De Havilland Dragon Aircraft



Dragon, Woburn 1999. Copyright: Chris Young

Production Details

Design Company:

The de Havilland Aircraft Co Ltd

First Flight:

24 November 1932

DH.84 Dragon 1:

62 - The de Havilland Aircraft Co Ltd

DH.84 Dragon 2:

53 - The de Havilland Aircraft Co Ltd 87 - de Havilland Aircraft Pty Ltd, Australia

Type Specification

Applies to:

De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2

Type:

Twin engined cabin biplane for passenger or freight carrying

Wing:

Braced biplane of equal span with swept back leading edge. Positive dihedral on both upper and lower wings. Steel tube interplane struts. Wooden construction with fabric covering. Ailerons on all four wings.

Fuselage:

Rectangular in cross section. Wooden box construction, with spruce members and plywood covering. Fabric over all

Tail Unit:

Normal monoplane type with wire bracing from fin and fuselage to rear spars of tailplane. Balanced rudder, unbalanced elevators. Fabric covering

Landing Gear:

Divided semi cantilever type. In each unit leg is rigidly braced aft to rear spar and inwards to fuselage. Tracking tailwheel.

Power Plant:

Two 130hp DH Gipsy-Major four cylinder in line inverted engines

Accommodation:

Pilot sits in extreme nose in enclosed cockpit. Door in bulkhead behind pilot gives access to cabin

Dimensions

Span:

47 ft

Length:

34 ft 6 in

Height:

10 ft 1 in

Wing Area:

376 sq ft

Weights

Empty:

2,385 lb

Max Loaded:

4,500 lb

Performance

Max Speed:

128 mph at sea level

Initial Rate of Climb:

612 ft/min

Absolute Ceiling:

15,000 ft

Cruising Range:

545 miles

Preserved in British Museums

Dragon 1:

G-ACIT - Science Museum Air Transport Collection, Wroughton Airfield - Display VH-SNB - Museum of Flight, East Fortune Aerodrome - Display

Web Sites

http://www.chris.wagstaff.btinternet.co.uk