Two problems for DH.86 lovers to sort out. Hugh Yea has sent these photos showing (here) "Dorado" G-ACWD on 3.6.38 and "Delphinus" G-ACPL on 8.3.38. They both have a certain Eastern flavour to them - so what happened?
3.6.38 IAL "Dorado" was DH.86 G-ACWD c/n 2305, based at Penang from 1.9.35 for Far Eastern services. It was not destroyed and survived to be impressed on 22.11.41 as HK829. The fire was caused when a port engine backfired during warm-up and the port wing and centre section fabric was damaged. The occupants escaped through the emergency hatches but one broke a leg in doing so. Repairs took six weeks.
3.6.38 IAL "Dorado", DH.86 G-ACWD, was only temporarily based at Penang from early October 1935 for a series of proving flights. It had left Croydon on 16.9.35. The weekly London - Hong Kong services opened on 14.3.36, "Dorado" inaugurating the Penang - Saigon - Tourane - Hong Kong connection on 23.3.36. On 19.12.37 the Penang connection with the UK - Australia trunk route was changed to Bangkok (via Udorn, Hanoi, Fort Bayard to Hong Kong). The fire broke out as the port inner engine was being started.
"Dorado" DH.86B G-ACWD c/n 2305 showed the result of the engine start-up fire recorded on p88/81 and 88/109. Flames from the exhaust set fire to the fabric below the port inner petrol tank and spread rapidly along the bottom and left side of the fuselage. Prompt action by the Kai Tak airport staff extinguished the fire in less than two minutes.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Express Air Liner / D.H.86 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1934

Two problems for DH.86 lovers to sort out. Hugh Yea has sent these photos showing "Dorado" G-ACWD on 3.6.38 and "Delphinus" (here) G-ACPL on 8.3.38. They both have a certain Eastern flavour to them - so what happened?
"Delphinus" DH.86A G-ACPL c/n 2300 was operating the twice weekly Bangkok - Udorn - Hanoi - Fort Bayard - Hong Kong shuttle on 8.3.38. Capt Wilson overshot on landing at Fort Bayard (Quang Chow Wan) onto a sunken road. The two crew and two passengers on board were all unhurt and the aircraft returned to service later.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: De Havilland Express Air Liner / D.H.86 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1934

NC14716 "China Clipper", the Martin 130 which crashed at Port of Spain, Trinidad on 8.1.45, had made its first Pacific crossing from 22.11 to 6.12.35 in a flight time of 60 hours and became a celebrated US National byword, taking part in two films one of which was called "China Clipper". C/n was 558, the first of three to fly and to go into service (although the others were c/ns 556/NC14714 and 557/NC14715). It was also the longest lived, serving with PAA from 9.10.35, the US Navy from 7.12.41 and PAA again from 13.10.43.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Martin China Clipper / Type 130 - СШАUSA - 1934