
The Provost Was The Forerunner of the BAC Strikemaster
The de Havilland Dragon first went into production in 1930, and it was a modified version of a design which was initially intended to produce a light bomber for the Iraqi Air Force. Just over 200 aircraft of the type were built before production ended in 1937, and this aircraft is one of 87 DH-84s license built by de Havilland's Australian factory during World War Two.
The delightful Dragon takes to the air off a grass strip at Omaka Aerodrome, just as she would have done in the 1930s. Photo: © 2007 Les Bushell (Image Supplied)
The immaculate de Havilland DH.84 Dragon is seen here during a display at the Wings Over Wairarapa airshow held at Hood Aerodrome, Masterton, New Zealand.
After a number of minor issues over the years, the aircraft was finally grounded in 1967 when it suffered an engine failure on take off from Ardmore Airport in Auckland. It was given to the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland, who stored it at Ardmore until 1983 when Stan Smith purchased it and relocated it to Dairy Flat north of Auckland for restoration. Over a 14 year period the aircraft was brought back to an airworthy condition, and its first post restoration flight was on the 23rd of April 1997—exactly 30 years to the day since it had ignominiously fallen back to earth at Ardmore on its final flight.
ZK-AXI is one of just four flyable Dragons left in the world, and is one of only three Dragons to have ever been operated in New Zealand. The first two were imported in 1935, and were used for civil transport, before being impressed by the RNZAF during the Second World War.The Dragon returns after a successful display. *Photo © 2007 Led Bushell (Image Supplied)
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