Canadian Warplanes 2: de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth, DH.60M Moth, DH.60G Gipsy Moth, DH.60GM Genet Moth, DH.75A Hawk Moth, DH.80A Puss Moth, DH.87A Hornet Moth

de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth, DH.60G Gipsy Moth, DH.60 Genet Moth, DH.75A Hawk Moth, DH.80A Puss Moth, DH.87A Hornet Moth

(Author Photo)

de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth, Reg. No. G-CYYG (Serial No. 503), on loan to the CASM from the Reynolds-Alberta Museum.  The Cirrus Moth was the prototype and early production aircraft powered by a 60 hp (45 kW) ADC Cirrus engine. 8 pre-production and 31 production aircraft built.

de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth (89) Reg. Nos. G-CYWV, WW, WY (later 212), G-CYXE-G-CYXI, G-CYYG-G-CYYS,G-CYYW-G-CYYY, 55-58, 64-91, 102-107, 117-122, 151-168, 223, A113 (ex CF-CCV),A114 (ex CF-ADA), de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth (2), (Serial Nos. 27, 28), de Havilland DH.60 Genet Moth for a total of 91 aircraft.

           The de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth was a two-seat biplane of wooden construction, it had a plywood covered fuselage and fabriccovered surfaces, a standard tailplane with a single tailplane and fin. A useful feature of the design was its folding wings, which allowed owners to hangarthe aircraft in much smaller spaces.  TheMoth was equipped with a Cirrus engine, leading to the aircraft being designated the Cirrus Moth.  A metal-fuselage version of the Cirrus Moth was designated the de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth, and was originally developed for overseas customers particularly in Canada, where it was built under licence.  First flown in Feb 1925, the Gipsy Moth wasacquired by the RCAF as a trainer to replace the Avro 504K Lynx.

           The de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth served in the RCAFin a total of 91 airframes containing three different power plants which wereused as a means to differentiate the Aircraft. Hence the carrying the Cirrus engine became Cirrus Moths, while thosewith a DH Gipsy became Gipsy Moths and those with Armstrong Siddeley Genets becameGenet Moths.  Although most land planesof the era were rugged enough to land without the benefit of a prepared fieldas long as conditions were not too bad, the huge amount of undeveloped, forestedland in Canada led to many of the Aircraft of the period being float planes inorder to make use of the much more common lakes and waterways as take-off andlanding areas rather than depending on finding suitably cleared land in thedesired area.[1]  

           Examples of the de Havilland DH.60 can be found in theAAM, Edmonton, Alberta, de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth, Reg. No. G-CYYG (Serial No. 503).[2]  R-AM,Wetaskiwin, Alberta, de Havilland DH.60X Cirrus Moth (Serial No. 503), Reg. No. G-CYYG.  CASM, Ottawa, Ontario, de Havilland DH.60Cirrus Moth (Serial No. 630), Reg. No. G-CAUA.

           Later versions of the Moth were powered by a DH Gipsy orGipsy I engine, therefore being named the Gipsy Moth.  Upgrades in power by an Armstrong Siddeley Genetengine led to the Genet Moth designation.

           Survivors in Canada include CMF, Langley, British Columbia, de Havilland DH.60 Genet Moth (Serial No. 1322), Reg. No. C-CYWV, Reg. No. CF-APA.  R-AM, Wetaskiwin, Alberta, de Havilland DH.60GGipsy Moth (Serial No.DHC-127), Reg. No. CF-AGX. WDM, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, de Havilland DH.60GGipsy Moth (Serial No. 333),Reg. No. CF-ADI.  Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth (Serial No. 111), Reg. No. CF-AAU.[3] Guelph Airpark, Ontario. Tiger Boys’ Aeroplane Works and Flying Museum, deHavilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth (Serial No. NC373H).  Milton, Ontario, de Havilland DH.60G GipsyMoth (Serial No. 1840), Reg. No. CF-AAA.[4] de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth (Serial No. 757), Reg.No. CF-AAJ.[5]

[1] Internet: http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/site/equip/historical/mothlst_e.asp.

