DE HAVILLAND DH.82A TIGER
MOTH - The DH.82A
training biplane was designed by Capt Geoffrey de Havilland during 1931
as an improved derivative of the DH.60 Gipsy Moth. Two DH.60T De Havilland
Tiger Moth prototypes tested late summer 1931 with 120 hp Gipsy III inverted
in-line engine, followed by first DH.82 with increased dihedral and sweep-back
flown on October 26, 1931. Entered production for RAE as new standard
ab initio trainer (as noted below); pre-war pro-duction of DH.82s by de
Havilland at Hatfield also included five for Danish Air Force and 20 for
Persian Air Force. In 1934, DH.82A version introduced 130 hp Gipsy Major,
plywood rear fuselage decking and blind flying hood over rear cockpit.
Pre-war deliveries, apart from (or by diversion from) RAF contracts, included
nine for Danish Air Force, 59 for Persian Air Force, 17 for Iraqi Air
Force, 12 for Brazilian Air Force, one for RCAF, 110 for RNZAF and 20
for RAAF.
Production transferred to Morris Motors Ltd at Cowley in 1941, subsequent
deliveries including (in addition to those listed above), 24 for RNZAF,
ten for Persian Air Force and five for SAAF. Pre-war deliveries from Hatfield
included large batches to equip civil-ian-operated Elementary and Reserve
Flying Training Schools; and total of 124 DH.82As serving with seven of
these schools impressed 1940-41 for RAF service (with serials in range
BB672 to BB868) plus 41 miscellaneous privately-owned De Havilland Tiger
Moths. Production totals in UK were 114 DH.82 and 1,950 DH.82A at Hatfield
and 3,432 DH.82A by Morris Motors. For the Royal Norwegian Air Force,
Haerens Flyvemaskinefabric built 17 DH.82s and 20 DH.82As. In New Zealand,
the de Havilland Aircraft subsidiary built 181
DH.82As against RNZAF contracts between 1940 and 1944. De Havilland Aircraft
Pty Ltd in Australia built 1,085 DH.82As between 1939 and 1945, of which
743 sup-plied to RAAF, 20 to RNZAF, 120 to South Africa, 94 to Southern
Rhodesia and 128 to India. In Canada, de Havilland built 25 DH.82As for
RCAF to add to one British-built specimen and then went on to produce
the DH.82C variant noted below. Proposed production of 200 DH.82As in
Bombay can-celled but at least 120 previously civil De Havilland Tiger
Moths impressed for service in India 1940-42, of which a few converted
as ambulances carrying one stretcher beneath hinged rear fuselage decking.
Other impressments includ-ed 21 for the RAAF, 29 for the SAAF and 24 for
the RNZAF, all from local sources.
DH.82 De Havilland Tiger Moth I: Initial production batch of 35
for RAF to Specification 23/31, deliveries starting 1932. Also two seaplanes
to Specification 6/33 for evaluation in 1932.
DH.82A De Havilland Tiger Moth II: Major produc-tion version to
Specifications 26/33 and 7/35. Two delivered as seaplanes in 1936. Rear
fuselage strakes added retrospectively 1942 as anti-spinning precaution.
Equipped 28 Elementary Flying Training Schools in UK during World War
II, and many exported to help equip RAF Empire Air Training Schools (in
addition to Canadian production noted below). Adapted 1939-40 for use
as emergency anti-invasion bomber carrying eight 20-lb (9.1 kg) bombs.
Max speed, 104 mph
(167 km/h). Cruising speed, 90 mph (145 km/h). Initial climb, 635 ft/min
(3.23 mlsec). Service ceiling, 14,000 ft (4,267 m). Range, 300 mis (393
km). Empty weight, 1,115 Ib (506 kg). Gross weight, 1,825 Ib (829 kg).
Span, 29 ft 4 in (8.94 m). Length, 23 ft 11 in (7.29 m). Wing area, 239
sqft (22.2m2).
DH.82B Queen Bee: Refer to De
Havilland Queen Bee page.
DH.82C De Havilland Tiger Moth: Canadian produc-tion version with
enclosed and heated cock-pits, revised undercarriage with main wheels
moved forwards, wheelbrakes and different instrumentation. Production
totalled 1,384 by late 1942, for RCAF and British Commonwealth Air Training
Plan, including 200 funded by US through Lend-Lease and designated PT-24
for contract purposes, but retained in Canada. Also, 136 built with 132
hp Menasco Pirate D.4 engine in place of 145 hp Gipsy Major 1C, delivered
mid-1941 to RCAF and known locally as Menasco Moth, comprising ten pre-production
DH.82C-2 Menasco Moth I, 125 DH.82C-4 Menasco Moth II with reduced fuel
capaci-ty and other minor changes, and one Menasco Moth III with Canadian
radio.
