RE: De Havilland Tiger Moth: PH Heroes

[aeropilot]

GliderRider said:

On the basis that a passenger in an aeroplane must do whatever the captain requests, my father proposed to my mother at the top of a loop in this Tiger Moth. Fortunately for me, she said 'Yes'.

That looks like Denham Aerodrome.

[kurt535]

eharding said:

Eric Mc said:

When is the last time you heard of a Tiger Moth suffering significant structural failure?

I know a chap at Waltham who had an absolutely beautiful Tiger Moth which he flew all over the country, but which eventually suffered from having the wings fall off - granted, that was on account of him misjudging the gap between some trees at a farm strip he was visiting rather than a fatigue issue.

He was fine, apart from suffering a degree of disappointment and vexation when the aircraft came to rest and realising that a significant amount of the structure was no longer attached.

G-ACDC ended up in the workshops up at Old Buck looking like they just caught it before something snapped permanently.....

[BryanC]

Reading this thread prompted me to look up Moth G-AHMN, which my boss took me up from Tollerton in the mid / late 60s.
He would look out of the window, see the cumulus cloud building, ask if I was up for a ride, scramble to his 3.8S and we were off. In those days 100mph along the ring road was quite normal.

I was introduced to a couple of loops, a spin ( only once thankyou ) as he danced around the clouds. I would be 17 then. I remember the leather helmet, goggles and intercom, and how cold it was as we climbed.

The last time I went, he did a walk round inspection and found a neat cut in the leading edge, so flying was off, and i remember he cursed the juggling for space in the hangar and some other careless b!

When it came to repair, the riggers stripped the fabric and found the remains of a child's kite lodged in the spar. Oh yes, a flight over cleethorpes beach, the week before, presumably rather low.

Sadly G-AHMN had a rather sad end unless somebody picked up the pieces and did a repair. I really hope so.

[Lowtimer]

Not for a long time, but she was re-registered by a new owner on 19 March this year so it's reasonable to assume that someone is about to start a rebuild, or recently has.

[BryanC]

Thanks for the info LT, I really hope so.
As I reach my twilight years, it's funny how the registration stuck in my mind.
It was doped silver with a blue cowl, I can't remember if the tail was painted but a great memory.

[aeropilot]

BryanC said:

Thanks for the info LT, I really hope so.
As I reach my twilight years, it's funny how the registration stuck in my mind.
It was doped silver with a blue cowl, I can't remember if the tail was painted but a great memory.

This photo of it taken at Tollerton in 1964, suggests the rudder was indeed blue as well.

[Lowtimer]

Although she was in wartime camo when pranged. I like them more in civvy schemes tbh