WOW417 De Havilland Tiger Moth

Description

No.10 Elementary Reserve & Flying Training School,
Royal Air Force Yatebury, Wilshire, England, 1940.

Please be aware we only have 2 in stock

The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth was a single-engined, biplane, light aircraft. It was developed principally to be used by private touring customers as well as for pilot instruction for both military and civilian operators.  Designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. On 26 October 1931, the first ‘true’ Tiger Moth, the prototype E6, conducted its maiden flight at Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgeware, London and shortly after construction of the first 35 production aircraft for the Royal Air Force  RAF, began including, two float-equipped seaplanes.

It was operated by the RAF and over 40 other national operators, entering service in 1932 with the RAF as a primary trainer aircraft. In addition to the type’s principal use for training, the Second World War had RAF Tiger Moths operating in other capacities, including maritime surveillance and defensive anti-invasion preparations; some aircraft were even outfitted to function as armed light bombers.
In late 1939, owing to a shortage of maritime patrol aircraft, 6 Tiger Moth flights were operated by RAF Coastal Command, known as “scarecrow patrols”. Operating in pairs, they were armed only with a Very Flare Pistol. The intention was to force any U-boats to dive; one aircraft would then remain in the vicinity while the other would search for a naval patrol vessel that could be led back to the spot.  They were not radio-equipped, each aircraft also carried a pair of homing pigeons in a wicker basket to call for help in case of a crashed landing at sea.

RAF Command deemed the production of the Tiger Moth so important it nearly prevented the prototype de Havilland Mosquito from being built due to a lack of surplus manufacturing capability at the time.

The price for this 1/30 scale hand carved Mahogany aircraft model is $650 plus $100 shipping.

Figures are for illustration purposes and are not included in the price.