Preserved DeHavilland DH82A Tiger Moth biplane training aircraft flying at Old Warden airfield
The prototype DH82 Tiger Moth first flew in October 1931 with some early production models being bought by civilian owners. However the majority of Tiger Moths were employed with the RAF or with the Elementary and reserve flying schools. The Tiger Moth is a development of the earlier DH60G Gipsy Moth, it was strengthened for service use, fitted with an inverted (rather then upright) engine for improved forward view and the wings were staggered to allow easier exit from the cockpit by parachute. After serving for a while, the DH82 Tiger Moth was modified with the Gipsy Major engine instead of the Gipsy III and plywood instead of fabric covered top fuselage decking, these modifications led to the Tiger Moth being designated the DH82a. T6818 is a composite aircraft, being built from the components from three Tiger Moths, but the majority of the aircraft is from G-ANKT the registration it still holds and originally serialled T6818. T6818 was built under license by Morris Motors Ltd at Cowley, Oxford in 1940. It entered service with the RAF, but little of its service life is known. It was acquired by the Shuttleworth Collection, along with the remains of the other Tiger Moths, in 1966. Two former engineering apprentices at Old Warden carried out the restoration and it first flew again in October 1977.
Size: 5000px × 3572px
Location: Old Warden Airfield, Bedfordshire UK
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: aircraft, biplane, checkerboard, dehavilland, dh82a, moth, red, tiger, trainer, white
