De Havilland DH-60 Moth
Geoffrey de Havilland himself flew the Cirrus-powered DH.60 Moth prototype on its first flight from Stag Lane on 22 February 1925, launching what became the world's first genuinely affordable, practical light aeroplane. Its plywood-and-fabric biplane wings folded back along the fuselage, letting an owner tuck the whole aircraft into a garden shed rather than pay for hangarage, a feature that did as much for private ownership as its low running costs. Five official Royal Aero Club flying clubs were equipped with Moths from the aircraft's debut year, seeding a British recreational flying culture almost from nothing. Later Gipsy-engined and Major versions kept it in production until the Tiger Moth trainer eventually took over.
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Did you know?
Spot the DH.60 by its plywood-and-fabric wings that fold flat for a garden shed, a 1920s design built for home ownership.
Specifications
| Length | 7.2 m (24 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 9.1 m (30 ft) |
| Height | 2.6 m (9 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Service ceiling | 14,500 ft (4,420 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 12,000 ft (3,658 m) |
| Rate of climb | 500 ft/min (2.5 m/s) |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the De Havilland DH-60 Moth starts as a Rare catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
A catch counts for the manufacturer De Havilland, the DH-60 Moth family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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