[2] On loanfrom the Reynolds Air Museum, Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

[3] T.C.Holdings Inc., Hangar No. 5, Airport, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7L-5X4.

[4] MartinWatkin, RRNo.4, Grand Valley, Ontario, L0N-1G0.

[5] MartinWatkin, RRNo.4, Grand Valley, Ontario, L0N-1G0.

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de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth (89) Reg. Nos. G-CYWV, WW, WY (later 212), G-CYXE-G-CYXI, G-CYYG-G-CYYS,G-CYYW-G-CYYY, 55-58, 64-91, 102-107, 117-122, 151-168, 223, A113 (ex CF-CCV),A114 (ex CF-ADA), de Havilland DH.60G GipsyMoth (2), (Serial Nos. 27, 28), de Havilland DH.60 Genet Moth for a total of 91 aircraft.

           The de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth was a two-seatbiplane of wooden construction, it had a plywood covered fuselage and fabriccovered surfaces, a standard tailplane with a single tailplane and fin. Auseful feature of the design was its folding wings, which allowed owners to hangarthe aircraft in much smaller spaces.  TheMoth was equipped with a Cirrus engine, leading to the aircraft being designatedthe Cirrus Moth.  A metal-fuselageversion of the Cirrus Moth was designated the de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth, and was originally developed for overseascustomers particularly in Canada, where it was built under licence.  First flown in Feb 1925, the Gipsy Moth wasacquired by the RCAF as a trainer to replace the Avro 504K Lynx.

           The de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth served in the RCAFin a total of 91 airframes containing three different power plants which wereused as a means to differentiate the Aircraft. Hence the carrying the Cirrus engine became Cirrus Moths, while thosewith a DH Gipsy became Gipsy Moths and those with Armstrong Siddeley Genets becameGenet Moths.  Although most land planesof the era were rugged enough to land without the benefit of a prepared fieldas long as conditions were not too bad, the huge amount of undeveloped, forestedland in Canada led to many of the Aircraft of the period being float planes inorder to make use of the much more common lakes and waterways as take-off andlanding areas rather than depending on finding suitably cleared land in thedesired area.[1]  

           Examples of the de Havilland DH.60 can be found in theAAM, Edmonton, Alberta, de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth, Reg. No. G-CYYG (Serial No. 503).[2]  R-AM,Wetaskiwin, Alberta, de Havilland DH.60X Cirrus Moth (Serial No. 503), Reg. No. G-CYYG.  CASM, Ottawa, Ontario, de Havilland DH.60Cirrus Moth (Serial No. 630), Reg. No. G-CAUA.

           Later versions of the Moth were powered by a DH Gipsy orGipsy I engine, therefore being named the Gipsy Moth.  Upgrades in power by an Armstrong Siddeley Genetengine led to the Genet Moth designation.

           Survivors in Canada include CMF, Langley, BritishColumbia, de Havilland DH.60 Genet Moth (SerialNo. 1322), Reg. No. C-CYWV, Reg. No. CF-APA.  R-AM, Wetaskiwin, Alberta, de Havilland DH.60GGipsy Moth (Serial No.DHC-127), Reg. No. CF-AGX. WDM, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, de Havilland DH.60GGipsy Moth (Serial No. 333),Reg. No. CF-ADI.  Saskatoon, Saskatchewan,de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth (Serial No. 111), Reg. No. CF-AAU.[3] Guelph Airpark, Ontario. Tiger Boys’ Aeroplane Works and Flying Museum, deHavilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth (Serial No. NC373H).  Milton, Ontario, de Havilland DH.60G GipsyMoth (Serial No. 1840), Reg. No. CF-AAA.[4] de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth (Serial No. 757), Reg.No. CF-AAJ.[5]

[1] Internet: http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/site/equip/historical/mothlst_e.asp.

[2] On loanfrom the Reynolds Air Museum, Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

[3] T.C.Holdings Inc., Hangar No. 5, Airport, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7L-5X4.

