DeHaviland DH 60 "Moth" ("Cirrus Moth")
Model Airplane News Cover Art for January, 1967
by Jo Kotula
Click to Enlarge

The de Havilland DH 60 Moth was a 1920s British two-seat touring and training aircraft that was developed into a series of aircraft by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. The Moth was a two-seat biplane of wooden construction, it had a plywood covered fuselage and fabric covered surfaces, a standard tailplane with a single tailplane and fin.

  

Photos of the DeHaviland DH 60 "Moth" ("Cirrus Moth")
Click Here for more DeHaviland Moth photos
Click to Enlarge

The plane had folding wings that allowed owners to hangar the aircraft in small spaces. One of the early aircraft was fitted with an all-metal twin float landing gear to become the first Moth seaplane. The original production aircraft were later known Cirrus I Moths, because of the Cirrus engine, developed out of spare parts from World War I airplane engines. In 1928, DeHaviland introduced is own "Gypsy" engine and aircraft equipped with this motor were called "Gypsy Moths." The aircraft was popular at the time, especially with students at state-sponsored flying clubs. In turn, these students built the backbone of the RAF that saved England in the Battle of Britain.

Here is an original newsreel about the DeHaviland DH 60 "Moth" ("Cirrus Moth") in action:

Jo Kotula revisited this airplane in the "Box Art" for the Aurora kit for the De Haviland DH 82 "Tiger Moth", a military combat adaptation of the Moth.

Aurora Plastic Model of the De Haviland DH 82 "Tiger Moth",
Artwork by Jo Kotula
Click to Enlarge

Click Here for more information about the DeHaviland DH 60 "Moth" ("Cirrus Moth").

Click to go back and select another cover.

Counter for the Entire Site (not just this page..)