Very unusual airplane in the A/F Museum

[FastEd]

De Havilland DH 89 Dominie
The Dominie was built in the United Kingdom as a military version of the DH 89 Dragon Rapide, an eight-passenger civilian light transport. The DH 89 was first flown in 1934, and by the time production ended about 10 years later, 728 of the small biplane transports had been built. More than 530 Dominies were produced for the Royal Air Force and used in communications, transport and training roles. Six were turned over to the USAAF's Eighth Air Force between 1942 and 1944.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

In the mid 70s there was a DH 89 Dragon Rapide making the Fly-Ins in Texas.
A neat flying mosheen. It went to Australia for rebuild then came back to the States and is now in Virginia. Don't let the letters fool ya it has an N number

 

[WendyZXZ]

That is an unusual looking aircraft!

 

[pete44ru]

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I was always kinda partial to Puff, The Magic Dragon (Vietnam-era C-47), myself.

There was a gunsight, for aiming both the plane & the guns, affixed to a cockpit side window.

The pilot would bank, keeping the target in the sight, and circle around it until either the target was disappeared or the guns ran dry.

Also, wooden wheel chocks were in short supply, as they were a cheap bomb, used to sink any junks they came across on the RTB.


.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Puff did pretty good. NO BASE was overrun when Puff was around.
Do a little research and you will find it hard to believe the Upper Brass didn't think it could be done. It was an idea from a pilot and is very simple. You really don't even need a gun sight. The maneuver is known as Flying Turns Around A Point. All pilots learn how to do it. Point your wingtip at a point on the ground at a given altitude, maintain your angle of bank as you adjust for wind and the wingtip will stay there as you fly the circle. That would allow the guns to converge on that point. Puff could do it low and slow because nobody would be dumb enough to fine on them and give away their position.
A friend of mine kept a recording of Puff firing when their fire base was being attacked. Sounds realllllllllllll cool

 

[FastEd]

A few years back, one of these DH Rapides was showcased in a Hercule Poirot Mystery TV episode.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Notice the fixed pitch props, meaning you could not feather when you lost an engine. The good part was you could be the first at the crash site
By the way I have a prop on my wall that came off one of those engines.

 

[eric conrad]

Bring a smile to your face when you knew Puff was overhead. A most awesome sight at night. You never forget the sound.
Eric

 

[Big Old Boy]

Kinda like a chainsaw sound,will never forget.

 

[Pierow]

.......Also, wooden wheel chocks were in short supply, as they were a cheap bomb, used to sink any junks they came across on the RTB.......

Could you or someone else please elaborate on this? What do you mean by Junks and RTB.

Thanks, Pierow

 

[Wyandot Jim]

.......Also, wooden wheel chocks were in short supply, as they were a cheap bomb, used to sink any junks they came across on the RTB.......

Could you or someone else please elaborate on this? What do you mean by Junks and RTB.

Thanks, Pierow

I assume it means that they would drop the chocks on the Junks on their return to base.
Jim

 

[Selena]

.......Also, wooden wheel chocks were in short supply, as they were a cheap bomb, used to sink any junks they came across on the RTB.......

Could you or someone else please elaborate on this? What do you mean by Junks and RTB.

Thanks, Pierow

I think they mean the boats in Asia called Junks. Not sure about RTB

 

[Fox Mike]

What do the small props on the wing roots drive?

 

[Wyandot Jim]

FM,
Those are wind driven generators. The engines didn't have a gen. Quite a few planes of the early years had them. They would produce enough power to run radios and such. No battery or Eng. driven Gen. ( Some had a battery) required so plane empty weight was less. Therefore it could carry more gas. The only time you have to much gas is if you are on fire.
Jim

 

[Pierow]

Thanks Jim & Selena.

Regarding the wind driven generators I think they still have them on most if not all commercial aircraft. A redundancy if all power is lost. They were mentioned in an account I read of the Gimli Glider incident. Ram air turbines.

Pierow

 

[pete44ru]

.......Also, wooden wheel chocks were in short supply, as they were a cheap bomb, used to sink any junks they came across on the RTB.......

Could you or someone else please elaborate on this? What do you mean by Junks and RTB.

Thanks, Pierow

I assume it means that they would drop the chocks on the Junks on their return to base.
Jim

Exactly.............

"junks" = Oriental/Asian/Chinese sailing boats (that sometimes had a motor, too), usually found on the various rivers in 'Nam, often used by the VC for transport/support.

Using the wheel chocks as cheap bombs took teamwork: An enlisted crewmember would dangle a 2' or a 4' wheel chock (whatever chocks they could snag, whenever they landed somewhere) overboard from it's own rope, then release it upon the pilot's command (given when experience told him when to drop).
The chock would usually smash straight through the junk (most junks were very flimsy), sinking it. (IF the chock hit it ).

"RTB"= Return To Base.


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