Jo Hillman

It was the early 1930s, fifteen years since the end of the First World War. Aviation was becoming more popular, but was still a rich man's hobby. In the midst of this came Geoffrey de Havilland and his aircraft company. He, and his design and engineering teams, created a line of simple, reliable and relatively cheap airliners which revolutionised air travel and were ordered in their hundreds. The DH.89 Dragon Rapide flew for the first time in 1934\. From its appearance on the drawing board the aircraft flew within a few months, announcing its arrival by competing in air races and entering commercial service. The prototype was the first of more than 700 aircraft, a huge number for a biplane commercial airliner design. The DH.89 was operated in many parts of the world. In 1939 Rapides were requisitioned by the military who were so pleased with this reliable aircraft that they ordered 500 new ones to be built as trainers, and named the Dominie, for both the RAF and Royal Navy. When peace returned there were huge numbers of surplus aircraft available but at this point, instead of being scrapped, they were bought up by airlines to be used again as short haul airliners for local services. Many of these services continued into the 1960s before finally being replaced. Even today, in the 21st Century, there are still many airworthy Rapides used for pleasure flying all round the world. It is the story of this remarkable aircraft that is revealed in this unrivalled collection of archive images, the majority of which, having been drawn from private collections, have not been published before.

The Supermarine Southampton was the first in a series of successful flying boats designed by Supermarine's R.J. Mitchell and was the first one to be designed for the RAF after the First World War. Produced between 1924 and 1934 it entered into RAF service in 1925 and became the second longest serving (behind the Short Sunderland) and one of the most successful of the inter-war flying boats. In an unusual move for the times, the Air Ministry ordered six Southamptons straight from the drawing board as the design had been based on the success of the experimental Supermarine Swan amphibious aircraft. So successful was the aircraft that a further twelve were ordered in July 1925. The Southampton was a hugely successful aircraft for the RAF, the aircraft's main sponsor, and was used for reconnaissance duties and as a patrol aircraft. It became best known for a series of publicly lauded long-distance flights, the intention of which was partly 'flag waving' and partly for gaining valuable experience of flying boats in remote waters. The 1927 Far East Flight became known for the Southampton's display of its prodigious range and reliability. The Southampton was a very successful series of flying boats with sales also being made to Argentina, Turkey and Japan almost doubling Supermarine's business in just a few years. A total of eighty-three of all types were built, all of which are revealed in this unrivalled collection of archive images, the majority of which, having been drawn from private collections, have not been published before.