RNAS De Havilland Dragon Rapide Dominie

The De Havilland Dominie was essentially a Dragon Rapide Mk I, a twin-engined bi-plane which had been introduced in the 1930s as a highly successful short-range 6-8 seater passenger aircraft. The production of the Rapide continued during WWII, whose main purpose was as a navigation trainer, personnel carrier as well as an air ambulance and was first delivered to the Royal Navy in 1940. Powered by two 150kW D H Gipsy Queen engines, it had a top speed of 157 mph (250 km) and a range of 575 miles (920 km). It accommodated a pilot, and radio operator and six passengers.

Our 1:72 scale replica is as used by The Royal Naval Air Service at RAF Culdrose in Cornwall. Decorated in all-over silver, the leading edge of the wing tips and the rudder are painted in fluorescent red. Its military identity number is printed along the fuselage, round the nose and on each of the underwings, together with the RAF roundel. Note the addition on this model of an air-speed windmill positioned on the upper left wing.

Although the wartime Dominies were all retired after the conflict, there were still some to be seen flying well into the 1950s and several are still preserved in aircraft museums at home and abroad, many still in flying condition.