Amy Johnson & Jim Mollison DH Rapide

[Tiger_mate]

Amy Johnson & Jim Mollison flew DH Dragon G-ACCV from Pendine Sands in South Wales to Conneticut USA where they crash landed after running out of fuel.

I dont suppose we have an Aviation Historian reading these pages who can advise on the colour scheme of this aircraft. I have seen the B&W photos on Google, and my gut feeling is overall green like her Moth 'Jason' was, but if anyone knows with any certainty, I would be grateful for the info.

The pair were seriously injured in the accident, separated, and shortly after divorced. Amy remained in the USA for a while with Jim returning to the UK. The Dragon was a write-off.

[Sir George Cayley]

Fascinating. Any links to the story?

SGC

[Planemike]

G-ACCV was a de Havilland 84 Dragon, not a de H 89 Dragon Rapide...........


Have just consulted John Hamlin's "The de Havilland Dragon/Rapide Family". A side view drawing of G-ACCV is shown on page i. The overall colour appears to be a Navy blue with registration and the name "SEAFARER" in white. A Union flag is present on the rudder.


Hope that helps......

[Tiger_mate]

That helps a lot. I intend to do an oil painting depicting the departure at Pendine and know that they took of on an easterly heading but had no idea of the colour and would not wish to rewrite history. I need to get a copy of that book.

[Airclues]

I believe that the aircraft was black overall with silver cockpit window frames and no cabin windows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbClhqT3ErU

[Planemike]

Have also checked David Luff's book "Mollison - The Flying Scotsman": G-ACCV is described as "all black" in at least two places.

[Tiger_mate]

To add to the now inevitable confusion:

If you watch the Pathe film carefully; you may notice an aircraft emblazoned with 'Seafarer' but also a different one emblazoned 'Seafarer II'. Which could go some way to having reports of a Navy Blue aircraft and also a Black aircraft.

G-ACCV = Seafarer
G-ACJM = Seafarer II

[VictorGolf]

Putnam's "British Racing and Record-Breaking Aircraft" has it as all black as well. Apparently it was stripped of all useful kit by souvenir hunters when it turned over on landing in the USA but Lord Wakefield stumped up for a replacement.

[VictorGolf]

We overlapped Tigermate. The replacement Dragon was named "Seafarer II" and was black again but with a green and orange trimming line. Were these the "Castrol" house colours perchance as Lord Wakefield was the sponsor?

[Innominate]

A report in Flight, 27 July 1933 de havilland | 1933 | 0183 | Flight Archive (http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1933/1933%20-%200183.html?search=seafarer) states "The black finish of Seafarer was due to Titanine Dope."

[Above The Clouds]

Also done in 1937 from Southport beach by Dick Merrill and Harry Richman.

Flying High (http://ainsdale.info/flying.html)

[Tiger_mate]

A Google search for the dope took me to this page:

THE MOLLISONS' ATLANTIC FLIGHT July 22nd 1933 (http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/articles/pendine-n.html)