[4] MartinWatkin, RRNo.4, Grand Valley, Ontario, L0N-1G0.

[5] MartinWatkin, RRNo.4, Grand Valley, Ontario, L0N-1G0.

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(RCAF Photo)

de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth on floats.

(RCAF Photo via Francois Dutil)

de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth (Serial No. 122).

(RCAF Photo via Francois Dutil)

de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth (Serial No. 122).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580125)

de Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth on floats, Reg. No. C-GAYW.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390175)

de Havilland DH.60 Genet Moth, RCAF (Serial No. 28), ca 1932. A small number of DH.60 Moths were fitted with the Armstrong Siddeley Gent radial engine.

(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Aviation Preservation Association)

de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth, RCAF (Serial No. 86) on skis.  First major overhaul of the design: Cirrus engine replaced by a 100 hp (75 kW) de Havilland Gipsy I engine.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3545920)

de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth, RCAF (Serial No. 77), being started by ground crew, 1938.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3545912)

de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth, RCAF (Serial No. 77), being started by ground crew, 1938.  

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580513)

de Havilland DH.60 Moth cockpits.

Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580128)

de Havilland DH.60X Moth, Reg. No. C-GYYP, c/n 491, with Mrs. C.H. Walker preparing for a flight, 18 Aug 1928.

The Certificate of Registration was issued on the 29th of May, 1928. The aircraft was struck off on the 16th of January, 1929.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580149)

de Havilland DH.60 Gipsy Moth, Reg. No. YP, 1 Oct 1928.

(RCAF Photo courtesy of the Canadian Aviation Preservation Association)

de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth, RCAF (Serial No. 55).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3650684)

de Havilland DH.60G Gypsy Moth, G-CAVK in flight, Montreal, 1932.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3225096)

de Havilland DH.60G Gypsy Moth, CF-AGL. Newfoundland Airways, 1931.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3579947)

de Havilland DH.60G Gypsy Moth on floats, G-CAHK, Shirley's Bay, Ontario, c1930s.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3650683)

de Havilland DH.60G Gypsy Moth, G-CAVK in flight, Montreal, 1932.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580296)

1929 American Moth Corporation De Havilland 60GMW Gipsy Moth biplane, owned by Mrs. Rudolph Lesser, piloted by F.L. Warren, Canadian Colonial Airways, 6 Oct 1929.

(Library & Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3409853)

de Havilland DH.60G Gipsy Moth.  

(RCAF Photo courtesy of the Canadian Aviation Preservation Association)

de Havilland DH.60M Moth, RCAF (Serial No. 28).  The original plywood box fuselage replaced with a construction of metal stringers covered with doped fabric. Although overall weight increased, maintenance became easier and metal fuselages became standard for all later versions. Four pre-production aircraft, 536 built by de Havilland at Stag Lane, 40 built by de Havilland Canada, 161 built by the Moth Corporation in the United States, 10 built by the Norwegian Army Aircraft Factory in Norway.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390180)

de Havilland DH75A Hawk Moth, RCAF Reg. No. G-CYVM, Rockcliffe, Ontario, 23 October 1930. Assembled by DHC. Used for trails at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. Used at Camp Borden, Ontario.

The DH.75 Hawk Moth was the first of a family of high-wing monoplane Moths, and was designed as a light transport or air-taxi for export. The aircraft had a fabric-covered steel-tube fuselage and wooden wings. The Hawk Moth was first flown on 7 December 1928 from Stag Lane. The first aircraft used a 200 hp (149 kW) de Havilland Ghost engine. This engine comprised two de Havilland Gipsys mounted on a common crankcase to form an air-cooled V-8. With the Ghost, the aircraft was underpowered and a 240 hp (179 kW) Armstrong Siddeley Lynx radial engine was fitted to it and all but one production aircraft. Changes were also made to the structure including increased span and chord wings and the aircraft was redesignated the DH.75A.

In December 1929 the first aircraft was demonstrated in Canada with both wheel and ski undercarriage. Following trials with the second aircraft on floats, the Canadian government ordered three aircraft for civil use. The first Canadian aircraft (actually the first Hawk Moth) did not have doors on the port side and could therefore not be used as a floatplane, so it was used by the Controller of Civil Aircraft. Further tests were carried out by de Havilland Canada in 1930, and the second and third aircraft were cleared to use floats. With restrictions on payload when fitted with floats the Canadian aircraft were used only on skis or wheels. In an attempt to compete with American-designed aircraft, the eighth aircraft was produced as the DH.75B with a 300 hp (224 kW) Wright Whirlwind engine. Production was stopped and two aircraft were not completed. (Wikipedia)

(Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

de Havilland DH.75A Hawk Moth, RCAF Reg. No. G-CYVM, on skis.

(SDASM Archives Photo)

de Havilland DH.75A Hawk Moth, RCAF Reg. No. G-CYVD (VD). Used at Camp Borden, Ontario. Other registrations assigned included G-AAFW (before shipping to Canada) and CF-CCA (for use by Controller of Civil Aviation in 1930). First registered to de Havilland in the UK as G-AAFW on 7 November 1929. Believed to be in Canada by December 1929. Originally issued to Controller of Civil Aviation, transferred to RCAF in 1931. This registration was re-used by a Department of Transport Beech 17 from 1938.

de Havilland DH.75A Hawk Moth, RCAF Reg. No. G-CYVL (VL). Assembled by DHC. Taken on strength by RCAF on 19 December 1930. Used for trails at RCAF Station Rockcliffe, Ontario. Landing gear collapsed on landing on 17 January 1931, while testing skis at Rockcliffe. Repaired, returned to service. Category A crash at Longueil, Quebec on 27 June 1931.

de Havilland DH.75A Hawk Moth (3) Reg. Nos. G-CYVD, G-CYVL, G-CYVM.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3579099)

de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth, CF-AGT, 30 June 1934.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580579)

de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth, CF-AGI, 23 Oct 1930.

(Library & Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390209)

de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth, CF-AGQ, Rimouski, Quebec ca 1934.

(Library & Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3598219)

de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth, 6 July 1930.  

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390211)

de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth, RCAF, Reg. No. G-CYUT, Rockcliffe, Ontario, 28 January 1932.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3390210)

de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth, RCAF, Reg. No. G-CYUT, Rockcliffe, Ontario, 19 June 1931.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3256157)

de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth, RCAF, Reg. No. G-CYUT, Rockcliffe, Ontario, ca. 1932.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580578)

de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth, on floats, 23 Oct 1930.

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de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth (19) Reg. Nos. G-CYUR - G-CYUU, 169 (changed later to 651), 171-181, A44 (ex CF-CCV), A114 (ex CF-ADA).

(Bill Larson Photo)

de Havilland DH.87A Hornet Moth (Serial No. 8031), CF-AYG with the Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Wetaskwin, Alberta.

The de Havilland DH.87 Hornet Moth is a single-engined cabin biplane designed by the de Havilland Aircraft Company in 1934 as a potential replacement for its highly successful de Havilland Tiger Moth trainer. Although its side-by-side two-seat cabin made it closer in configuration to the modern aircraft that military trainee pilots would later fly, there was no interest from the RAF and the aircraft was put into production for private buyers. (Wikipedia)

A de Havilland DH.87 Hornet Moth built in 1937, was a Canadian demonstrator, Reg. No. CF-BFK. It was flown by RAF Transport Command in Canada during the Second World War. It became CF-DIP in 1946. It may have been RCAF (Serial No. 5600) or carried a different marking, possibly RCMP. Its origin is unknown but the 5600 marking may have been applied to aircraft by DHC for promotional photos.

de Havilland DH.87A Hornet Moth (1), (Serial No. 7623).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3580969)

de Havilland DH.87A Hornet Moth (Serial No. 8031), CF-AVH.