The de Havilland DH.84 Dragon is a successful small commercial aircraft that was designed and built by the
de Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited () was a British aviation manufacturer established in late 1920 by Geoffrey de Havilland at Stag Lane Aerodrome Edgware on the outskirts of north London. Operations were later moved to Hatfield in H ...
company.
Design and construction
Following the commercial success of its single-engined
de Havilland Fox Moth
The DH.83 Fox Moth was a successful small biplane passenger aircraft from the 1930s powered by a single de Havilland Gipsy Major I inline inverted engine, manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company.
The aircraft was designed late in 19 ...
that had first flown in March 1932, that aircraft's original commercial operator
Hillman's Airways
Hillman's Airways was a 1930s British airline that later became part of British Airways.
The company was formed in November 1931 as Hillman's Saloon Coaches and Airways Limited by Edward Henry Hillman who was a coach operator in Essex. His pre ...
requested that a larger twin-engined version be built. It 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". The prototype first flew at
Stag Lane Aerodrome
Stag Lane Aerodrome was a private aerodrome between 1915 and 1933 in Edgware, north London, UK.
History
The land for an aerodrome was purchased by the London & Provincial Aviation Company (Warren and Smiles - Michael Geoffrey Smiles of Bonning ...
on 12 November 1932, it 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 the
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
-
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
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.
Operational service
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.89
de Havilland Dragon Rapide
The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide is a 1930s short-haul biplane airliner developed and produced by British aircraft company de Havilland. Capable of accommodating 6–8 passengers, it proved an economical and durable craft, despite its rela ...
. 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 the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
at
Bankstown
Bankstown is a suburb south west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is 16 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is located in the local government area of the City of Canterbury-Bankstown, hav ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, as a navigational trainer for the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
, being preferred to the Rapide because its smaller engines were then being manufactured locally for
de Havilland Tiger Moth
The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. ...
production, making a total of 202 produced.
A new four-seat Dragon was delivered in 1933 to the Royal Flight for use by the
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
. 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 named ''Seafarer'' was built for
Amy Johnson
Amy Johnson (born 1 July 1903 – disappeared 5 January 1941) was a pioneering English pilot who was the first woman to fly solo from London to Australia.
Flying solo or with her husband, Jim Mollison, she set many long-distance records duri ...
(a pioneering English aviator) and her husband
Jim Mollison
James Allan Mollison Order of the British Empire, MBE (19 April 1905 – 30 October 1959) was a Scottish pioneer aviator who, flying solo or with his wife, Amy Johnson, set many records during the rapid development of aviation in the 1930 ...
(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 from
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
to
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
, Iraq, but at their first attempt at a transatlantic flight from
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport (former ICAO code: EGCR) was the UK's only international airport during the interwar period. Located in Croydon, South London, England, it opened in 1920, built in a Neoclassical style, and was developed as Britain's main air ...
in South London to the United States on 8 June 1933 the landing gear collapsed. After repairs ''Seafarer'' left
Pendine Sands
Pendine Sands ( cy, Traeth Pentywyn) is a beach on the shores of Carmarthen Bay on the south coast of Wales. It stretches west to east from Gilman Point to Laugharne Sands. The village of Pendine ( cy, Pentywyn, link=no) is close to the wester ...
in South Wales and arrived at
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city and a major port in the U.S. state of Connecticut. With a population of 148,654 in 2020, it is also the List of cities by population in New England, fifth-most populous ...
, in the United States 39 hours later. However, on landing the aircraft turned over and was damaged.
The engines and fuel tanks were recovered from ''Seafarer'' and used in another Dragon named ''Seafarer II''. After three attempts to take off from
Wasaga Beach, Ontario
Wasaga Beach (or simply Wasaga) is a town in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada. Situated along the longest freshwater beach in the world, it is a popular summer tourist destination. It is located along the southern end of Georgian Bay, approximate ...
, Canada, for
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
, 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, renamed ''Trail 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, and ''Trail of the Caribou'' landed at
Heston Aerodrome
Heston Aerodrome was an airfield located to the west of London, England, operational between 1929 and 1947. It was situated on the border of the Heston and Cranford areas of Hounslow, Middlesex. In September 1938, the British Prime Minister, Ne ...
, 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.
The inaugural service of the Irish Airline
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus ( ; an anglicisation of the Irish , meaning "air fleet" compare Welsh 'llynges awyr') is the flag carrier of Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 2015 and it is now a wholly owned subsidiary ...
was provided by a DH.84 Dragon, registration EI-ABI and named ''Iolar'', which means "Eagle" in the
Irish language
Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...
