What's the Greatest Machine of the 1930s...the de Havilland Dragon Rapide?
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- Опубліковано 14 січ 2015
- Introduced in 1934, the de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide was one of the world's first completely 'streamlined' airliners. Designed as a short haul specialist between England and Europe (well, in reality, Scotland, Ireland and France), the plane was powered by two air-cooled inline-6 Gipsy Queen engines, each of them capable of 200 horsepower.
Underneath the sleek skinned exterior the Rapide is built mainly from lightweight plywood. Up to eight passengers had to be weighed alongside their luggage before they were allowed on.
Brilliantly combining form and function, every detail of this beautiful aircraft is streamlined, making it an iconic aerodynamic pioneer with a range of 578 miles (at a leisurely132 mph). Central London to central Paris took 3 hours and 40 minutes - easily the fastest way to go at the time.
What makes it great… the DH.89 set a new benchmark in streamlining, decades ahead of modern aerodynamics.
Time Warp… A one way ticket to France cost £4 back in the mid 1930s, which equates to around £350 today. So, a bit more than Easyjet, but what a way to travel!
This film features actor/comedian/petrolhead Chris Barrie overcoming his fear of flying to enjoy the Dragon Rapide.
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Wow! That looks perfectly enchanting! How fun.
This and the Aero 145...timeless elegance and beauty.
Flew in that very plane after the battle of britain airshow. The most comfortable flight i've ever had. I didn't want it to end and I hate flying.
I went up in one from Swansea on a sunny day on a pleasure flight I n 1949, when I was 10 yrs , with my mum & sister. Itt cost 15 shillings (75 p). In 2015 I took my wife up in one, Classic Wings, at Duxford great memory. It cost £38 each but it was worth it for the experience. I have made a kit model of the Dragon Rapids.
I was five in 1949. My brother was nine and he and Dad went for a ride in one at Ilfracombe. Mum and I didn’t get to go. But, while they were up, we got to see a RAF Vampire do a Low pass and a “Victory Roll” over the airfield. My brother was so disappointed to miss that, that I think he almost wished Dad had taken me up, instead.
Both the DR and the Vamp were two of my all time favourites along, of course, with the superb Mosquito.
I flew out of one at Duxford as well... 2010.
Went up in one of these in my childhood.
Great experience.
Blackpool Tower !
I worked at Bankstown airport for 14 years and we had one of the and the old Tiger as company aircraft, what a privilege to work around such beautiful machines.
Definitely, YES!!! George Fiala, Cz.rep.
I flew on one of these early at Duxford air show, it was amazing!
pretty sure this was filmed there
Delightful!
first aircraft i flew in, must have been about 8 at the time, short trip around the coast from Lands End. Must have been between 68-72 was amazing
Flew in this a/c a few years back and video revived good memories, including the smoothest landing ever experienced. I particularly liked the gap around the door. But is it safe? Must be or it wouldn’t have got so old.
I did my first parachute jump from one of these in the early 70s. Lovely aeroplane..
So did I in 1968
My father took me to the final Hendon Air Display in 1957. For ten bob each we both took our first flight (despite Dad being in the RAF for the duration). The two silver Rapides were from Air Transport Couriers of Croydon. The air was quite bumpy over NW London. Circa 1962 I took an evening flight in G-AJGJ (not the present holder of that reg.) from DH airfield at Christchurch near Bournemouth. It provided a beautiful coastal flight. Both airfields no longer exist. Lovely little 8-seaters (correct?) and the pilot's door open, one could see through to the cockpit.
G-ACAN was a DH.84 Dragon, not a DH.89 Rapide. But the rest is spot-on.
Where in the video does it say G-ACAN is a DH 89? Am I missing something? If we're being pedantic, the aircraft featured is a Dominie, but that's really splitting hairs. I don't understand why you made your (factually correct) comment, G-ACAN isn't mentioned.
Apologies, you're referring to the the Hillman advert.
That's a great commentary
Subbed based on the channel name alone.
Great narrator.
His name is Rimmer!!!!!
@@acrobaticcripple8176 Nobiggie ...dont stop honey
Must have been a great experience.
Who composes the music and why?
In the mid 1950s as a goggle-eyed boy I flew on an East African Airways Dragon Rapide from Moshi to Tanga in (then) Tanganyika.
I was afraid of flying and made my first flight in a B-17.
The Brit's most advanced aircraft in 1934, the US of A had the DC-2 Geoff Who figures the difference is obvious.
Well whoopee do.
Greatest Machine of the 1930s...the de Havilland Dragon Rapide? Are you kidding? The Douglas DC2 first in the same year as the Rapide, 1934, but carried twice the number of passengers 50mph faster, and 67% farther. The Rapide was a mix of wood, metal, and fabric, had fixed landing gear, and was a braced biplane. The DC2 was all metal, had retracting landing gear, and was a cantilever monoplane. How could ANYONE think the Rapide could have been "the Greatest Machine of the 1930s"?
at a rough guess, being made from bits of plywood, fabric and having 200hp engines instead of the radials that the DC2 had - its sticker price & fuel consumption at new was a lot less. also the folding wings made storage rather easy.
@@mrrolandlawrence; would you rather fly in an all metal DC2 or a string and cloth de Havilland Dragon Rapide? The de Havilland was not exactly "State of the art", at the time, so why call it one of "the Greatest Machine of the 1930s"?
@@oldgysgt You have to remember that this is a British perspective, so that the Fairey Swordfish or Battle were viewed as cutting edge; the Gladiator was sent up against metal monoplane opposition. The Hampden was considered an effective bomber. What is truly remarkable is the flexibility of the aircraft design and production industry, which came up with world-beaters like the Mosquito, Hurricane, Spitfire, Lancaster et al, in a few short years. The Rapide was for waffling around peacefully in the sylvan skies of an era long gone. "I say! Fancy a spree in Le Touquet?"
@@direktorpresident; the Fairey Swordfish was an outdated aircraft when it first flew in 1934. It would have been "cutting edge" in 1928, but by the mid 1930's it was an obsolete concept. The Battle was likewise a poorly conceived dead end. To send young flight crew members out to fight a war in these crates was near criminal. Yes, the British had some world class military aircraft during WWII, but the Swordfish and Battle were not among them.
@@oldgysgt Yes, that was what I implied
Franco Franco Franco!
The plane of ....
I think it was liquid cooled, not air cooled
Yes, those are not radial engines.
Definitely air cooled
Air cooled, as was the Gypsy Major.
He 112
Too.... V12 or Raw power Gipsy 6 ...
I've been on this exact plane! It stinks lol.
It does.,,.