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De Havilland Fox Moth#Survivors

{{Short description|Light transport biplane developed by de Havilland in the UK in the early 1930s}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}

{{EngvarB|date=March 2018}}

{{Infobox aircraft

|name = DH.83 Fox Moth

|image = DH83 Fox Moth G-ACEJ (7118183861).jpg

|caption = Fox Moth in flight at Fenland Airfield (2012)

|type = Passenger aircraft

|manufacturer = de Havilland

|designer = A.E. Hagg

|first_flight = 29 January 1932

|introduction = 1932

|retired =

|status =

|primary_user =

|more_users =

|produced =

|number_built = 155

|unit cost =

|variants =

}}

{{lowercase|de Havilland Fox Moth}}

The DH.83 Fox Moth is a small biplane passenger aircraft from the 1930s powered by a single de Havilland Gipsy Major I inline inverted engine, manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company.

The aircraft was designed late in 1931 as a low-cost, light passenger aircraft. Many components, including the engine, tailplane, fin, rudder, and wings were identical to those of the de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth, then being built in large quantities. These were fitted to a purpose-built fuselage, which had a plywood covering over longerons that were made of ash forward of the pilot and Sitka spruce aft. The pilot sat in a raised cockpit behind the small enclosed passenger cabin, which was usually fitted with three seats for short-range flights. The "Speed Model" was fitted with a canopy and fairing. The wings could also be folded for storage.

Operational history

File:DH.83C Fox Moth G-AOJH N.West AS RWY 06.58 edited-2.jpg in 1955]]

The prototype first flew on 29 January 1932 and was sent to Canada, gaining sufficient interest that seven were assembled at the company's Toronto plant.Jackson 1987, p. 322. "Home" based production was shared evenly between sales within the United Kingdom and exports, with 49 aircraft each going onto the British register and being sent overseas. British-based aircraft were mostly used on short-haul joyrides or as feeder flights around the British Isles. The DH.83 Fox Moth was the first aircraft to earn a profit in commercial airline service without subsidies.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}

Fox Moth VH-UQM Miss Currie was purchased by Victor Holyman for £1,450 and began operating on the 108-mile route over the Southeastern Bass Strait between Launceston, Tasmania and Whitemark on Flinders Island in October 1932. It was thus the inaugural aircraft of what was to later become Australian National Airways. QANTAS used Fox Moths to replace de Havilland DH.50s on the Flying Doctor Service.Jackson 1987, pp. 324–325.

Total production of the DH.83/DHC.83C Fox Moth was 153; 98 in England, two in Australia, and 53 in Canada after WWII.Jackson 1987, p. 327 A number of different engines were used, including the 130 hp (97 kW) Gipsy IIIA on most British-built aircraft and the 145 hp (108 kW) Gipsy Major 1C on the 53 postwar DH.83C Canadian-built aircraft. The DHC-83Cs were fitted with larger pilot cockpit openings, a larger windscreen and canopy, a large ambulance cabin door on the port side to accommodate a stretcher and did not have folding wings. The DH.83C used DH.82 Tiger Moth main and tail landing gear. The DH.83C was an excellent and economical bush plane.

Variants

  • DH.83 Fox Moth: Light transport biplane; 98 built in the United Kingdom, plus two more in both Australia and Canada.
  • DH.83C Fox Moth: 53 aircraft were built in Canada after World War II.
  • Gasuden KR-1/Tokyo Gasu Denki: This was an unlicensed Japanese-built copy of the Fox Moth powered by a {{cvt|150|hp}} Gasuden Jimpu 3, a 7 cylinder radial engine. The first prototype, J-BBJI named Chidorigo (Plover), flew on 23 December 1933. Seven KR-1s were built.Mikesh and Abe 1990, p. 88.
  • Gasuden/Tokyo Gasu Denki KR-2: The KR-1 was extensively redesigned with new, unswept sesquiplane wings with rounded wingtips and other modifications as the KR-2.
  • I3H: Brazilian Navy designation of the DH.83.{{Cite web |title=Brazilian Military Aircraft Designations |url=https://designation-systems.net/non-us/brazil.html |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=designation-systems.net}}

