DH.90 Dragonfly

The de Havilland DH.90 Dragonfly is a light, two‑seat touring monoplane built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company between 1935 and 1938. Developed as a more refined, all‑wood version of the popular DH.89A Dragon Rapide, the Dragonfly combined a sleek, low‑drag wing with a streamlined fuselage and a 130 hp de Havilland Gipsy Major I engine. Production began at Hatfield and later moved to de Havilland’s factory in Sydney, Australia, where 36 of the 79 aircraft were completed. The Dragonfly’s fixed, conventional landing gear, dual controls and generous side‑by‑side seating made it attractive to private owners, flying clubs and aero‑clubs for cross‑country training and leisure flights. Its wooden structure—plywood skin over spruce frames—was both lightweight and inexpensive, yet provided a smooth finish that contributed to a cruising speed of about 120 mph and a range of 500 mi. Although only a small number were built, the DH.90 demonstrated the versatility of wooden construction in the late‑1930s and illustrated de Havilland’s ability to adapt successful designs for the civilian market. The type’s legacy lives on in the surviving examples that continue to appear at vintage airshows, reminding enthusiasts of the elegance and practicality of pre‑war British light aircraft.

de Havilland Aircraft Company

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Design & Classification