De Havilland BC DH.84 Dragon

The De Havilland BC DH.84 Dragon was a piston-engined passenger airliner for six to ten passengers built by De Havilland British Columbia between 1933 and 1935 based on the DH.84 Dragon type of DHBC's parent company, De Havilland Aircraft of the United Kingdom.

It is notable for having been the first type exported to a customer outside of British Columbia.

Design & development
In most respects the British Columbian-built aircraft were the same as the British version. Two variants were built by DHBC, the Dragon 1B powered by Hoffar Aero Engines' 130 hp HIL-4A Hawkmoth-4 engine, and the Dragon 2B fitted with the more powerful HIL-6A Hawkmoth-6 engine producing 210 hp.

Operational history
See also: DHBC DH.84 Dragon operators

A Dragon 1B (c/n C59) became first aircraft built by DHBC to be exported out of BC, to Prairie Airways of Canada.

Interestingly, although there were only half as many Dragon 1Bs built as Dragon 2Bs, two of the former are preserved airworthy, but no 2Bs survive.

Operators
Operators who took delivery of aircraft new from the factory are marked with a star (★).

Current

 * British Columbia
 * British Columbia Aviation Museum: 1 (Dragon 1B) - oldest BC-made aircraft still airworthy
 * private owners: 1 (Dragon 1B)

Former

 * British Columbia
 * Air BC: 3 (Dragon 1B)
 * Awyr Cymru Newydd: 3 (Dragon 2B)
 * ★ Blaenau Air Lines: 3 (Dragon 2B)
 * BC Government Air Service: 5 (Dragon 1B)
 * Canadian Pacific Air Lines: 12 (Dragon 1B, Dragon 2B)
 * ★ Dominion Airways: 4 (Dragon 1B)
 * ★ Mackenzie Air Services: 2 (Dragon 2B)
 * Pacific Western Airlines: 4 (Dragon 2B)
 * ★ Peace Airways: 3 (Dragon 1B)
 * Port Alberni Airways: 3 (Dragon 2B)
 * ★ Royal BC Air Force: 35 (Dragon 1B, Dragon 2B)
 * Skeena Air Transport: 1 (Dragon 2B)
 * ★ Vancouver Island Air Service: 3 (Dragon 1B)


 * Canada
 * Government of Saskatchewan: 2 (Dragon 2B)
 * ★ Prairie Airways: 3 (Dragon 2B)

Accidents & incidents

 * 24 April 1949 Air BC Dragon 1B VB-VBB (c/n C44/1934), operating a non-scheduled flight from Vanderhoof to the village of Middle River, landed on the frozen Trembleur Lake, and as the aircraft rolled towards the village, it ran over a soft spot in the ice and broke through. Everyone on board escaped safely and all goods were retrieved from the aircraft, but attempts to pull the aircraft free using snowmobiles caused the ice to break further; the attempt was abandoned, and the aircraft eventually sank into the lake.