield. Added to my pocket money this just about made it possible to take a joyride in one of the Rapides. My mother went barmy when I revealed that I had been flying. Didn't stop me though, and i've loved each flight i've ever been on since.


alan Kebbell, e-mail, 15.10.2011 02:15

My first flight was a round Heathrow pleasure flight in a Rapide in the early 50s. I was quite young at the time and would dearly like to know the registration number of the plane as it is the only one of the many planes I have flown in, I'm an ex para, that I do not have a record of.


Agaram Sunderajan, e-mail, 13.07.2011 17:30

It was 1936 or 37 when as a small boy, I used to gaze wonderstuck at the Air Services of India fleet which had their home on the western side of Juhu airport, Bombay. They had two Dragon Rapides "City Of Jamnagar" and "City of Bhavnagar". Come evening, I would see one of these landing on the grass strip, taxy majestically and park close by, dropping off the 6 or 7 passengers. The air line ran a weekly service from Juhu to, Bhuj, Rajkot, Jamanagar and other places in Gujerat. When the war started Air Services were closed down , but Tata Air Lines continued operation from the Eastern end and they had arround 6 Dragon Rapides, and they used to operate flights more or less daily from Karachi to Colombo ferrying millitary personal


Rob Heeck, e-mail, 06.07.2011 04:16

Like Zoltan2 and MalcolmL my wife and I had a flight with G-AIYR from St. Just, Cornwall when on holiday there in July 1976. The fact that I still remember it after 35 years proves what a great experience it was. When I was a boy in the fifties, I visited the old Schiphol (Amsterdam Airport) at least once every week, fascinated as I was by everything that could fly (with the exception of birds ofc; lol). For a couple of years there was a Dragon Rapide stationed there. I think it was used for carthography purposes. It was the kind of airplane I would have liked to have my first flight in, but alas, it didn't take passengers, so I had to make do with a Cessna 172. And then, about 20 years later, I did fly in a Rapid yet. Life has its pleasant surprises too.


Rob Heeck, e-mail, 06.07.2011 04:15

Like Zoltan2 and MalcolmL my wife and I had a flight with G-AIYR from St. Just, Cornwall when on holiday there in July 1976. The fact that I still remember it after 35 years proves what a great experience it was. When I was a boy in the fifties, I visited the old Schiphol (Amsterdam Airport) at least once every week, fascinated as I was by everything that could fly (with the exception of birds ofc; lol). For a couple of years there was a Dragon Rapide stationed there. I think it was used for carthography purposes. It was the kind of airplane I would have liked to have my first flight in, but alas, it didn't take passengers, so I had to make do with a Cessna 172. And then, about 20 years later, I did fly in a Rapid yet. Life has its pleasant surprises too.


Ian Roberts, e-mail, 06.06.2011 15:19

Good to see others sharing the experience of flying in the Duxford Dragon Rapide. I took my boy there recently & did the same & he got to sit behind the pilot. You should have seen him smile! A really fantastic experience that will be a cherished memory for us both.


Mike Highwood, e-mail, 01.04.2011 10:41

My first ever was in a DR from "Ringway", now Manchester, on an open day in 1948 at the age of 13. The 15 minute "flip" cost me five shillings. (25 pence)


Roger Shaw, e-mail, 05.03.2011 09:29

Dragon Rapides were used to fly passengers between Wellington and Nelson in New Zealand during WW2. They were named "Venus", "Mars, etc. I flew in them when the regular ferry was not sailing. I think there were 8 seats that faced forward. The views were great because we flew pretty low. Later in the war, they were replaced by Lockheed Electras, which had 12 seats facing across.


james staniland, e-mail, 14.02.2011 05:14

I too remember a small charter company based at Heathrow which Operated DH Dragon Rapides as mentioned above by Derek Horsey. It was in the 50's and I believe the aircraft were owned by a lady with an Armenian sounding name. I later heard about her in Aeroplane or Flight magazine. My father bought tickets for my cousin and I to go up for a flip around Heathrow. Yes, believe it or not Heathrow! It took about twenty minutes and as a young boy I was thrilled to bits. It was my first flight. My father was mistaken by the charter company for his cousin, Chris Staniland, who was a well known racing driver at Brooklands and a test pilot for Fairey Aviation who was actually killed testing a Firefly during WW2. I am 71 now but clearly remember the whole event.


Jim Gardiner, e-mail, 16.12.2010 20:57

As an ATC cadet I was lucky enough to get free flying lessons at Scone
aerodrome on Airspeed Oxfords around 1954. One day my pilot took
me up in a Rapide and after setting trims he came back and ushered me
into the pilot's seat to continue the flight which consisted of surprising
T.A. anti aircraft gunners. What an experience for an eighteen year old.


Robert Murphy, e-mail, 02.12.2010 20:06

Around 1947 while on holiday with a friend in the I.O Man I had my first joy-ride in a Dragon Rapide. We took off from a grass strip at Ronaldsway airport and headed for the Calf of Man .As we circled the tiny island the pilot pointed out various features including the Govenor's residence.In the cabin roof were two large circular fabric patches which, I supposed,doubled for skylights and escape break-outs.Back at Ronaldsway we floated in to avery gentle landing.On thanking the pilot for a most enjoyable safe trip he said she was easy to fly and the safety record for the type was unblemished.


Brian Howard, e-mail, 02.12.2010 17:55

Along with many,I had my first flight experience in the Fox Moth from the sands of Southport late 1940's, but also rember a deHavilland, Dragon ? at Squires Gate Airport, that made flights to the Isle of Man, again late '40's / early '50's


Jon, e-mail, 01.12.2010 00:38

I am looking to find photos of DH Rapide G-AIDL, currently with Classic Flight at Coventry, as she appeared in the 1950's whilst owned by Foxs Glacier Mints Ltd. She was based at Staughton -Leicester airfield, I believe. I am an aviation artist and require reference photos of this a/c for a painting. I believe she was silver grey with blue registration markings including the top wing surface and blue fuselage flash and top of nose. She was used by Foxs Mints along with DH Dove G-AMFU. If any body can help it would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks. Jon


Peter Horsley, e-mail, 23.11.2010 00:06

A friend's parents took me to an Airshow at Cardiff in about 1935 and they paid for John and I to have a joy flight in a Dragon Rapide. My first flight, aged seven, and I have maintained an interest in flying both full size and model,ever since! My parents arrived at the airport later only to be told that their son was flying!! During that Airshow a 'Bleriot 'type plane crashed into a garden next to the field after the pilot lost his helmet which broke the propeller!


David Rasmussen, e-mail, 20.11.2010 08:32

Like Terry, we used to jump from these beautiful aircraft down in Thruxton in the late 60's. Used ex USAF parachute gear, so remember some Hard landings!
Flying in the plane was one heck of an experience.
Also jumped Jackaroose, the converted Tiger Moth, great times all round -:))


a.casais, e-mail, 11.11.2010 21:05

Well, i readed many good times for people flying on this plane, but i think nobody knows, a very asshole did it and make alot of damage to the freedom. Thanks to this plane the spanish dictator Franco came to the power and Spain have a fascist governament for 40 years, how you can see i do not like this plane at all, and the plane and his passenger should had a big crash to die both, the proyect and the asshole.


Clifford Wardell, e-mail, 18.10.2010 00:11

I served in the Fleeet Air Arm from 1949-1956 and worked on the Station Flight whilst serving at H.M.S Gannet which was at Eglington near Londonderry Northern Island, I had the pleasure of working on the engines of a Dominie, HG 694, and have the pictures to prove it. After a major service on the starbourd engine I flew from Eglington to Anthorn, a Royal Naval Air station near Carlisle, and back. Of all the engines I worked on during my service the Gipsy Six was my favourite. Cliff


peter nielsen, e-mail, 13.10.2010 22:50

We used a Rapide at Sennelager Germany 1970 for sport parachuting. It was stored at RAF Guterslow (?) every evening and was flown by an RAF Sgt. We showed up at the field one mornig and were surprised that our jump aircraft wasn't there. We were told that it had been inspected and found that the tail was only held on by the doped fabric (?) By the way, Rothmans Tobacco sponsered this aircraft.


Terry Button, e-mail, 21.06.2010 21:05

The Rapide was the favoured aircraft for sport parachuting in the early days, the 1960's. Exit was easy and safe. The usual practice was for less experienced jumpers to exit at lower hights to lighten load, leaving perhaps four to get to perhaps 10,000 feet. Happy days!


