De HavillanD DH84 Dragon Iolar (Eagle) 3 THe original “iolar” On May 27 1936 the first Aer Lingus flight The first Aer Lingus aircraft was De Havilland DH84 Dragon EI-ABI from Dublin (Baldonnel Military Aerodrome) named “Iolar” (Eagle) which was delivered to the newly formed airline to Bristol was operated by the Iolar, then the from Blackpool and West Coast Air Services in May 1936. When the Irish only aircraft in the Aer Lingus fleet. When the government decided to proceed with the establishment of Aer Lingus and second Aer Lingus aircraft, a DH86A, went into the launch of scheduled cross-channel air services it arranged with UK operation in September of the same year on an airline pioneer Gordon Olley to provide a turnkey service via one of Olley’s extended Dublin-Bristol-London route, the companies, Blackpool and West Coast Air Services. This company provided Iolar was switched to the Dublin-Liverpool the aircraft, the financing, the flight crew and the technical support for the route, and it also operated seasonal services new venture. to the Isle of Man. The Dragon was probably the ideal starter aircraft for Aer Lingus, having The original Iolar was sold in February 1938 back been designed for operation on routes with low traffic density without to Olley Air Services in part exchange for a slightly subsidy support, and so good economics were paramount. The aircraft larger and faster Dragon Rapide, which took the turned out to be well suited to this target market, featuring low fuel name “Iolar II”, and the Dragon was restored to consumption of just 13 gallons per hour and its basic, simple design ensured the British register as G-ACPY. It flew in the livery low maintenance costs. Its cruising speed was a rather sedately 110 mph, so of one of Olley’s other companies, Great Western it was really only practical on relatively short sectors, and the Dublin-Bristol and Southern Airlines, and operated a service route was nearing the limit of its capability. A total of 115 Dragons were built between Lands End and the Scilly Isles. At the in the UK, of which 53 were of the improved Dragon II version, identifiable outbreak of the war, Great Western and Southern by its individually-framed cabin windows. Whilst production ceased in the lost most of its aircraft to the Air Ministry for use UK in 1937, a further 87 were built in Australia during World War II as radio in France but the faithful Dragon was retained to and navigation trainers. The initial UK production was undertaken at De operate the Lands End-Scilly Isles route. It was a Havilland’s Stag Lane plant, but it moved to Hatfield in early 1934, and the unique service in that it was the only internal air aircraft destined for Aer Lingus, G-ACPY, was built at the latter location route to be operated in England during the war, and its C of A was issued on 10 May 1934. It was first registered as G-ACPY but sadly it became a casualty of war on Tuesday in April 1934 to Railway Air Services Ltd., Croydon, and was delivered on 03 June 1940. The Dragon left St. Mary’s in the 11 May 1934 to Olley Air Services Ltd., Croydon. It was re-registered to Scilly Isles, shortly after 1700 local on that day on Blackpool & West Coast Air Services Ltd., Speke, on 28 February 1935. its third (non scheduled) flight of the day, to Lands 4 End, but it failed to arrive at its destination. The aircraft had been shot THe eagle Flies again down by a passing Luftwaffe Heinkel He-111 which mistook the Dragon for When the first plans for the Fiftieth Anniversary a military aircraft. of Aer Lingus were being prepared, John Molloy, than Quality Insurance Inspector in the airline’s THe new “iolar” Maintenance and Engineering Department and a The DH84 Dragon, now restored with loving care by Aer Lingus personnel keen private flyer, suggested that the Dragon could at Dublin Airport, is a sister ship of the original Iolar. By a happy be made airworthy again as part of the celebrations. coincidence it, too, celebrates its 75th Anniversary in 2011 the year in He approached colleague Captain J. J. Sullivan, a which Aer Lingus celebrates its 75th Anniversary. pilot on the company’s Boeing 747 fleet and, like It was built in Hatfield, England, in 1936 and was test flown by the himself, a private flyer of small aircraft. They put great Geoffrey de Havilland himself on April 18th of that year. Originally the proposal to Aer Lingus which readily agreed to registered G-AECZ, it was flown by Western Airways and Scottish Airways finance the restoration work. until it was impressed into the RAF’s 110 (Anti-Aircraft Cooperation) Wing The main structure of the aircraft was in good in May 1940. It was badly damaged in a crash at Castle Bromwich in late condition. The frame is made of high quality spruce 1940. Repairs were completed in 1942 and it was returned to the RAF. It and only a small number of wing ribs needed was sold to Air Taxis at Croydon in March 1946 and to Wiltshire School of repair or replacement. Metal areas were x-rayed, Flying in 1948. some minor areas of corrosion treated and some It came to Ireland in March 1950, registered EI-AFK, when it was landing wires and control cables replaced. Brendan sold to Mr. J. Cleary of Mullingar. Five months later it went to Captain O’Donoghue of the Irish Air Corps was responsible Darby Kennedy of Weston Aerodrome near Dublin and was used for for the replacement of the plywood floor and side light charter work and pleasure flying. It was withdrawn from service in wall panels and John Molloy replaced the original January 1959. linen covering with polyester-based fibre. Other In 1967 the Dragon was purchased by Aer Lingus painted in the colours work was carried out by enthusiastic members of the original Iolar and flown to Dublin Airport by Captain Kennedy on of the airline’s Maintenance and Engineering the 1st of September. In 1971 it escorted the first Aer Lingus Jumbo jet Department. Surprisingly, spares were common to along the taxiways at Dublin Airport when it landed after its delivery other vintage aircraft. flight. Subsequently it was displayed at an aeronautical exhibition in the In August 1985 the Dragon was officially re- Departures Hall at the airport. registered EI-ABI, which was the registration of the 7 original Iolar. It was flight tested and received its Certificate of Airworthiness ThE work InvolvEd in 1986. Between then and May 1991 it was used extensively by Aer Lingus was sIgnIfIcanT, and for promotional purposes, attending various air displays and fly-ins as well InvolvEd rEmoval of as commemorative functions marking significant events in the airline’s history. After a period of storage it was restored to airworthy status in time ThE ouTEr and InnEr for the airline’s 60th anniversary in May 1996, and it remained active up until wIngs so as To rEplacE November 2004, at which stage it was put into storage at the Aer Lingus “ ThE wIng aTTachmEnT Commuter hangar on the west side of Dublin Airport. TIE rods as wEll as In December 2009 Aer Lingus’ newly-appointed Chief Executive, Christoph ExTEnsIvE InspEcTIon Mueller, decided to have the Dragon restored to airworthy state in time for the airline’s 75th anniversary in May 2011 using a team of volunteers. John and rEpaIr of ThE Molloy, now retired from Aer Lingus, agreed to oversee the work again, aIrcrafT’s sTrucTurE which was undertaken by a team of volunteers in Aer Lingus’ Hangar 6. The and fITTIngs. work involved was significant, and involved removal of the outer and inner wings so as to replace the wing attachment tie rods as well as extensive inspection and repair of the aircraft’s structure and fittings. On the afternoon of 24 February 2011 the Iolar took to the air again at Dublin Airport on its initial post-restoration test flight, which was fully satisfactory. Extracts from a Sales Brochure produced by The De Havilland aircraft Co. ltd., TelegraMs: stag lane aerodrome, Havilland Phone, Edgware edgware, Middlesex, TelepHone: Edgware 0171 england Edgware (8 lines) 8 THe De HavillanD Dragon BrieF speCiFiCaTion – “an airliner in MiniaTure” Twin-engineD passenger Biplane In the early days of Commercial Aviation, when the question of subsidized air lines was under discussion, a distinguished politician laid down the dictum wings: Of wooden construction, wire braced and “Civil aviation will have to fly by itself’. arranged to fold. Fabric covered. Ailerons on all four That was some fourteen years ago and yet it is only recently that the first wings operated by D.H. patent differential control. essential of unsubsidized commercial flying – a commercial aeroplane capable of really economical operation – has been produced. Hitherto the Fuselage: of special wooden ply construction, cost per passenger seat of commercial aircraft has been high, and high covered with fabric and embodying a special pay load has only been obtained at the expense of performance. Moreover scheme of anti-climatic protection. all commercial aircraft have been fitted with engines of high power, and therefore high cost, with consequent adverse effect upon running costs. Tail uniT: of orthodox monoplane design and There is, however, now available the De Havilland Dragon, which combines wooden construction; fabric covered. Rudder is low horse-power, low first costs, low running costs. Low maintenance costs, balanced; elevators unbalanced.