The de Havilland Aircraft Company DH.82 Tiger Moth was one of the final iterations of the successful Moth family which began in 1925 with the DH.60 Cirrus Moth. In fact, the DH.82 Tiger Moth owes its existence to the earlier and often confused with DH.71 Tiger Moth, a single seat research monoplane which first flew in 1930 and of which only two were ever built.
Key changes were made against earlier Moths in the series such as improved access into the front cockpit, driven by the RAF requirement that the front seat occupant of training aircraft must be able to escape easily, particularly if wearing a parachute. Access had always been compromised by the aircraft's fuel tank which was fitted directly above the front cockpit. This, combined with the positioning of the rear cabane struts for the upper wing had always drawn criticism. The answer was to move the upper wing forward but sweep the wings back in order to maintain the same centre of lift. This also called for a strengthened fuselage structure, the adoption of fold-down half doors on both sides of the cockpit as well a new design exhaust system.
The prototype DH.82 Tiger Moth E-6 (later G-ABRC) flew for the first time on 26th October 1931 at Stag Lane Aerodrome, Edgware, London, with the de Havilland Aircraft Company Chief Test Pilot Hubert Broad at the controls during this first flight. Shortly after and following the issue of Specification T.23/31, construction of 35 production aircraft began for the RAF (K2567-K2601). Additionally, two float-equipped seaplanes (S1675 and S1676) were also constructed, built in accordance with Specification T.6/33. Intended from the outset for a primary training role, the DH.82 Tiger Moth adopted the inverted Gipsy III engine. The initial 35 dual-control aircraft order was quickly followed by another for a further 50, powered by the DH Gipsy Major 1 engine. These were known as DH.82a or, to the RAF, ‘Tiger Moth II’.
In February 1932, the DH Tiger Moth entered service at the RAF Central Flying School at RAF Upavon, Wiltshire, and by the outbreak of the Second World War, these had been supplemented in RAF service by a large number of commandeered DH Tiger Moth civil aircraft.
During the amazing full production run of over 8,800 aircraft, over 4,000 were built during the war years with over 50% of that number being built at Morris Motors, Cowley. This was due in the main as a method to free up capacity at Hatfield for the production of the DH.98 Mosquito.
The DH.82 Tiger Moth, like its fore-runners, was also built by de Havilland Canada although their variant featured Menasco engines, being known better as DH.82C Menasco Moths. de Havilland Canada created 1,548 aircraft, as well as an additional 200 Tiger Moths specifically for the US Air Force under a 'Lend-Lease' scheme with Canada. These were designated as PT-24 before being delivered to the Canadian Air Force. de Havilland Australia also produced an initial batch of 20 aircraft, built from UK components which eventually led to a further 1,070 being built at Mascot Aerodrome, near Sydney.
Other overseas manufacturing added to the tally with 23 aircraft being built in Sweden (as the SK.11), 91 built by OGMA in Portugal, 38 built in Norway and 133 built in New Zealand. There are also records showing that an unquantified ‘large number’ of kits were also assembled at various locations around the world.
A pilotless derivative, the DH.82 Queen Bee was also developed for use as a gunnery training target. Recognised as one of the earliest examples of ‘drones’ in military use, it is thought the term 'drone' was coined at this time as a direct reference to the DH.82 Queen Bee’s name. 320 aircraft were built at Hatfield and a further 60 were produced by Scottish Aviation at Prestwick. Final DH.82 Queen Bee numbers are unknown as so many aircraft were destroyed without first receiving either registration or record.
A further development of the DH.82 Tiger Moth was the Thruxton Jackaroo, a conversion of 18 DH.82’s, that was carried out by Thruxton Aircraft in Wiltshire. A four-seat cabin biplane, the Jackaroo saw little success with three of the aircraft eventually ending up as crop sprayers. There was also a single conversion by Rollason’s, based at Croydon Airport in 1960.
The DH.82 Tiger Moth was also the basis for the DH.83 Fox Moth. This variant of the Moth theme utilised re-rigged wings and a converted fuselage which accommodated passenger inside cabin for the first time whilst the pilot still operated outside, in an open cockpit.
Officially retired from service with the RAF in 1959 (although a small number remained in service as target tugs and "air experience" machines in the Royal Navy until the 1970s), DH.82 Tiger Moths (alongside so many other Moths variants) continue to fly and in many instances continue to be a trainee pilots 'first taste of the air'.