In the summer of 1940, Nazi Germany’s advance across Europe seemed unstoppable. As the once mighty France teetered on the edge of defeat after a brutal campaign, Britain braced itself for invasion.
Faced with this dire threat, British High Command made a bold decision: every aircraft capable of flight would be called upon to defend the Commonwealth.
Among these unlikely defenders was the de Havilland Tiger Moth, a simple biplane trainer never designed for combat with a hidden potential for adaptation.
Engineers quickly came up with a series of plans and designs to adapt the Tiger Moth for war. First, they fitted bomb racks capable of carrying up to 240 pounds of explosives. Student pilots, their training barely complete, prepared for the possibility of dive-bombing enemy forces from altitudes as low as 500 feet, armed with only a pistol.
Some crazier planned variants included “paraslashers” – blade-like attachments designed to disable enemy parachutists mid-air. Others underwent tests as chemical dispensers, with the capacity to spread dangerous substances over advancing ground troops.
Despite its lack of armour, the Tiger Moth, a trainer once solely responsible for teaching the basics of flight, now prepared to defend the British shores from full-scale war.
In the summer of 1940, Nazi Germany’s advance across Europe seemed unstoppable. As the once mighty France teetered on the edge of defeat after a brutal campaign, Britain braced itself for invasion. Faced with this dire threat, British High Command made a bold decision: every aircraft capable of flight would be called upon to defend the Commonwealth. Among these unlikely defenders was the de Havilland Tiger Moth, a simple biplane trainer never designed for combat with a hidden potential for adaptation.
Engineers quickly came up with a series of plans and designs to adapt the Tiger Moth for war. First, they fitted bomb racks capable of carrying up to 240 pounds of explosives. Student pilots, their training barely complete, prepared for the possibility of dive-bombing enemy forces from altitudes as low as 500 feet, armed with only a pistol. Some crazier planned variants included “paraslashers” – blade-like attachments designed to disable enemy parachutists mid-air.
Others underwent tests as chemical dispensers, with the capacity to spread dangerous substances over advancing ground troops. Despite its lack of armor, the Tiger Moth, a trainer once solely responsible for teaching the basics of flight, now prepared to defend the British shores from full-scale war.
The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. In addition to the type’s principal use for ab initio training, the Second World War had RAF Tiger Moths operating in other capacities, including maritime surveillance and defensive anti-invasion preparations; some aircraft were even outfitted to function as armed light bombers.
The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until it was replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk during the early 1950s. Many of the military surplus aircraft subsequently entered into civilian operation. Many nations have used the Tiger Moth in both military and civilian applications, and it remains in widespread use as a recreational aircraft. It is still occasionally used as a primary training aircraft, particularly for those pilots wanting to gain experience before moving on to other tailwheel aircraft.
Many Tiger Moths are now employed by companies offering trial lesson experiences. The de Havilland Moth club, founded in 1975, is now an owners’ association offering a mutual club and technical support.
Photo: A Tiger Moth in 1989 – de Havilland DH 82A Tiger Moth, N81DH
Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube