de Havilland DH-82A "Tiger Moth"

de Havilland DH-82A "Tiger Moth"
under restoration at the Western Museum of Flight

Built throughout the British Commonwealth (England, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand), the fabric covered wooden and steel "Tiger Moth" was produced in quantity (8,600) during World War II. The two-seat biplane served as a primary and intermediate trainer for thousands of pilots.

The Museum's aircraft was built in Toronto by de Havilland of Canada in 1941 for the Royal Canadian Air Force. The aircraft type designation was D.H.82C. The D.H.82C differed from the Royal Air Force version (D.H.82A) in several aspects, the most notable being the enclosed cockpit.

(Above) Western Museum of Flight DH-82A restoration volunteer, Maury Croskery of Thousand Oaks, CA, and his first passenger in flight over the County Down, Northern Ireland coastline in a "Tiger Moth", circa 1955. This D.H. 82A was one of several operated by the Ulster Flying Club which was sponsored by Short Bros. to enable its apprentices to learn to fly at very reasonable rates.

The aircraft was delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force on 18 December 1941 (RCAF Registration No. 5994). It served in two squadrons: No. 4 Elementary Flight Training School, Windsor Mills, Quebec; and No. 33 E.F.T.S., Caron, Saskatchewan. It was retired from service 27 July 1945 and released for civilian sale by the Royal Canadian Finance Corporation. At the time of release the aircraft had logged 1,800 hours of flying time.

The aircraft was donated to the Western Museum of Flight by Dr. Bill Fallis in 1985.

The aircraft is being rebuilt to flight worthy status as a D.H.82A model by the Western Museum of Flight four man volunteer team of Maury Croskery, Bill Bruschaber, Fred Erd and Bill Kirschner. Incidently Maury Croskery learned to fly in Tiger Moths and has logged 100 hours in the type.