Derek Horsey, e-mail, 22.02.2010 17:51

I flew in a Dragon Rapide from LHR to LHR in the early 1950's when you "catch" a sightseeing flight from the spectators area-fenced in in front of the ATC Tower. We flew over Feltham and the gravel pits and back to LHR, if I remember correctly about 20-25 minutes, can'r recall the cost. Even more importantly I have lost the registration of same and cannot locate anyone remembering these days.


Roxy, e-mail, 06.12.2009 16:15

In the 1950s Cambrian Airways flew Rapides from Staverton airport (Cheltenham) to Rhoose (Cardiff) and Whitchurch (Bristol), where passengers changed on to larger aircraft (Dakotas/Herons?) for flights to the Channel Islands and Paris. I had to weigh passengers and baggage so that the C of G could be maintained by the correct distribution of weight. It was rather difficult when we had only one particularly heavy passenger! The Rapide I remember was G-AJCL (Charlie Love).


Adam Reid, e-mail, 13.10.2009 00:48

I've flown on a Dragon Rapide at Duxford in July 09. I have to say, it's a beautiful aircraft


Lisa Wilson, e-mail, 10.06.2009 15:18

I had a short flight in the Rapide at Duxford, operated by Classic Wings who are based at Duxford. Great views over Cambridge and a lovely experience - appreantly they fly over London too so I might try that one day. My boyfriend had a flight in the Tiger Moth and we spent all day at Duxford so he was very happY!


MalcolmL, e-mail, 18.05.2009 06:00

Agree with Zoltan2 - G-AIYR was a most pleasant flight from St Just, Cornwall. At that time, it was operating a tregualr service to the Scilly Isles. I had the seat behind the pilot and he allowed me to put my hand over his hand to sense the flying motion of the aircraft. He then allowed me to 'hands on' the stick while he put his hand over mine That WAS a real thrill - for about half a minute, I got to 'fly' an antique twin. It was sometime in the 70s I believe and I have a photo taken by the aircraft after the flight. MalcolmL rcav8or@gmail.com


Keith Small, e-mail, 13.02.2009 03:24

This aircraft was my first experience of flying in 1952. I was seated near the back and was trilled by the whole experience. In 2007 my friend and I had the same expeience as Steve Kimberley and flew in a Rapide at Duxford. This time every passenger was weighed before boarding and my friend and I were both seated at the front, we were both big lads weighing in at over 20 stones each. As the pilot glided down the final approach he kept throttling up and raising the nose. After a couple of times he looked back at me and said "Oh it's you!" I've no idea what he meant but the flight was a wonderful peice of nostalgia.


Steve Kimberley, e-mail, 27.01.2009 18:57

I flew in a Dragon Rapide from Duxford near Cambridge UK in summer 2007. Nice, relaxed experience: far better than a modern airliner howling along at 30,000ft! Pleasure flights are available:
http://www.duxfordflying.co.uk/index.php?pageid=588


Gifford Jones, e-mail, 05.05.2008 06:35

I flew the DH89 in the ex-Belgian Congo (Zaire) in the late 60's doing mosquito abatement fogging. We loaded up the seatless cabin with 55 gallon drums of straight, uncut DDT from which led copper tubing through the fuselage side and into the exhaust collector of each engine. I would then fly up and down the streets of Kinshasa (Leopoldvile) in the early am and the late afternoon when winds were nil. That was all before I had read Carsons's "Silent Spring". I was in my twenties, invincable, and building time for a later airline career. My "checkout" involved the Chief Pilot standing in the cockpit doorway behind me, giving verbal instructions. I never saw a manual. When I had mastered taxing after twenty minutes or so (no tailwheel lock), we took to the air.. in the same instructor configuration. The Dragon flew remarkably well. I had no more than an hour of such "dual" before being turned loose to go after those mosquitos.


Jack Lalonde, e-mail, 06.04.2008 03:39

Dragon Rapid C-FAYE is located at Sault Ste Marie,Ont-CAN
a/c is stored at
www.bushplane.com

needs TLC


gordon, e-mail, 07.11.2007 23:11

Wife and I,had a joy flight in a Rapide in 1966 when it was based at St. Just Airport (Cornwall). The pilot appeared to hand-prime the engines from the cockpit before takeoff. In the cabin were `Break-out' points to assist exit in case of a crash. The fabrick appeared to be wood and canvas! The aircraft was very comfortable, very slow with graceful ups and downs with the turbulance around Lands End.




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