Operators

File:De Havilland DH-83 Fox Moth, Croydon Air Service AN1041908.jpg

=Military=

{{AUS}}

{{flag|Brazil}}

{{flag|Canada|1921}}

{{NZL}}

{{flag|South Africa|1928}}

{{flag|Spain|1931}}

{{flag|Spanish State|1938}}

{{UK}}

{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Yugoslavia}}

=Civilian=

{{AUS}}

{{flag|British Raj}}

{{flag|Canada|1921}}

{{NZL}}

{{UK}}

{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Yugoslavia}}

  • AeroputFillmore Air Britain Archive Autumn 2011, p. 107

Survivors

File:Dh.foxmoth.750pix.jpg

  • DH.83 G-ACEJ was active in the UK in 2010, but since 2015 has been registered in Munich, Germany, regularly appearing at displays and meetings (still with its UK civil reg). The aircraft received attention in the 1957 British Transport Films production Holiday, taking off from Blackpool Beach whilst undergoing pleasure flights.
  • DH.83C G-AOJH
  • ZK-ADI active in New Zealand in 2016
  • ZK-AGM active in New Zealand in 2019 after rebuild in UK
  • ZK-APT active in New Zealand in 2019
  • ZK-AQB active in New Zealand in 2020
  • DH.83 VH-UJJ ex-G-ACEB active in Australia in 2009
  • C-FYPM ex-ZK-AEK active in Canada in 2018
  • VH-UVL active in Australia in 2018
  • C-FDIX Under restoration to airworthy condition at Buffalo Airways by Buffalo Joe McBryan and the PLANE SAVERS! crew in Yellowknife, NWT, Canada with the aim of having it flying by the spring of 2020.
  • VH-UUS Under restoration at MothCair by Greg Challinor, Murwillumbah NSW, Australia

Specifications (DH.83)

File:De_Havilland_DH.83_3-view_NACA-AC-162.png

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=De Havilland Aircraft since 1909Jackson 1987, p. 326.

|prime units?=imp

|crew=1

|capacity=3-4

|length ft=25

|length in=9

|length note=

|span ft=30

|span in=10+5/8

|span sigfig=3

|span note=

|height ft=8

|height in=9+1/2

|height sigfig=3

|height note=

|wing area sqft=261.5

|wing area note=

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=RAF 15{{cite web |last1=Lednicer |first1=David |title=The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage |url=https://m-selig.ae.illinois.edu/ads/aircraft.html |website=m-selig.ae.illinois.edu |access-date=16 April 2019}}

|empty weight lb=1071

|empty weight note=

|gross weight lb=

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight lb=2000

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=de Havilland Gipsy III

|eng1 type=4-cylinder air-cooled inverted in-line piston engine

|eng1 hp=120

|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=fixed-pitch propeller

|prop dia ft=

|prop dia in=

|prop dia note=

|max speed mph=106

|max speed note=

|cruise speed mph=91

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed mph=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed mph=

|never exceed speed note=

|range miles=425

|range note=

|ferry range miles=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling ft=12700

|ceiling note=

|climb rate ftmin=450

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=

|lift to drag=

|wing loading lb/sqft=

|wing loading note=

|fuel consumption lb/mi=

|power/mass=

|more performance=

}}

See also

{{aircontent|

|related=

|similar aircraft=

|lists=* List of aircraft of the Spanish Republican Air Force

|see also=

}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Bibliography

  • {{cite magazine |last=Arthur |first=Robin |title=Pre-War Airliner Fleets: I. Hillman's Airways Ltd |magazine=Archive |publisher=Air-Britain |year=1992 |issue=1 |pages=23–24 |issn=0262-4923}}
  • {{cite magazine |last=Fillmore |first=Malcolm |title=The Whole Truth: The DH.83 Fox Moth: Part 1 |magazine=Air-Britain Archive |date=Autumn 2011 |issue=3 |pages=103–120 |issn=0262-4923}}
  • Hotson, Fred W. The de Havilland Canada Story. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1983. {{ISBN|0-07-549483-3}}.
  • Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft 1919-1972: Volume II. London: Putnam (Conway Maritime Press), 1988. {{ISBN|0-85177-813-5}}.
  • Jackson, A.J. De Havilland Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam, (Third ed.)1987. {{ISBN|0-85177-802-X}}.
  • Mikesh, Robert C. and Shorzoe Abe. Japanese Aircraft 1910-1941. London: Putnam, 1988. {{ISBN|0-85177-840-2}}.
  • Milberry, Larry. Aviation In Canada. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. {{ISBN|0-07-082778-8}}.
  • Molson, Ken M. and Harold A. Taylor. Canadian Aircraft Since 1909. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. {{ISBN|0-920002-11-0}}.

External links

{{Commons category}}

  • [http://www.dhmothclub.co.uk/ The de Havilland Moth Club]
  • [http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/453/language/en-CA/Those-Kiwi-Moths.aspx Those Kiwi Moths] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093258/http://www.vintagewings.ca/VintageNews/Stories/tabid/116/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/453/language/en-CA/Those-Kiwi-Moths.aspx |date=4 March 2016 }}

{{de Havilland aircraft}}

{{De Havilland Canada}}

{{Gasuden aircraft}}

{{Aircraft manufactured in Canada}}

{{ADF aircraft designations}}

{{AvN aircraft designations}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Biplanes

Category:Single-engined tractor aircraft

Category:1930s British civil utility aircraft

Fox Moth

Fox Moth

Category:Aircraft first flown in 1932

Category:Aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear