de Havilland D.H.89A Dragon Rapide

Crew: 1 crew member1 person <br />

Crew Type: pilot

Passenger Capacity: 8 passengers8 people <br />

Length: 34.5 ft10.516 m <br />

Wingspan: 48 ft14.63 m <br />

Lower Wingspan: 48 ft14.63 m <br />

Height: 10.25 ft3.124 m <br />

Empty Weight: 3,230 lbs1.615 tons <br />1,465.102 kg <br />

Gross Weight: 5,500 lbs2.75 tons <br />2,494.756 kg <br />

Powerplant: 2 × de Havilland Gipsy Six inline engine, 200 hp (149 kW) each

Max Speed: 157 mph136.429 kts <br />290.764 km/h <br />

Range: 573 miles497.923 nm <br />1,061.196 km <br />

Service Ceiling: 16,700 ft5,090.16 m <br />

Summary

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 relatively primitive plywood construction.

Developed during the early 1930s, the Dragon Rapide was essentially a smaller, twin-engined version of the four-engined DH.86 Express, and shared a number of common features, such as its tapered wings, streamlined fairings and Gipsy Six engines. First named the "Dragon Six", the type was marketed as "Dragon Rapide" and later simply known as the "Rapide". Upon its introduction in summer 1934, it proved to be a popular aircraft with airlines and private civil operators alike, attaining considerable foreign sales in addition to its domestic use.

The D.H.89A is the model attributed to CNAC was an improved version. They were fitted with a landing light in the nose, modified wing tips and cabin heating.

CNAC Aircraft Data: De Havilland D.H.89A Dragon Rapide

Below is all the known data available for this model of this aircraft used by C.N.A.C. They are sorted by: C.N.A.C. Service Start Date, Maker Number, C.N.A.C. Tail Number.

Tail #	Nickname	Maker #	Service Start	Service End	Crew	End Cause	Notes	Sources
38		Unknown	January 1939	27 January 1940		Burnt in fire in Eurasia hangar
43	Fuling	Unknown	25 January 1940	23 August 1940		Sold at Singapore? To Wearnes Air Services?	CNAC have been reported as operating two Rapides, with fleet nos. 38 & 43 “Fuling” and a CNAC record shows that “43” was received 1.40 and sold in Singapore, although with the type “Dragon” crossed out and Beech Staggerwing entered in place. A report in the Straits Times for 23.8.40 states that Wearnes Air Services had bought a “practically new” Rapide from CNAC and it would be flown to Singapore by a Chinese pilot “early next month”. This may have been allocated VR-SBG and probably became MVAF “18”.[1]

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