DH 83 Fox Moth in Antartica, 1930s

[Christa]

Thanks to Geoff Goodall, DH 83 Fox Moths in Australia, online, I learn G- ACRU, c/n 4089, was built at Stag lane in June 1933, sold to the Royal Geographic Society, operated by BGLE, 1934 - 37, named Ariel.

 

Entered Australian register 1937 as VH - AAZ, via W.S. Shackleton, Heston, for Raymond J.P. Parer, Wewak, New Guinea.

 

VH - AAZ crashed in New Guinea 6/11/1939; pilot, William Forgan-Smith, was injured, rescued after two days and continued his flying career; VH - AAZ Struck off Register 11/39 

[Christa]

The DH 71 Tiger Moth Racer monoplanes were more important than I had realised. Their development was part of De Havilland's proof of concept to develop a fast monoplane fighter with an inline engine of small frontal area. Two DH 71s, G - ABQU & G - ABRV, were built for the 1927 Kings Cup Race. G - ABQU's new Gipsy engine was not yet reliable, so only G - ABRV, with a Cirrus engine, competed. It retired. However, on August 24 1927, G - ABQU broke the Class III (Light Aeroplane Category) record with a speed of 186.47 mph. Its tuned Gipsy engine was rated at 135 hp. De Havilland expected that standard 100 hp Gipsy engines would deliver 100 mph in less exotic, affordable airframes.

 

The DH 71 was christened Tiger Moth because Geoffrey de Havilland liked the name. He soon used it again for the Gipsy powered DH 82.

[Archimedes]

Christa

 

I like the fact that the Tiger got its name ‘just because’ GdH liked the name! It would be lovely if there were a 1/32 model of the DH71 available as it is significant in the lineage (and had a decent turn of speed for such a relatively small, low power engine) but I suspect we will all have our hands full building DH82a/c Tiger Moths for some time to come…

 

That said, the Fox Moth represents a significant challenge. Do you have decent drawings to work from for the conversion?

 

Kind regards,
Paul 

[Christa]

Hello Paul

 

My 1/32 scale DH 83 drawings, augmented now by details from the manual Thierry Laurent kindly added to this thread, looked OK for outlines and sizes.

 

I used those drawings, before I found LSP, to 'fiddle' card fuselage sides, top decking and floor from the firewall aft, taped around card bulkheads, checked against my unmade Matchbox Tiger Moth fuselage. That was sufficient to establish a reasonable look, but I thought it sensible to build an ICM Tiger Moth first. Also, my card DH 83 mock up convinced me that my centre section struts should be metal and extend through the cabin to the floor to provide strength and rigidity, as well as internal cabin detail. The float struts will be similar, but I will have to study G -ACRU photographs closely for those dimensions because I doubt the Matchbox Tiger's float configuration was the same. G - ACRU's floats look longer and are obviously different aft of the hull step.

 

There are many DH 83 images online. I studied G - ACRU photographs on the Scott Polar Institute's (SPI) website. I have two useful prints of G - ACRU too, courtesy of SPI.

 

On the amazingly fast DH 71, perhaps the DH Aircraft Museum's replica has moved on by now. I wonder if photo references and drawings may become available from that source for a scratch build? The DH 71 is significant in the De Havilland story, but I'll get Ariel done before I pursue it. Or I'll visit the DH Aircraft Museum . . . erm . . . possibly.

 

 

[Archimedes]

4 hours ago, Christa said:

Hello Paul

 

My 1/32 scale DH 83 drawings, augmented now by details from the manual Thierry Laurent kindly added to this thread, looked OK for outlines and sizes.

 

I used those drawings, before I found LSP, to 'fiddle' card fuselage sides, top decking and floor from the firewall aft, taped around card bulkheads, checked against my unmade Matchbox Tiger Moth fuselage. That was sufficient to establish a reasonable look, but I thought it sensible to build an ICM Tiger Moth first. Also, my card DH 83 mock up convinced me that my centre section struts should be metal and extend through the cabin to the floor to provide strength and rigidity, as well as internal cabin detail. The float struts will be similar, but I will have to study G -ACRU photographs closely for those dimensions because I doubt the Matchbox Tiger's float configuration was the same. G - ACRU's floats look longer and are obviously different aft of the hull step.

 

There are many DH 83 images online. I studied G - ACRU photographs on the Scott Polar Institute's (SPI) website. I have two useful prints of G - ACRU too, courtesy of SPI.

 

On the amazingly fast DH 71, perhaps the DH Aircraft Museum's replica has moved on by now. I wonder if photo references and drawings may become available from that source for a scratch build? The DH 71 is significant in the De Havilland story, but I'll get Ariel done before I pursue it. Or I'll visit the DH Aircraft Museum . . . erm . . . possibly.

 

 

Hi @Christa

 

Thanks for the update and pointers.  I think a Fox Moth Floatplane may lie in my future.  Thank you for the pointers therefore!  As for the DH71. I am over in the UK at the moment on business in West London and the DH museum in Colney is not so far away. From perusal of their website they do not have the DH71 as an exhibit but I will ask what drawings they have of it (if any).

 

Best regards,

Paul

[Christa]

Hi Paul

 

Elsewhere in this Forum section contributors are posting about research. ('What do you fellows do for research when you are building an obscure bird?' Citadelgrad, Thursday)

 

Replies say we use books, extensively, plus any available images and we are cautious. In 'de Havilland Biplane Transports' by Hayes & King; Gatwick Aviation Society in association with Aviation Classics; Coulsden, 2003; ISBN 0-95304 13-2-8: page 14, top right picture with a caption that asserts 'DH 83 c/n 4090.The only British registered float-equipped Fox Moth G-ACRK . . .'

 

Perhaps the authors only noted original, flight test or point of sale configuration, so their assertion may have had validity. However, G-ACRU most certainly operated with floats during its service with the British Graham Land Expedition.

 

My point is that online archives have increased our research reach beyond what was available twenty years ago. There can be moments when we know more than a particular book published before more extensive source material and images were so readily accessible online.

 

G-ACRK is another Fox Moth on floats, should you fancy modelling it.

 

Regards

 

Chris

[Archimedes]

Hi guys,

 

There has been some discussion as to whether Fox Moths had Handley Page Slats present.  The reason being is that folklore has it that the DH83 uses DH82 Tiger Moth wings. But images belie this (at least for the top wing because i cannot find a single image where the DH83 has slats). This is particularly true of the float plane version.

This rather lovely image of a post-war Wardair DH83 shows clearly no slats (but added canoe…)

 

Kind regards,

Paul

 

Edited April 9 by Archimedes