View From The Porch: Prettiest airliner ever...

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Prettiest airliner ever...

de Havilland D.H.89 Dragon Rapide.

Just so you know.

12 comments:

Todd said...: That's such a cool site. The pics of the 747's landing in St. Maarten are amazing.; 7:52 AM, July 31, 2007
Don said...: Neat site.

I don't know anything about old airliners, so I can't judge whether that DH is the prettiest ever . . . . but what an odd duck. It looks like it shouldn't be pretty, if you know what I mean. It's got a snub nose, odd bi-wings . . . but the impression overall really is pleasing.

I just don't know why.; 10:43 AM, July 31, 2007
Goldwater's Ghost said...: Very art deco. I think it's art deco.

I know nothing about art, or interior decoration, or architecture, for for some reason that plane makes me think 'art deco.'; 10:59 AM, July 31, 2007
Tam said...: It had a bit part in the art deco/fascist remake of Richard III; 11:18 AM, July 31, 2007
El Capitan said...: I was always partial to the deHavilland Comet, with the twin jet engines right at each wing root.

Damn shame they had a habit of falling out of the air...; 11:19 AM, July 31, 2007
NotClauswitz said...: Any 'plane with Spats is ok by me.
1944 is slightly post-Deco but it's still very streamlined - like a Whitney Wolverine - Raymond Lowey would be proud.; 11:27 AM, July 31, 2007
Anonymous said...: Oh, I'm increasingly coming to think DHC just totally rocked. Beavers and Otters are still going strong up here. Some with turbine conversions, some I'm sure with hardly anything original save the nameplate. But gosh they're well loved.

I want one. :); 3:00 PM, July 31, 2007
The Raving Prophet said...: I think I'll go with the Lockheed Constellation for prettiest airliner ever. The Electra wasn't too ugly either.; 3:24 PM, July 31, 2007
Tam said...: Oh, a Constellation has heartbreakingly beautiful lines, but there's just something so... so... I don't know... So wistful, so faerie-like about the Dragon Rapide.

I don't think that kind of beauty can be achieved with stressed skin and rivets.; 4:16 PM, July 31, 2007
Anonymous said...: Was that one of Nevil Shute's?; 4:40 PM, July 31, 2007
Anonymous said...: Frankly, I think the spats/non-RG is the only thing wrong with its looks. If they had made the gear swing up behind the engine, it would be a lot better looking, even if the tire protruded a bit. The spats just ruin the proportions, in my opinion.; 9:56 PM, July 31, 2007
Anonymous said...: I saw that DeHavilland in Richard III (possibly the best adaptation of the old classic I've ever seen), and I would have sworn that the airplane was made up and phony; that such a thing of odd beauty had never been built and would never fly, and why were the wings all cucumber-tapered like that. But then here you go and post that picture.

I suppose you'll link to Youtube footage of the Yeti and Tinkerbell driving around in a hovercar with a copy of yesterday's USAToday in the backseat.

gvi; 12:27 AM, August 01, 2007