The roots of the DH Rapide actually lie in Australia. In 1933 the de Havilland Company developed a new biplane expressly for the requirement of an Australian client. The specification called for a four engine passenger aircraft capable of carrying ten passengers. The new design, dubbed the DH.86 Dragon Express was to be equipped with the recently developed, and powerful, Gipsy Six engine. Later on in 1933, de Havilland developed the DH.89, which was essentially a scaled down, faster, twin-engine version of the 86. It had similar tapered wings, the same engines, and a similarly elegant streamlined fuselage and fairings.
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