De Havilland D.H.90 Dragonfly

1935

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De Havilland D.H.90 Dragonfly

The external similarity between the de Havilland D.H.90 Dragonfly and the D.H.89 Dragon Rapide belied its very different internal structure, the earlier design's spruce and plywood box fuselage being replaced by a pre-formed plywood monocoque shell strengthened with spruce stringers. The lower wing centresection was strengthened, making possible deletion of the nacelle/wing root bracing struts and inner bay rigging wires, and so providing easy access to the cabin, with its accommodation for a pilot and four passengers. Powered by two de Havilland Gipsy Major engines, the prototype made its first flight at Hatfield on 12 August 1935 and the first D.H.90A production aircraft, with Gipsy Major II engines, flew in February 1936. Production totalled 66 Dragonfiies, the type being popular initially with the prominent private owners of the time, both in the UK and abroad, but most were used eventually for commercial purposes. Military purchasers included Canada, Denmark and Sweden.

De Havilland D.H.90 Dragonfly

Specification 
 MODELD.H.90
 ENGINE2 x de Havilland Gipsy Major inline piston engines, 97kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight1814 kg3999 lb
  Empty weight1134 kg2500 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan13.11 m43 ft 0 in
  Length9.65 m32 ft 8 in
  Height2.79 m9 ft 2 in
  Wing area23.78 m2255.97 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed232 km/h144 mph
  Cruise speed201 km/h125 mph
  Ceiling5515 m18100 ft
  Range1006 km625 miles

3-View 
De Havilland D.H.90 DragonflyA three-view drawing (700 x 648)

Comments
Stan Svihla, e-mail, 28.10.2011 03:22

I had my first flight in a Dragonfly registered CF-BFF on Fairchild floats. It operated out of Rouyn-Noranda for Gold Belt Air Service after purchased from de-Havilland Canada. The flight was arranged by the Canadian Air Cadets of which I was a member. Imagine my surprise 6 years later when I was employed by de-Havilland to see CF-BFF on floats gracing many office walls at the plant. Like all de-Havilland passenger designs it was an attractive looking aircraft with nice lines for a twin-engined bi-plane. Some considered it to be the first of a line what was to become executive and personal type of aircraft. A pilot and four passengers plus baggage in very comfortable accommodations. Sadly,a number of years later during a flight CF-BFF was a victim of icing
and crashed and burned with the remains still in the bush when last mentioned in news.

reply

David Wilson, e-mail, 31.07.2011 14:57

Chris,

My father and I used to fly the aircraft at Manchester(Ringway as it was known then). It was not a Dragonfly, but a DH-89A Dragon Rapide, owned by Airviews Ltd. of Manchester.
The Rapide had 12 seats, the Dragonfly only carried 4 passengers.

reply

peter hunter, e-mail, 05.10.2010 23:00

this aircraft is alsow a key fighter and bomber

reply

Chris Pownall, e-mail, 16.08.2010 10:38

My mother to me to Manchester airport in the 1950's for a pleasure flight aboard a De Havilland Dragonfly. I beieve it had 11 passenger seats. Can you please confirm seat numbers. Thanks

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