It was a successor to the DH.80 Puss Moth and replaced it on the company's Stag Lane and later Hatfield production lines. It was similar in configuration to the earlier aircraft, but instead of a fuselage with tubular steel framework, a lighter all-plywood structure was used which allowed a substantial improvement in range, performance and capacity on the same type of engine. The pilot is seated centrally in front of two side-by-side passengers and the wings can be folded for hangarage.
Operational history
The prototype first flew on 27 May 1933 and in July won the King's Cup Race at an average speed of 139.5 mph (224.5 km/h), piloted by Geoffrey de Havilland. A total of 133 aircraft were built, including 71 for owners in the British Isles, and 10 for Australia. Other examples were exported to France, Germany, India, South Africa and Switzerland. Production of the Leopard Moth ended in 1936.
44 Leopard Moths were impressed into military service in Britain and others in Australia during World War II, mostly as communications aircraft. Only a few managed to survive six years of hard usage although a small number were still airworthy seventy years after the last was completed. Six remained operational in the U.K. in 2009.
Royal Air Force impressed into service a number of former civil aircraft, using them as communications and liaison aircraft during the Second World War.
Royal Navy impressed into service at least one former civil aircraft.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to De Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth.
^Luc Baudoux, Les Avions de la Force Publique du Congo 2012-12-12 at the Wayback Machine, accessed October 2011
^Ketley, Barry, and Rolfe, Mark. Luftwaffe Fledglings 1935–1945: Luftwaffe Training Units and their Aircraft (Aldershot, GB: Hikoki Publications, 1996), p.11.
^Pran Nath Seth; Sushma Seth Bhat (2005). An Introduction To Travel And Tourism. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 112. ISBN978-81-207-2482-2.
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) (236): 38–61. ISSN 1243-8650.
A. J. Jackson (1987). De Havilland Aircraft since 1909 (Third ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN0-85177-802-X.
A. J. Jackson (1988). British Civil Aircraft 1919–1972: Volume II (1988 ed.). London: Putnam (Conway Maritime Press).
January 20, 2023
havilland, leopard, moth, havilland, leopard, moth, three, seat, high, wing, cabin, monoplane, designed, built, havilland, aircraft, company, 1933, leopard, mothleopard, moth, exported, australia, 1935, exhibited, airworthy, drage, world, museum, wangaratta, a. The de Havilland DH 85 Leopard Moth is a three seat high wing cabin monoplane designed and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company in 1933 DH 85 Leopard MothLeopard Moth exported to Australia in 1935 exhibited airworthy at the Drage Air World Museum at Wangaratta Airport Victoria in 1988Role Three seat cabin monoplaneManufacturer de HavillandFirst flight 27 May 1933Introduction 8 July 1933Primary users United Kingdom private pilotsAustralian pilotsProduced 1933 1936Number built 133 Contents 1 Design and construction 2 Operational history 3 Operators 3 1 Military operators 3 2 Airline operators 4 Specifications DH 85 5 See also 6 References 7 BibliographyDesign and construction EditIt was a successor to the DH 80 Puss Moth and replaced it on the company s Stag Lane and later Hatfield production lines It was similar in configuration to the earlier aircraft but instead of a fuselage with tubular steel framework a lighter all plywood structure was used which allowed a substantial improvement in range performance and capacity on the same type of engine The pilot is seated centrally in front of two side by side passengers and the wings can be folded for hangarage Operational history EditThe prototype first flew on 27 May 1933 and in July won the King s Cup Race at an average speed of 139 5 mph 224 5 km h piloted by Geoffrey de Havilland A total of 133 aircraft were built including 71 for owners in the British Isles and 10 for Australia Other examples were exported to France Germany India South Africa and Switzerland Production of the Leopard Moth ended in 1936 44 Leopard Moths were impressed into military service in Britain and others in Australia during World War II mostly as communications aircraft Only a few managed to survive six years of hard usage although a small number were still airworthy seventy years after the last was completed Six remained operational in the U K in 2009 The first prototype Leopard MothOperators Edit Leopard Moth showing complicated wing fold Military operators Edit Belgian CongoAviation militaire de la Force publique First aircraft C 1 entered service 9 October 1940 1 GermanyLuftwaffe small numbers 2 IndiaRoyal Indian Air Force NetherlandsDutch Army Aviation Group PortugalPortuguese Air Force South AfricaSouth African Air Force Southern RhodesiaSouthern Rhodesian Air Force operated one aircraft only SpainSpanish Air Force Straits SettlementsMalayan Volunteer Air Force United KingdomRoyal Air Force impressed into service a number of former civil aircraft using them as communications and liaison aircraft during the Second World War Royal Navy impressed into service at least one former civil aircraft Kingdom of YugoslaviaRoyal Yugoslav Air Force operated one aircraft only Airline operators Edit IndiaAir India 3 Specifications DH 85 Edit De Havilland DH 85 3 view drawing from NACA AC 186 Data from De Havilland Aircraft since 1909 4 General characteristicsCrew 1 Capacity 2 passengers Length 24 ft 6 in 7 47 m Wingspan 37 ft 6 in 11 43 m Height 8 ft 9 in 2 67 m Wing area 206 sq ft 19 1 m2 Empty weight 1 290 lb 585 kg Max takeoff weight 2 225 lb 1 009 kg Powerplant 1 de Havilland Gipsy Major 4 cylinder air cooled inverted in line piston engine 130 hp 97 kW Propellers 2 bladed fixed pitch propellerPerformance Maximum speed 137 mph 220 km h 119 kn Cruise speed 119 mph 192 km h 103 kn Range 715 mi 1 151 km 621 nmi Service ceiling 21 500 ft 6 600 m Rate of climb 550 ft min 2 8 m s See also EditRelated development DH 80 Puss MothAircraft of comparable role configuration and era RWD 13 Comte AC 12References Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to De Havilland DH 85 Leopard Moth Luc Baudoux Les Avions de la Force Publique du Congo Archived 2012 12 12 at the Wayback Machine accessed October 2011 Ketley Barry and Rolfe Mark Luftwaffe Fledglings 1935 1945 Luftwaffe Training Units and their Aircraft Aldershot GB Hikoki Publications 1996 p 11 Pran Nath Seth Sushma Seth Bhat 2005 An Introduction To Travel And Tourism Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd p 112 ISBN 978 81 207 2482 2 Jackson 1987 p 340 Bibliography EditComas 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 236 38 61 ISSN 1243 8650 A J Jackson 1987 De Havilland Aircraft since 1909 Third ed London Putnam ISBN 0 85177 802 X A J Jackson 1988 British Civil Aircraft 1919 1972 Volume II 1988 ed London Putnam Conway Maritime Press Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title De Havilland Leopard Moth amp oldid 1092407323, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
