De Havilland DH-89 „Dragon Rapide“ – the British/ Lituanian passenger airplane

De Havilland DH-89A "Dragon Rapide" airplane was created in 1934. At the beginning mixed constructions were produced - metal fuselage, wooden wings. Some elements of the airplane were covered with celon (nitrolacquer) impregnated canvas. Later, all-metal construction DH-89A airplanes were produced. The plane is a two-engine biplane. The wings are mutually reinforced with kicks and steel spacers. The landing gear is classic, not retractable. Two 200 y. p. air-cooled engines "Gipsi Six". They are located on the sides of the fuselage on the lower wing. Double cockpit. The transportation variant was equipped with six seats for passengers. A total of 521 DH - 89 aircrafts were produced. Lituanian Military Aviation ordered two De Havilland DH - 89M "Dragon Rapide" airplanes from the "De Havilland Ltd" aviation concern in England in 1936. The airplanes were flown to Lituania in 1937. They were based at the Šiauliai Zokniai airfield in the 3rd escadrille and were used for communication, transport and for aerial photography. Perhaps the last flight of the Lituanian crew with the DH - 89M took place in 1940, after receiving an invitation to observe the USSR aviation festival at the Tushin airfield. At that time, Lithuania was already part of the Soviet Union and instead of the white Vytis crosses, red five-pointed stars were on the plane. The delegation consisted of the Military Aviation chief of staff lieutenant colonel Juozas Jankauskas, inspector major Jurgis Kovas, pilot lieutenant colonel Jonas Liorentas, general secretary of the Lituanian Aeroclub Jonas Dovydaitis and mechanic Gajus. The plane took off on August 15 and landed at the Moscow Central Airfield on the same day. After staying in Moscow for nine days and observing aviation show, our pilots returned home the same way. Both DH - 89M "Dragon Rapide", in good technical condition, saw the beginning of the Second World War and the Great Patriotic War and were taken over by the Germans (at least one).

A moderately complex, well-detailed large scale model for intermediate to advanced modelers. There is good detailing of the cabin and passenger compartment, the model itself is moderately detailed. Parts originally painted with "metallic" paint, are printed with "metallic" paint. Less experienced modelers, working under the supervision of a more experienced colleague can glue this model with opaque windows and no interior. This model can easily be "turned" into one of the two "Dragon-Rapides", used by the Lituanian Air Force with a computer rendering program.