Above: 'Danae' was registered G-ADUG and delivered to Imperial Airways in 1936 as a D.H.86A. It was converted to D.H.86B standard in 1937, and was used on African services. The aircraft was impressed as HK831 in November 1941 and later cannibalised to keep other D.H.86s in the air.

SPECIFICATIONS
de Havilland D.H.86B
Type: Medium transport
Powerplant: Four 200 hp (149 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Six inline piston engines
Performance: Maximum speed: 166 mph (267 km/h);
Cruising speed: 142 mph (229 km/h);
Service ceiling: 17,400 ft (5305 m);
Range: 800 miles (1287 km)
Weights: Empty 6,489 lb (2943 kg);
Maximum take-off: 10,250 lb (4649 kg)
Dimensions: Span: 64 ft 6 in (19.66 m);
Length: 46 ft 1 in (14.05 m)
Height: 13 ft 0 in (3.96 m);
Wing area: 641.0 sq ft (59.55 m2)
Passengers: 10

Designed and built in response to an Australian government requirement for a multi-engined aircraft to be used by QANTAS for service across the Timor Sea, between Singapore and Australia, the de Havilland D.H.86 was awarded its certificate of airworthiness on 30th January 1934, only four months after a start of work on the project. The aircraft was of wooden construction with fabric covering, and powered by four de Havilland Gipsy Six engines. The first flight was made on 14th January 1934 at Stag Lane, in the hands of Hubert Broad, and certification trials were conducted at Martlesham. The prototype and two identical aircraft were equipped for single-pilot operation. The latter were used by Railway Air Services from 21st August 1934 on a new Croydon-Birmingham-Manchester-Belfast-Glasgow route. A second crew member (navigator/wireless operator) was carried, accommodated behind the pilot. However, QANTAS and Imperial Airways required that two pilots should be seated side-by-side, and in August 1934 the prototype re-emerged from the Stag Lane factory with a longer and wider nose to provide the necessary accommodation. The first of 29 production examples was one of four flown by Holyman Airways in Australia, and other operators comprised QANTAS (six), Imperial Airways (five), Jersey Airways (six), Misr Airwork, Egypt (four), Hillman's Airways (three) and Wright-ways (one).