. For the 50th anniversary of the airline in 1986, a replacement Dragon was acquired, restored, reregistered as EI-ABI and repainted as the ''Iolar''.
Following the War, surviving DH.84s passed into commercial service, but only three are still flying today.
Accidents and incidents
*26 – September 1933 – ZS-AEF of the Aircraft Operating Company crashed at Baragwanath Airport, near
Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...
, South Africa. The pilot was World War I flying ace,
William Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick
Major William John Charles Kennedy-Cochran-Patrick Distinguished Service Order, DSO, Military Cross, MC & medal bar, Bar (25 May 1896 – 26 September 1933) was a Scottish World War I, First World War flying ace, credited with 21 aerial victori ...
and the single passenger was
Sir Michael Oppenheimer, 2nd Baronet
''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as p ...
, both were killed.
*8 January 1935 – G-ACGK of
Highland Airways Limited
Highland Airways Limited was established in Inverness, Scotland, by Ted Fresson in 1933 to provide passenger and freight air services between the Scottish mainland and the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland, and between their islands. The a ...
crashed into the
Beauly Firth
The Beauly Firth ( gd, Linne Fharair) is a firth in northern Scotland. It is the outlet for both the River Beauly and River Ness. The Beauly Firth is bounded at its western end by the town of Beauly and its eastern by Inverness, where it emptie ...
after takeoff from
Longman Airport,
Inverness
Inverness (; from the gd, Inbhir Nis , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness"; sco, Innerness) is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. Histori ...
, Scotland. The pilot and both passengers were killed.
*21 February 1935 – two American sisters, Jane and Elizabeth Du Bois, jumped from G-ACEV of
Hillman's Airways
Hillman's Airways was a 1930s British airline that later became part of British Airways.
The company was formed in November 1931 as Hillman's Saloon Coaches and Airways Limited by Edward Henry Hillman who was a coach operator in Essex. His pre ...
, en route from
Stapleford Aerodrome
Stapleford Aerodrome is an operational general aviation aerodrome in the Epping Forest (district), Epping Forest district of Essex, England, near the village of Abridge. It is about south of North Weald Airfield and north of Romford. The airf ...
, 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 in
Upminster
Upminster is a suburb, suburban town in East London, England, within the London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is one of the district centres identified for development in the London Plan.
Historically a rural ...
, but the pilot only became aware of what had happened some time later when over the English Channel.
The women were the daughters of the American Consul in Naples, Court Du Bois; they had been well-known
socialite
A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditio ...
s 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. The pilots had been both killed in the crash of a
Short Singapore
The Short Singapore was a British multi-engined biplane flying boat built after the First World War. The design was developed into two four-engined versions: the prototype Singapore II and production Singapore III. The latter became the Royal ...
flying boat near
Messina
Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 inhabitants in ...
, Italy, six days earlier.
*On 1 July 1935, G-ADED of
Railway Air Services
Railway Air Services (RAS) was a British airline formed in March 1934 by the Big Four railway companies (the GWR, LMS, LNER and SR) and Imperial Airways. The airline was a domestic airline operating routes within the United Kingdom linking up ...
crashed on take-off from
Ronaldsway Airport
Ronaldsway () is a place in the parish of Malew in the south of the Isle of Man, between the village of Ballasalla and the town of Castletown.
Features
It is notable as the location of Isle of Man Airport and historically of RNAS Ronaldsway, to ...
,
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
injuring all seven people on board. The aircraft, was operating a scheduled passenger flight from Ronaldsway to
Ringway Airport
Manchester Airport is an international airport in Ringway, Manchester, England, south-west of Manchester city centre. In 2019, it was the third busiest airport in the United Kingdom in terms of passenger numbers and the busiest of those n ...
,
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
, Lancashire via
Squires Gate Airport
Blackpool Airport is an airport on the Fylde coast of Lancashire, England, in the Borough of Fylde, just outside the Borough of Blackpool. It was formerly known as Squires Gate Airport and Blackpool International Airport.
Ownership of the air ...
,
Blackpool
Blackpool is a seaside resort in Lancashire, England. Located on the North West England, northwest coast of England, it is the main settlement within the Borough of Blackpool, borough also called Blackpool. The town is by the Irish Sea, betw ...
and
Speke Airport
Liverpool John Lennon Airport is an international airport in Liverpool, England, on the estuary of the River Mersey south-east of Liverpool city centre. Scheduled domestic, European, North African and Middle Eastern services are operated f ...
, Liverpool; it was destroyed in the subsequent fire.
*On 22 July 1935, G-ACMP of Jersey Airways, operating a domestic flight from
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
to
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
, with a pilot and two passengers on board, crashed while approaching
Cardiff Airport
Cardiff Airport ( cy, Maes Awyr Caerdydd) is the only airport offering commercial passenger services in Wales. It has been under the ownership of the Welsh Government since March 2013, operating at an arm's length as a commercial business. Pa ...
. The aircraft spun and dived into the
Bristol Channel
The Bristol Channel ( cy, Môr Hafren, literal translation: "Severn Sea") is a major inlet in the island of Great Britain, separating South Wales from Devon and Somerset in South West England. It extends from the lower estuary of the River Seve ...
about two miles off the Welsh coast, near
Rumney, Cardiff
Rumney ( cy, Tredelerch) is a district and community in the east of the city of Cardiff, Wales. It lies east of the Rhymney River, and is historically part of Monmouthshire. On 1 April 1938 the Cardiff Extension Act 1937 incorporated it into th ...
killing all three on board.
*On 26 March 1936, G-ACAP of
Commercial Air Hire crashed near
Lyndhurst, Hampshire
Lyndhurst is a large village and civil parish situated in the New Forest National Park in Hampshire, England. Serving as the administrative capital of the New Forest, it is a popular tourist attraction, with many independent shops, art gallerie ...
, England killing all five on board. The aircraft had flown from
Croydon Airport
Croydon Airport (former ICAO code: EGCR) was the UK's only international airport during the interwar period. Located in Croydon, South London, England, it opened in 1920, built in a Neoclassical style, and was developed as Britain's main air ...
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.
*On 7 May 1937, VH-UZG of
North Queensland Airways
North Queensland Airways Pty. Ltd. (NQA) was an Australian company established on 7 May 1936 to operate air services in Queensland, Australia.
History
With its headquarters at Cairns, Queensland it initially had a share capital of 50,000 pounds ...
crashed into trees near Cairns Airport, one passenger later dying from his injuries. The pilot and three other passengers were also seriously injured.
*On 29 August 1938, VH-UXK ''Cairns'' of
North Queensland Airways
North Queensland Airways Pty. Ltd. (NQA) was an Australian company established on 7 May 1936 to operate air services in Queensland, Australia.
History
With its headquarters at Cairns, Queensland it initially had a share capital of 50,000 pounds ...
, crashed at
Innisfail, Queensland killing the pilot and four passengers.
*21 September 1951 – Pilot First Officer Frederick George Barlogie of
Bondi, New South Wales
Bondi () is a suburb of eastern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia, seven kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council. It is often colloquially referred to as "Bond ...
, was killed when his Qantas DH-84 Dragon crashed into mountainous country southeast of Arona in the
central highlands of New Guinea.
*On 13 December 1951 – The pilot and two passengers were killed when a Qantas Dragon crashed in mountainous country near
Mount Hagen
Mount Hagen ( tpi, Maun Hagen) is the third largest city in Papua New Guinea, with a population of 46,250. It is the capital of the Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea, Western Highlands Province and is located in the large fertile Wahgi Valley in ...
in the
central highlands of New Guinea, Qantas's third fatal crash in four months, and most recent fatal accident to date.
*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 near
Monto, Queensland
Monto is a rural town and locality in the North Burnett Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Monto had a population of 1,156 people.
Geography
Monto is located on the Burnett Highway north-west of Brisbane and south of Rockhampton. The Gl ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
to
Caboolture
Caboolture () is a town and suburb in Moreton Bay Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , the suburb of Caboolture had a population of 26,433 people. It is located on the north side of the Caboolture River, which separates the town from Morayfi ...
.
Queensland Police
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) is the principal law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto ...
found the wreckage near
Borumba Dam
The Borumba Dam is a rock-fill embankment dam with an un-gated spillway located across the Yabba Creek, a tributary of the Mary River, in the Wide Bay–Burnett region of Queensland, Australia. The main purposes of the dam are for irrigation an ...
. All six occupants were killed and the aircraft destroyed after impacting a ridge. The pilot and owner had flown into unexpected thick cloud and issued a
sécurité
Sécurité (; French: ''sécurité'') (often repeated thrice, "Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité") is a procedure word used in the maritime radio service that warns the crew that the following message is important safety information. The most comm ...
call. The aircraft's only primary instruments were an airspeed indicator and altimeter.
Variants
* Dragon 1: Twin-engined medium transport biplane.
* 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 to
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
,
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
and
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
.
Operators
♠ Original operators
Military operators
;
*
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
♠
;
*
Austrian Air Force (1927–1938)
The Austrian Air Force (''Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte'') of the interwar period began as a paramilitary organisation (1927) and was secretly built up by the government before union with Germany (1938).
