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.
DH.87A Hornet Moth retaining the original tapered wing design. Wetaskiwin, Alberta, June 1996
The prototype first flew at Hatfield on 9 May 1934 and, with two other pre-production aircraft, embarked on an extensive test program that resulted in the first production aircraft (designated DH.87A) completed in August 1935 having wings of greater outboard taper. These were found to cause problems, especially when landing in three-point attitude: there was a tendency for the tips to stall, causing embarrassment to the pilot and often damage to the aeroplane. From early 1936, de Havilland offered owners of the DH.87A replacement wings of the new squarer shape at a reduced price in exchange for the original wings. Designated DH.87B, new aircraft from about manufacture Number 68 were built with the new square wings. This wing reduced the overall span by 8 inches (20 cm). The alterations slightly increased overall weight at some penalty to performance.
Production was 164 aircraft, of which 84 were placed on the British Register. Many were impressed for military service during World War II, mostly being used by the RAF as liaison aircraft.
Small numbers survived the war and with time became highly prized by vintage aircraft enthusiasts. A small number are still flying, over eighty years after production ceased.
Variantsedit
The second Hornet Mothex-RAF 1936 de Havilland DH.87B Hornet Moth at Cotswold Airport, England, in 2018DH.87B Hornet Moth G-AHBL, Kemble (2019)
DH.87 Hornet Moth : prototypes
DH.87A Hornet Moth : production model
DH.87B Hornet Moth : production model with wing modification
^Lednicer, David. "The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage". m-selig.ae.illinois.edu. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
Bibliographyedit
Comas, Matthieu (September–October 2020). "So British!: 1939–1940, les avions britanniques dans l'Armée de l'Air" [So British!: British Aircraft in the French Air Force 1939–1940]. Avions (in French). No. 236. pp. 38–61. ISSN 1243-8650.
Jackson, A.J. De Havilland Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam, Third edition, 1987. ISBN0-85177-802-X.
Sturtivant, Ray; Burrow, Mick (1995). Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945. Tunbridge Wells, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN0-85130-232-7.
Follett, K. "Hornet flight", (translated in Italian "Il volo del calabrone", Mondadori Editore S.p.A., Milano, 2003 ISBN88-04-54428-7) It's a fictitious novel, first printed in 2002, in which a hornet moth plays a key role in the story.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to De Havilland DH.87 Hornet Moth.
The de Havilland Moth Club
January 01, 1970
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For the twin engined 1940s fighter see de Havilland Hornet 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 DH 87 Hornet Moth 1936 de Havilland DH 87B Hornet Moth Role Trainer and Tourer Manufacturer de Havilland First flight 9 May 1934 Status still in operation Primary user private owner pilots Produced 1935 1938 Number built 164 Contents 1 Design and development 2 Variants 3 Operators 3 1 Civil charter operators and pilots 1935 2009 3 2 Military operators 4 Specifications DH 87B 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksDesign and development edit nbsp DH 87A Hornet Moth retaining the original tapered wing design Wetaskiwin Alberta June 1996 The prototype first flew at Hatfield on 9 May 1934 and with two other pre production aircraft embarked on an extensive test program that resulted in the first production aircraft designated DH 87A completed in August 1935 having wings of greater outboard taper These were found to cause problems especially when landing in three point attitude there was a tendency for the tips to stall causing embarrassment to the pilot and often damage to the aeroplane From early 1936 de Havilland offered owners of the DH 87A replacement wings of the new squarer shape at a reduced price in exchange for the original wings Designated DH 87B new aircraft from about manufacture Number 68 were built with the new square wings This wing reduced the overall span by 8 inches 20 cm The alterations slightly increased overall weight at some penalty to performance Production was 164 aircraft of which 84 were placed on the British Register Many were impressed for military service during World War II mostly being used by the RAF as liaison aircraft Small numbers survived the war and with time became highly prized by vintage aircraft enthusiasts A small number are still flying over eighty years after production ceased Variants edit nbsp The second Hornet Moth nbsp ex RAF 1936 de Havilland DH 87B Hornet Moth at Cotswold Airport England in 2018 nbsp DH 87B Hornet Moth G AHBL Kemble 2019 DH 87 Hornet Moth prototypes DH 87A Hornet Moth production model DH 87B Hornet Moth production model with wing modificationOperators editCivil charter operators and pilots 1935 2009 edit nbsp United Kingdom nbsp Australia nbsp Austria nbsp Belgium nbsp Canada nbsp Denmark 1 nbsp France nbsp India nbsp South Africa nbsp Spain nbsp Switzerland nbsp Turkey TC 101 Military operators edit nbsp France L Armee de l Air 2 nbsp Portugal Portuguese Air Force nbsp South Africa South African Air Force nbsp United Kingdom Royal Air Force 1940 1945 No 24 Squadron RAF No 49 Squadron RAF No 116 Squadron RAF No 510 Squadron RAF No 526 Squadron RAF No 527 Squadron RAF No 528 Squadron RAF No 529 Squadron RAF Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm One aircraft impressed and four from Canada 3 Specifications DH 87B edit nbsp 1936 de Havilland DH87B Hornet Moth cockpit Data from Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1938 4 De Havilland Aircraft since 1909 5 General characteristicsCrew 1 Capacity 1 passenger trainee Length 24 ft 11 5 in 7 607 m Wingspan 31 ft 11 in 9 73 m Height 6 ft 7 in 2 01 m Wing area 244 5 sq ft 22 71 m2 Airfoil RAF 15 6 Empty weight 1 241 lb 563 kg Gross weight 1 950 lb 885 kg Fuel capacity 35 imp gal 42 US gal 159 L fuel in fuselage tank 2 imp gal 2 US gal 9 L oil in an air cooled tank Powerplant 1 de Havilland Gipsy Major I 4 cylinder air cooled inverted in line piston engine 130 hp 97 kW Propellers 2 bladed fixed pitch propeller Performance Maximum speed 124 mph 200 km h 108 kn at sea level Cruise speed 105 mph 169 km h 91 kn at 1 000 ft 305 m Stall speed 40 mph 64 km h 35 kn Range 620 mi 1 000 km 540 nmi Service ceiling 14 800 ft 4 500 m Rate of climb 690 ft min 3 5 m s Time to altitude 5 000 ft 1 524 m in 8 minutes 45 seconds Wing loading 7 97 lb sq ft 38 9 kg m2 Power mass 0 067 hp lb 0 110 kW kg References editNotes edit Hitler s Savage Canary by David Lampe ISBN 978 1 84832 574 6 pg15 Comas 2022 pp 47 48 Sturtivant and Burrow 1995 p 59 Grey C G Bridgman Leonard eds 1938 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1938 London Sampson Low Marston amp company ltd p 31c Jackson 1987 p 355 Lednicer David The Incomplete Guide to Airfoil Usage m selig ae illinois edu Retrieved 16 April 2019 Bibliography edit Comas Matthieu September October 2020 So British 1939 1940 les avions britanniques dans l Armee de l Air So British British Aircraft in the French Air Force 1939 1940 Avions in French No 236 pp 38 61 ISSN 1243 8650 Jackson A J De Havilland Aircraft since 1909 London Putnam Third edition 1987 ISBN 0 85177 802 X Sturtivant Ray Burrow Mick 1995 Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939 to 1945 Tunbridge Wells UK Air Britain Historians Ltd ISBN 0 85130 232 7 Follett K Hornet flight translated in Italian Il volo del calabrone Mondadori Editore S p A Milano 2003 ISBN 88 04 54428 7 It s a fictitious novel first printed in 2002 in which a hornet moth plays a key role in the story External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to De Havilland DH 87 Hornet Moth The de Havilland Moth Club Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title De Havilland Hornet Moth amp oldid 1217242121, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