History
In 1919 the peace treaty ...
;
*
Brazilian Naval Aviation
Brazilian Naval Aviation ( pt, Aviação Naval Brasileira; AvN) is the air arm of the Brazilian Navy operating from ships and from shore installations.
History
The Brazilian Naval Aviation branch was organized in August 1916, after creation of ...
;
*
Royal Danish Air Force
The Royal Danish Air Force ( da, Flyvevåbnet, lit=The Flying weapon) (RDAF) is the aerial warfare force of The Kingdom of Denmark and one of the four branches of the Danish Defence. Initially being components of the Army and the Navy, it was ...
♠ – Two DH.84 Dragons
;
*
Ethiopian Air Force
The Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) () is the air service branch of the Ethiopian National Defence Force. The ETAF is tasked with protecting the national air space, providing support to ground forces, as well as assisting civil operations during natio ...
;
*
Royal Iraqi Air Force
The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF or IrAF) ( ar, القوات الجوية العراقية, Al Quwwat al Jawwiyah al Iraqiyyah}) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Iraqi Armed Forces. It is responsible for the defense of Iraqi airspace as well ...
♠ – Eight DH.84M Dragons
;
*
Irish Air Corps
"Watchful and Loyal"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles = ''see list of wars''
, decorations =
, battle_honours =
, battle_honours_label =
, fl ...
;
*
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...
**
No. 42 Squadron RNZAF
No. 42 Squadron is an active transport squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). It was formed at Rongotai Airport (Wellington) in December 1943 to provide a communications service around New Zealand, initially using impressed civilia ...
;
*
Portuguese Air Force
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 1 July
, equipment =
, equipment_label ...
♠ – Three DH.84 Dragons
;
*
South African Air Force
"Through hardships to the stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, equipment ...
♠ – One aircraft operated during 1940.
;
*
Spanish Republican Air Force
The Spanish Republican Air Force was the air arm of the Armed Forces of the Second Spanish Republic, the legally established government of Spain between 1931 and 1939.
Initially divided into two branches: Military Aeronautics ('' Aeronáutica M ...
;
*
General Command of Mapping (Turkey)
The General Directorate of Mapping ( tr, Harita Genel Müdürlüğü or HGM) is the national mapping agency of Turkey under the Ministry of National Defense and is responsible for the official topographical mapping of the country in both hard-copy ...
*
Turkish Air Force
The Turkish Air Force ( tr, ) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces. The Turkish Air Force can trace its origins back to June 1911 when it was founded by the Ottoman Empire, however, the air force as it is known t ...
;
*
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
– Seventeen aircraft impressed.
**
Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit
Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
s.
**
No. 24 Squadron RAF
No. 24 Squadron (also known as No. XXIV Squadron) of the Royal Air Force is the Air Mobility Operational Conversion Unit (AMOCU). Based at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, 24 Squadron is responsible for aircrew training on C-130J Hercules, A400 ...
.
**King's Flight ♠
;
*
Yugoslav Royal Air Force
The Royal Yugoslav Air Force ( sh-Latn, Jugoslovensko kraljevsko ratno vazduhoplovstvo, JKRV; sh-Cyrl, Југословенско краљевско ратно ваздухопловство, ЈКРВ; ( sl, Jugoslovansko kraljevo vojno letalstv ...
– One aircraft was impressed into military service in April 1940.
Civil operators
;
*
Butler Air Transport
Butler Air Transport was an Australian airline founded by C. Arthur Butler to operate air transport primarily among New South Wales airports in Australia, from 1934 until 1959.
*
MacRobertson Miller Airlines
MacRobertson Miller Airlines (MMA) was a Western Australian airline that operated between 1927 and 1993. After being purchased by Ansett Transport Industries in 1968, it was eventually rebranded Ansett WA.
History
In 1919, Horrie Miller ...
*
Muir Airlines of NT
*
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founded ...
*
Western Australian Airways
West Australian Airways was an Australian airline based in Geraldton, Western Australia. Established on 5 December 1921 as Western Australian Airways by World War I pilot Norman Brearley, it was the first airline in Australia to establish a sche ...
♠
;
*
VASP
Viação Aérea São Paulo S/A (São Paulo Airways), better known as VASP, was an airline with its head office in the VASP Building on the grounds of São Paulo–Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil. It had main bases at São Paulo's two m ...
♠
;
*
Canadian Airways
Canadian Airways Limited was a Canadian regional passenger and freight air service based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
It was founded by James Armstrong Richardson Sr. in 1926 as Western Canada Airways (WCA), was fully established in 1930 following ...
;
*Misrair
;
*
Lignes Aériennes Nord-Africaines (L.A.N.A.)
;
*
Indian National Airways
Indian National Airways Ltd was an airline based in Delhi, India.Page 15 The founder of the airline was R. E. Grant Govan, a Delhi based British industrialist who also co-founded the Board of Control for Cricket in India and the Cricket Club o ...
♠
;
*
Aer Lingus
Aer Lingus ( ; an anglicisation of the Irish , meaning "air fleet" compare Welsh 'llynges awyr') is the flag carrier of Ireland. Founded by the Irish Government, it was privatised between 2006 and 2015 and it is now a wholly owned subsidiary ...
;
*
Wilson Airways ♠
;
*
Air Travel (NZ) Ltd
Air Travel (NZ) Limited, a small airline based in Hokitika, was the first airline in New Zealand to fly licensed scheduled air services. They took delivery of their first De Havilland biplane aircraft at the end of 1934 and made it their busine ...
* East Coast Airways ♠
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Union Airways of New Zealand
Union Airways of New Zealand Limited was New Zealand's first major airline. It was founded in 1935 by local shipping giant Union Company. Its services reached main centres from Auckland to Dunedin and extended to Gisborne and the West Coast of ...
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Transportes Aéreos de Timor
Transportes Aéreos de Timor () or TAT was an airline of the then colony of Portuguese Timor, headquartered in Dili. It operated between 1939 and 1975.
History
TAT was founded as the colony's national airline in July 1939, several years befor ...
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*African Air Transport ♠
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Aberdeen Airways ♠
*Air Cruises ♠
*Air Navigation & Trading
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Air Dispatch
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Allied Airways
Allied Airways was a UK airline based at Aberdeen, Scotland. Formed in 1934 as Aberdeen Airways it was taken over by British European Airways in 1947.
History Dyce Aerodrome
In 1929 Eric Gandar Dower bought a Blackburn Bluebird IV two-sea ...
*Blackpool and West Coast Air Services ♠
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British Airways
British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a populati ...
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British Continental Airways
British Continental Airways was a British airline that operated between 1935 and 1936, when it merged into British Airways.
History
British Continental Airways Limited was formed on 15 April 1935 to operate airline services from Croydon Airpor ...
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Commercial Air Hire ♠
*Great Western & Southern Air Lines
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Highland Airways Limited
Highland Airways Limited was established in Inverness, Scotland, by Ted Fresson in 1933 to provide passenger and freight air services between the Scottish mainland and the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland, and between their islands. The a ...
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Hillman's Airways
Hillman's Airways was a 1930s British airline that later became part of British Airways.
The company was formed in November 1931 as Hillman's Saloon Coaches and Airways Limited by Edward Henry Hillman who was a coach operator in Essex. His pre ...
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*Jersey Airways ♠
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Midland & Scottish Air Ferries
Midland & Scottish Air Ferries was Scotland's first airline, operating from 1933 to 1934. It is particularly noted for pioneering flights to the Inner Hebrides
History Foundation
John Cuthill Sword started Midland Bus Services in Airdrie, to t ...
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Northern and Scottish Airways
*Olley Air Service ♠
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Provincial Airways
Provincial Airways was a 1930s British airline that was formed in 1933 to operate a service between Croydon and the South West of England, the routes were never a success and the company closed at the end of 1935. The airlines main operating base ...
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Railway Air Services
Railway Air Services (RAS) was a British airline formed in March 1934 by the Big Four railway companies (the GWR, LMS, LNER and SR) and Imperial Airways. The airline was a domestic airline operating routes within the United Kingdom linking up ...
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Scottish Airways
Scottish Airways was an airline serving most of Scotland, especially the Highlands and Islands. It was active from 1937 until 1947, when it was merged into British European Airways.
History Foundation
The company was established on 12 August 1 ...
*Scottish Motor Traction ♠
*Spartan Airlines
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Western Airways
Western Airways was an airline based in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, England between 1932 and 1978. Before World War II, for a short period, it was the world's busiest airline. It survived WWII by using its aircraft engineering expertise.
Hist ...
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Valsts Gaisa Satiksme – One aircraft was used as a civilian transport.
Specifications (DH.84 Dragon 1)
See also
References
Bibliography
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{{Authority control
Dragon
A dragon is a reptilian legendary creature that appears in the folklore of many cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but dragons in western cultures since the High Middle Ages have often been depicted as ...
1930s British airliners
1930s British military utility aircraft
Biplanes
Aircraft first flown in 1932
Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft