AVAN December 2013 - Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield

18 Pages·2013·2.21 MB·English

Australian Vintage
Aeroplane News
Newsletter of Queensland Vintage Aeroplane Group / Australian Flying Museum Inc.
Contents

President’s Message 2
New QVAG Secretary 3
Bio—Ray Vuillerman 3
Beafort A19-141 News 4
80 Years Ago 6
QVAG First Fly-In 6
WBMA Membership 6
Gipsy Major Timing 7
In early November QVAG held its Christmas party at the Jindalee Hotel
QVAG News Review 8
Restaurant in Brisbane. While not a big event, it was a very enjoyable
night and judged a success by those who attended. DH60 Moth 9
Gipsy Moth VH-UMR 14
Message from the Editor:
Gipsy Moth VH-ULM 15
 Have you something to share with our other members?
Gipsy Moth VH-UQV 16
 Would you like to contribute to your newsletter?
Committee List 17
 Do you have something to sell? Place an ad in our Classifieds! Member Classifieds 18
Just send your articles and pics to:
[email protected]

Membership Matters
 If you know someone who would like to join, there is now an on-
line membership form on our web-site.
 If you refer a new Full Member to the Group, we will give you a
stainless steel insulated mug in return!
Above: Dr. Michael Red-
mond’s Gipsy Moth VH-ULM.
This edition of AVAN features
Please note the QVAG the Gipsy Moth in Australian
web-site address : history and modern restora-
tion—enjoy the wealth of in-
www.qvag.org
formation provided in the sev-
eral articles and photos inside.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this newsletter are not necessarily those of the
Queensland Vintage Aeroplane Group/Australian Flying Museum Inc., the editors, or con-
tributors. The Queensland Vintage Aeroplane Group/Australian Flying Museum Inc, is a
national body representing the interests of vintage aircraft owners and enthusiasts. All
copyright reserved. QVAG will allow extracts from the newsletter to be reprinted, providing
permission has been given and the source is acknowledged. Visit our web-site:
www.qvag.org
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN
FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT
President’s Report: QVAG-AFM are interested in what other aviation tee has decided that a small number
2013 as presented to the Annual activities other members are up to. of these speciality events would be
General Meeting. conducted during the 2013-14 year.
The major event for this coming
I have had the honour and some- year will be the celebration of the Some examples of such events are:
times pleasure to be the QVAG 75th Anniversary of the introduc- The Pythons Formation Practice
President for over 18 months. Since tion of the Tiger Moth into RAAF Day at Watts Bridge (scheduled to
we are an organisation in rebuilding service. This will take the form of a occur in Oct/Nov 2013, another
mode, this has meant that I have fly-in where the feature will be Ti- example being the “Building a
had to spend a lot of time in think- ger Moths. WW1 Replica” seminar/workshop
ing about how we can attract new inspection scheduled to occur end
members and how we can get mem- The goal is to have a great photo of of January 2014.
bers to renew their memberships. 10-20 Tiger Moths in a line, imag-
ine the impression that will have on We are always looking for topics
Currently we have 48 members (36 all who see the sight (especially if for these special events so if you
full members, 8 life members, 2 you own one of the Tiger Moths in have a suggestion please make it
associate members and 2 junior the line). Obviously the venue and known to a committee member.
members) and that is a small im- date are yet to be announced, how-
provement over last year. You ever early planning is underway. For the past 18 months, on the first
might have raised an eyebrow when Sunday in the month we have had
the committee saw fit to lower its One of the backers of this event is the QVAG building open hoping to
membership fees from $70 down to Graham Orphan of Classic Wings see some members drop in. Unfor-
$50 dollars a year. QVAG does not magazine fame. Graham in a recent tunately we didn’t achieve a great
so much have a financial problem at e-mail made the following state- deal of success in that front. Com-
the moment as a membership prob- ment, “There are many Tigers now mitteeman,
lem. based in SEQ - more than at any
time in the past 50 years - so it is a Ray Vuillermin suggested that we
The committee has been busy iden- great opportunity to celebrate the change the QVAG building open
tifying ways of driving our basic aeroplane and for the new band of day from the first Sunday to the last
cost structure down without affect- Tiger Moth owners to get to know Sunday in the month and his idea
ing adversely the level of service each other. There are many benefits has been adopted.
we can provide to members; how- to be had such as networking for
ever we are also looking very seri- parts, maintenance etc. as well as The point of these open days is to
ously at what we can do to rebuild for sharing flying and social occa- offer the opportunity to members to
the QVAG Membership base. sions. This represents a very posi- make a low profile visit to Watts
tive future for vintage flying in the Bridge and enjoy the facilities that
I would be remiss if I didn’t make a region as all the other antique/ the building has to offer.
special mention of thanks to our classic types will be drawn to this
AVAN editor, Christian Smith. activity. I am looking forward to All in all, I am reasonably happy
Christian lives in North Queensland running a very positive feature in with the current position that I find
and has been AVAN editor for a Classic Wings to cover the event as the group in. We need to attract
number of years. He does a great I think it will herald a new and “new blood" to the group and to the
job as editor, however I need to positive growth era for QVAG.” committee so that the old-timers
remind you all that an editor edits such as me can hand over to the
the content he receives. It is not the However we all know that “one next generation of QVAG leaders.
primary function of an editor to swallow does not make a spring”
write content and I urge you all to and so it is with QVAG. What is Regards
give writing an article a go or pro- needed is a limited number of Ross Stenhouse
viding Christian with some local smaller in scale speciality events to QVAG/AFM President.
news. offer attraction to our members.

The news could be just something These days there are plenty of op-
simple like a short account of a portunities to attend flying events,
sortie you have flown in your aero- gone are the days when there were
plane. We all know that QVAG just one or two flying opportunities
members are not trained journalists per year.
and thus forgive the lack of expert
writing ability. However they sure Thus QVAG management commit-
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN 2
NEW QVAG SECRETARY
QVAG has a new secretary!

It’s been hard to find a person to fill
the position of QVAG secretary. A
number of people have occupied the
position on a “temporary” basis
over the last 18 months - Peter
Biddle, Jan Stenhouse and Joanne
Winter being on the list.

It’s great news that we can report
that the new QVAG Secretary
elected at the recent AGM is Liz
Finlay. You may know Liz by her
“other” name, Liz Stenhouse.

Liz has been involved with QVAG
ever since she was born. Ever since
she was a little tyke, Liz has con-
stantly heard about QVAG and
been involved with her dad, Ross
Stenhouse in his rebuilding of his
Proctor VH-AHY.

Liz always enjoyed being in the
workshop with her dad, giving him
a hand and learning about using
tools. Liz was a junior member of
QVAG and inherited her dad’s love
for vintage aviation.

Liz lives at Goondiwindi where she
is the local “Stocky”, that is, a

Stock Inspector with the Dept. of
BIOGRAPHY—RAY VUILLERMAN
Primary Industries.

Fortunately Liz’s husband Angus is
Ray Vuillerman has recently be- 1970 – Captain F-27, then DC-9,
also keen on aviation and is an as-
come a committee member. Here B727-200 and A300 (instructed or
sociate member of QVAG. Liz has
is a little background informa- checked on all of them), left TAA
twin daughters and you guessed it,
tion. in 1989 dispute, returned to Dove
they are QVAG Junior Members.
flying for a few months, then went

My bio, as you put it, started in to Egypt as A300 instructor then
QVAG was founded by young peo-
1956 as an ATC scholarship Singapore Airlines for 10 years as
ple back in 1975 and it’s great to
trainee, when I started training on Captain and instructor on B747
see young people again appearing
Tiger Moths at the RVAC at sixteen Classic and -400.
in the management roles of QVAG.
years and nine days old.

Retired at 60 years of age and
Liz is pictured (right) standing
CPL and C instructor rating in joined CASA as FOI then team
beside Auster VH-BGU—photo
1959, one year’s instructing on Ti- leader, retired 2007 and since then
Ross Stenhouse.
gers, Chippies and Austers, joined have been ATO and Metro instruc-
TAA in Jan. 1961, trained on DC- tor/check pilot in Darwin. Life-long
3s in Qld, then three years in interest in vintage aircraft and have
TPNG, back to Melbourne as F/O maintained an instructor rating
on Viscounts, then seconded to throughout. 24000 hrs on about 150
NTAMS based in Alice Springs and types.
Darwin flying Doves, then F/O on
DC9, B727-100 and flight navigator Ray Vuillerman
on DC-4, DC-6 and L-188.
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN 3
BEAUFORT A19-141 NEWS
For those you who are unaware of ASAP Aircraft Spares is run by hangar to have a look at the aero-
this aeroplane; an Australian-built Ralph Cusack. Whilst there I was plane. Well! It would be an under-
and RAAF-operated Beaufort given the grand tour of ASAP and statement to say I am impressed
Bomber A9-141; it has been mak- the conversation turned to progress with what has been achieved. This
ing slow but steady and magnificent on my Percival Proctor Mk1 resto- is an absolutely fabulous project
progress towards restoration to fly- ration project and of course to pro- and well worth your support.
ing condition. gress on the Beaufort restoration.
I have paid my $30 annual sub-
Over the years the project has had Since inception this project has scription to the Australian Aviation
many homes and the current home been under the management of Heritage Centre Qld Inc. in order to
is at Caboolture Airfield. Ralph Cusack. There is absolutely show my support and urge you to
no doubt he has been doing a great do the same.
The story of my recent visit to the job in that role.
Beaufort goes like this—currently I I hope you enjoy looking at the
am on long-service leave and had I first heard about the project about photos I took whilst there.
been staying alone for over a week 20 years back however it had been
in my Air Chalet at Watts Bridge many years since I had seen the Further information on this project
Airfield. Seeking a bit of company, aeroplane and thus I really had no is available from: http://
I decided to fly my Auster J5B VH- idea what to expect. www.beaufortrestoration.com.au/
BGU across to Caboolture to see or by emailing:
what British hardware was avail- Ralph said that the team were hav- [email protected]
able from ASAP Aircraft Spares at ing a working day on the Beaufort
the airfield. and offered to drop me down to the Ross Stenhouse

Left: Visitors watch as
work continues to bring
this rare aircraft back to
airworthiness.

Below: Acknowledging
crew and missions.

All photos: Ross Sten-
house.
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN 4
BEAUFORT A19-141 NEWS
Above: Looking more like an
aeroplane every day!

Left: Workers need to get “up
close and personal” to get to all
the nooks and crannies.

Below: Still a long way to go
but the progress to date is re-
markable.

All photos : Ross Stenhouse.
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN 5
80 YEARS AGO
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith pur- ing. Sir Charles felt that he would Smithy changed his mind about
chased a Lockheed Altair, VH- have to sell the aircraft to compen- selling the "Lady Southern Cross"
USB, for the 1934 Mac Robertson sate his sponsors and decided to fly and had its engine modified.
London-Melbourne Air Race. the aircraft back to America.
He then shipped it to England for an
Its purchase was made possible by Leaving Brisbane with navigator, attempt to lower the England to
Australian public donation, includ- Gordon Taylor, on October 20, Australia record. Tragically during
ing that of the race sponsor, Sir 1934, they arrived at Oakland, Cali- this event, Sir Charles and his navi-
MacPherson Robertson. Smithy fornia, on November 4 flying by gator, Tommy Pethybridge, disap-
named the aircraft "Anzac" but due way of Fiji and Hawaii. peared over the Andaman Sea, on
to government objection, renamed it November 7, 1935.
This was the first Pacific crossing
"Lady Southern Cross". The Altair
eastbound from Australia to United Paul Lomas
was withdrawn from the race, be-
States. On arrival in America,
cause of cracks in the engine cowl-

QVAG HISTORY—FIRST FLY-IN 1986
Twenty-seven years ago at Watts BEX and VH-DBE owned by Bruce it was very windy. Members John
Bridge – a QVAG first! On the McGarvie, Ross Stenhouse, Peter Sinclair and Ross Stenhouse erected
27/28 September, 1986, QVAG Biddle/Rob McCann and Ernie a permanent wind sock and mem-
held its first fly-in at Watts Bridge Clark respectively; a BA Swallow bers Don Maclntosh, Rob McCann,
Airfield. VH-AAB owned by John Sinclair; Leon Toms and John McCarron
an Auster VH-ABE owned by Nick assisted with mowing the grass,
This was the first fly-in ever held at and Greg Challinor; a Rand KR2 filling in holes in the runway and
the airfield and represented the big- owned by Des Cramer and a marking out the runway with tyres
gest collection of aircraft at the air- “tinnie” flown by Denis Gray. and painting them white.
field since its days as a RAAF air-
field during WW2. This fly-in was attended by Lace Quite a number of members drove
Maxwell and was the first time she to the fly- and camped out over the
Aircraft in attendance were: Tiger attended a QVAG function. Ac- weekend.
Moths VH-WAP, VH-JRS, VH- cording to accounts of the weekend, Ross Stenhouse

REQUIREMENT TO BE A WBMA MEMBER TO FLY IN TO WBMA?
QVAG has just added the follow- confirmed that occasional use did sponsible for its reactivation post
ing text to our membership not require WBMA membership. I WW2.
form—”Watts Bridge Memorial think we need to be cognisant of the
Airfield is the home base for fact that operating a great facility I have to declare a conflict of inter-
QVAG; if you wish to use the air- such as Watts Bridge Memorial est in this matter; Jan and I are
field on a frequent basis, you need Airfield is a very expensive affair leaseholders at Watts Bridge and
to be a member of Watts Bridge and it’s only fair that if you are a pay about $4,000 a year in lease
Memorial Airfield Inc. This is irre- frequent user of the airfield, you fees. For that amount of money, We
spective of whether you use the run- financially support the provision expect our friends can occasionally
ways or just the non-aviation facili- and operation of the airfield. attend the airfield and use the facili-
ties. Occasional use to attend a ties.
QVAG hosted function is OK. If What is frequent? Once per month
you fly in just to purchase fuel from or more is frequent, 3-4 times a I know that some members are con-
the WBMA fuel facility, then the year is not. The initial membership fused about their rights to use Watts
WBMA membership requirement is fee is $230, subsequent membership Bridge. I hope that clarifies the
relaxed.” fees are $115 a year – that is a rea- situation.
sonable amount when you think
In a recent conversation with what a great facility it is AND that Ross Stenhouse, QVAG/AFM
WBMA President Bruce Clarke, he QVAG members were largely re- President.
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN 6
GIPSY MAJOR ENGINE IGNITION TIMING—THE BLACK ART
The following article is given for mark (the other mark indicates vance of 18/19 of one degree. To
research only, please confirm the TDC). All very conventional until retard the magneto 18/19 of one
accuracy of the information con- the timing is a bit out and you need degree reverse the above procedure.
tained from a Government- to adjust the magnetos.
approved source before using op- Having now learnt what a drama it
erationally. The driving coupling on the mag- is to adjust the timing on a DH
neto drive shaft has 19 teeth; the Gipsy Major engine, remember that
In a Gipsy Major the ignition tim- driven coupling on the magneto has wear on the throttle linkages which
ing marks are the propeller backing 20 teeth. The 19 teeth give 18 18/19 run across the back of the engine
plate which has a pointer on it and degrees per tooth (360 degrees di- and couple the magnetos to the
this is lined up with the timing mark vided by 19). throttle can throw the timing out.
on the thrust bearing retention plate
on the front of the engine. To advance the magneto by 18/19 If you ever have cause to do this
of one degree, disengage the rubber procedure yourself you will grow to
This is done whilst number one coupling from the engine drive gear appreciate the skills of the old-time
piston is approx. at top dead centre and turn the magneto and rubber LAMEs.
(TDC) on the compression stroke. coupling in the direction of the
A magneto timing box is connected magneto (forward) one tooth, re- Submitted by Ross Stenhouse
across the points and the prop is engage, then disengage the magneto
gently bumped around (in the direc- driven gear from the rubber cou-
tion of normal engine rotation) until pling and turn the magneto against
the timing box indicates that points the direction of magneto rotation
have just opened. (backwards) by one tooth.

The pointer on the prop backing The magneto was thus advanced by
plate is checked and hopefully it 18 18/19 degrees and then retarded
lines up with the correct timing by 18 degrees thus giving an ad-
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN 7
QVAG HISTORY—MEMBER NEWS 1994
(Reprinted from Australian Vin- that in recent years he has found inter-plane struts. Mal has repaired
tage Aeroplane News Sept 1994 WAG AERO in the USA as a good all of these and in quite a short
volume 60/94. It is interesting to and reliable source of parts for old while - well done Mal.
see what was happening then and Piper aircraft.
how with the passing of time Member Ross Stenhouse reports a
things have panned out.) Len also recommends Denis Bravo strange sequence of events; he had
of Aero Bravo at Archerfield, Bris- a telephone call from a man called
Great News from member Warwick bane as a good source for 'hard to Keith Gilbert enquiring about Watts
Woinarski in that he has purchased get' parts which require a bit of Bridge '94 and in passing made the
Beech Staggerwing VH-UXP. 'UXP chasing. Back in the 1960's Len comment that he had once been in
is currently powered by a 275hp owned Piper Colt, VH-PKP, which the front seat of a Tiger which spun
'Shaky Jake' Jacobs radial. Len thinks is now in NSW some- in.
where and has been converted to a
Included in the deal was a time- tail dragger. That Tiger was VH-BEX. 'BEX is
expired 450hp R985 Pratt and now owned by members Peter
Whitney radial engine and Warwick Member Barry Manktelow reports Biddle and Rob McCann. However
intends to get this engine over- that he has just a few weeks to go members Graham Orphan and Peter
hauled and then installed in the before completion of his Piper PA- Biddle rebuilt 'BEX. They recov-
Staggerwing. 22 VH-MEJ rebuild. As part of a ered it from up north where it had
frame-up rebuild Barry is convert- been stored after the prang.
Apparently the aircraft had a rig- ing the PA-22 to PA-20 tail wheel
ging problem with the undercar- configuration. Frank Hardy was flying 'BEX and
riage and member Mal Shipton and Keith believes that carby ice was
his crew at 'Flyer Hire' at Redcliffe Once, rebuilding Tiger Moths was the cause of the prang, They were
rectified this and the aircraft feels the fashion, now the rebuilding of on a long approach to the airfield at
like a different aircraft on the land- the Piper series of 'rag and tube' the time. 'BEX went into a flat spin
ing roll. aircraft seems to fashion. What an and crashed into a canefield where
excellent job people seem to be the cane was about twelve feet tall.
This problem was so severe the doing on them; a few years back, Keith believes that this saved his
previous owner was reluctant to fly owning a Tripacer, Cub or Colt life (and the life of VH-BEX).
the aircraft and this in part led to its didn't seem like owning a vintage
sale. aircraft; no question now, they are New member David Salter and his
well and truly one of the classics. wife Caroline of Walcha certainly
Member Ross Smith has purchased have a good collection of interest-
a 'basket-case' Tiger Moth and in- Member Mal Carr reports that his ing vintage aircraft. David owns
tends to complete its rebuild. The Tiger Moth repair is just about fin- Tiger Moth VH-BOR, Harvard VH-
aircraft will then remain as his per- ished and the aircraft should be PEM, DHC2 Beavers and a Cessna
sonal aircraft. Fellow members back in the air. 180.
Ross Stenhouse and John Sinclair
will be assisting with the fabric Over twelve months ago Mal had Rumour is strong that a DC4 may
covering of the fuselage and wings an unfortunate accident with his be based at Archerfield and will be
aspect of the rebuild project. aircraft which resulted it being arriving in time for the Wings &
flipped on its back. Wheels' airshow. This DC4 is the
Member Len Augustine of Mun- one rumoured to be going to do
dubbera reports that he is recover- Damage was done to the prop, en- freight runs to the one of the Pacific
ing from a broken hand and recov- gine cowls, four wings, rudder and Islands.
ered from his broken shoulder,
these injuries have curtailed his

flying to a great extent in the last
EDITORIAL
couple of years, however he has
now virtually recovered and Len
said we can look forward to seeing G’day folks, Ross has given me thing up—if you have any queries
him at some of the fly-ins in his plenty to chew on this issue but it please get in touch with me to dis-
Piper Tripacer. would be nice to see contributions cuss my requirements, they are in
coming in from other members as fact pretty basic! Merry Xmas and
Len's Tripacer is fitted with a con- well. Happy New Year to all!
stant speed prop. He rebuilt the
Piper about 8 years ago and reports Don’t be shy about offering some- Regards, Christian
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN 8
AUSTRALIAN VINTAGE WARBIRDS—DH60 MOTH
With QVAG’s planned celebration was reluctant to try it, but with de passenger and small baggage locker
of the 75th anniversary of the intro- Havilland's persistence and the in the front cockpit and the pilot in
duction of the Tiger Moth into Airdisco Disposal Company's the rear. Dual controls were stan-
RAAF service planned for next (Airdisco) permission, he eventu- dard, with the front control column
year it seemed opportune to repub- ally agreed to do it. The Airdisco being easily removable. The metal
lish this article. It was originally V8 engine had been an improved engine cowling extended back to
published in Australian Vintage version of the World War One 80 the front seat. A long exhaust pipe
Aeroplane News in October 1995 hp Renault design, using aluminium ran along the top-starboard side of
Volume 66/93. cylinder heads. Four Renault cast the fuselage to a point aft of the rear
iron cylinders and pistons, together cockpit. The wings were of equal
When World War Two broke out in with the Airdisco aluminium cylin- span, single-bay and with only a
September 1939, the RAAF’s top der heads, were mounted on a new fraction of positive stagger. Two I-
fighting aircraft were the CAC Wir- 5-bearing shaft in a new aluminium section spruce spars with spruce
raway fighter/bomber, the Hawker crankcase with a wet sump. Bore girder ribs and steel-tube drag-struts
Demon fighter/bomber, the Bristol and stroke remained the same as the were fabric covered. Hinges on the
Bulldog fighter/bomber and the Renault engine at 105 mm x 130 rear spar allowed the wings to be
Avro Anson maritime bomber. The mm, a capacity of 4.5 litres. Instead folded back for easy hangarage.
Tugan Gannet served as a light of the propeller being connected to Telescopic jury struts were fitted.
transport aircraft for the RAAF and the camshaft as on the Airdisco V8, Differential ailerons were fitted to
the Supermarine Walrus served as a it was mounted on a separate shaft the lower wings only and were first
reconnaissance amphibian for the which was coupled to the crank- tried and patented on the DH60
RAN. Ab-initio training was car- shaft by a flange and supported by Moth. One pair of spruce interplane
ried out in the De Havilland DH60 bearings in the nose of the crank- struts were on either side of the
Moth graduating through the Avro case. Automotive components, such fuselage.
Cadet intermediate trainer to the as the Zenith carburettor and dual
Westland Wapiti, which had been magnetos, were to keep the cost A 86.3 litre fuel tank formed the
downgraded from a light bomber to down. Completed in two months, centre-section of the top wing and
an advanced trainer. One Miles the new engine with 68 hp. being was supported by steel-tube spars
Magister was used for biplane to available for take-off at 2,000 rpm and wooden ribs. It was carried
monoplane pilot conversion and weighed only 130 kg. The engine above the fuselage to its front spar
one Supermarine Southampton was was named the A D C Cirrus. by inverted Vee streamlined steel-
used for seaplane training. Let’s tube struts and to its rear spar by a
look at each of these vintage War- During construction of the engine, pair of vertical struts. Handley Page
birds in turn, starting with the de Havilland designed and built an automatic slots could be fitted to
DH60 Moth. aeroplane to match it. Taking the the upper wing leading edges as an
design number DH60, it was a option on production aircraft. The
PART 1 - THE DH 60 MOTH strong and simple biplane of two- tail section was of wooden frame-
In 1924, Captain Geoffrey de thirds the size of the DH5l. Being a work with fabric covering. A
Havilland put serious thought into lepidopterist or a person who col- straight-axle undercarriage was
designing an inexpensive 2-seat lected and studied moths, de Havil- supported by two telescopic struts,
aeroplane suitable for private own- land designed the shape of the tail- sprung by rubber in compression.
ership. The 2-seat DH51, with its plane and elevator in the shape of a Radius rods extended forward to the
l2O hp air-cooled V8 engine, was moth with open wings, while the bottom of the engine firewall. The
too big and expensive for private curvature of the fin and rudder re- tail-skid was fully castoring.
use. Similarly, the single-seat DH53 sembled a moth with closed wings.
Humming Bird, powered by a Little wonder why the aircraft was The dimensions of the DH60 Moth
Douglas motor cycle engine, was called the DH60 Moth. It had a rec- were: span 9.14 metres, length 7.22
too small and underpowered for any tangular-shaped fuselage of wooden metres and height 2.68 metres. Its
practical use. What de Havilland framework around four spruce weights were: empty 350 kg and
needed was an engine of around 60 longerons, with no internal wire maximum take-of 562 kg.
hp. that only weighed about 150 to bracing. The two top longerons
160 kg. As there was no such en- were horizontal and carried the en- Captain de Havilland test flew the
gine, de Havilland thought of split- gine. prototype DH60 Moth from Stag
ting the Airdisco V8 engine into a Lane, on the Sunday afternoon of
4-cylinder in-line engine. Fuselage covering was three-ply February 22, 1925. On his return,
timber, glued and screwed. Two he gave a happy “thumbs up” to his
He approached freelance designer, tandem open cockpits each had a engineering staff as he switched off
Frank Halford, with the idea. Frank small door on the port side, with the the ignition. He had flown the pro-
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN 9
AUSTRALIA’S VINTAGE WARBIRDS—DH60 MOTH
totype without any rudder balance, take-off power of 80 hp. at 2,000 at the time when the Fairey 3D
which had obviously been heavy on rpm Fuel consumption was 25 litres floatplanes were being phased out.
the controls. Subsequently, the pro- using a leaded fuel of higher octane All the surviving DH60X Cirrus
totype and all production aircraft rating. Features of this engine were: Moths were disposed of in 1932.
were fitted with a horn-balanced forged light-alloy con-rods, bronze
rudder. Its performance figures valve seats and guides, bronze New cylinder heads, with better
were: maximum speed 79 knots, sparkplug bushes, a revised induc- cooling, and a revised valve and
cruising speed 70 knots, initial rate tion system, a gear-type oil pump, a rocker gear increased the compres-
of climb 430 ft. /min, ceiling 13,000 Claudel-Hobson carburettor, and sion ratio of the Cirrus engine in
feet and range 278 nautical miles. BTH magnetos. The weight of this mid-1926. The A.D.C. Cirrus 3
engine was reduced to 127 kg. It engine produced a normal power
Two DH60 Moths were ordered by was fitted to the DH60X Moth of output of 85 hp. at 1,900 rpm and a
the RAAF in June 1925, for evalua- l927 , which was also known as the take-off power of 95 hp at 2,100
tion as a possible replacement for Cirrus 2 Moth. Whereas the DH60 rpm. Its weight and dimensions
the Avro 504K trainer. However, had the engine bolted high on the remained the same as the A.D.C.
the first DH60 Moth to come to upper longerons, the DH60X had Cirrus 2 engine. Some DH60X
Australia arrived in Melbourne by the engine bolted on lower mount- Moths, which were also had this
ship on November 5. 1925. It was ings to lower the thrust line and engine fitted were referred to as the
the twelfth built and had been pur- have the top of the cylinder heads in Cirrus 3 Moth.
chased by the Civil Aviation line with the top of the fuselage.
Branch of the Department of De- This streamlined the forward fuse- Geoffrey de Havilland opened his
fence for 1,200 pounds Australian lage and gave better forward visibil- own engine factory in Stag Lane in
($2,400). Registered G-AUAE ity to the pilot as his view was now late 1926. Designed by Major Frank
(VH-UAE), it was assembled at not obstructed by the prancing Halford, the new engine followed
Essendon Aerodrome, where it was rocker gear. Also it had the wing the lines of the 4-cylinder upright
flown on public demonstration be- gap reduced and the wingspan in- in-line engine Cirrus engine, but
fore 5,000 spectators by Captain E. creased by 30 centimetres. The fu- was more greatly refined. De Havil-
J. Jones on November 28. The selage was strengthened and wider land named the engine “Gipsy” so
RAAF Moths were received in track split axle type undercarriage that when fitted to the DH60 Moth
March 1926, as A7-1 and A7 -2.On fitted. This consisted of two side the aircraft could be named Gipsy
July 15, 1927, A7-l crashed and Vees, the back legs of which incor- Moth after one of his favourite
A7-2 was reduced to spares in May porated rubber-in-compression moth species. The Gipsy engine had
1928. shock-absorbers and two stub-axles. a bore and stroke of 114 mm x 128
A steel-tube Vee cabane under the mm and a capacity of 5.23 litres.
The DH60 Moth was fitted with a fuselage was hinged to the stub- Valves and rocker gear were left
75 hp. 5-cylinder Armstrong Sid- axles. The luggage stowage area in exposed, lubrication being effected
deley Genet radial engine in 1926 the front cockpit was transferred to by nipples and a grease gun. Two
for the Royal Air Force and the a large 123 kg luggage rocker in the prototype engines were built as
Royal Canadian Air Force. One fuselage behind the rear cockpit racing engines for two secretly-built
DH60 Genet Moth was also used Weights of the DH60X were: empty monoplanes, which were to be en-
for air racing in England. It met 388 kg. and maximum take-off 703 tered in the 1927 King's Cup Race
with no success and was used for a kg. Performance figures were: They produced 135 hp. at 2,850
brief aerobatic career, before being maximum speed 82 knots. cruising rpm. Production engines were de-
sold in Germany. speed 74 knots, initial rate of climb rated using smaller valves, giving a
650 ft/min, ceiling 17,000 feet and normal power output of 85 hp. at
The weights of the DH60 Genet range 373 nautical miles. 1,900 rpm and a take-off power of
Moth were: empty 367 kg and 100 bhp at 2,100 rpm consequently,
maximum for take-off 702 kg. Ini- Twenty DH60X Cirrus Moths were this reversal of normal development
tial rate of climb 590 ft./min, ceil- ordered and delivered to the RAAF practice by down-rating rather than
ing 16,000 ft. Its performance was: at Point Cook in 1928, as A7-3 to uprating increased the reliability of
maximum speed 96 knots, cruising A7-22. Two aircraft, A7-13 and A7 the engine to give a longer life be-
speed 74 knots, and range of 355 -14, were fitted with two long, sin- tween overhaul. The Gipsy was
nautical miles. In late 1925, Frank gle steps, Vee bottomed, duralumin given an overhaul life of 450 hours,
Halford designed the A.D.C. Cirrus floats fitted with water rudders, compared with 200 hours for the
2 engine, to give an increased bore which had been designed by Short Cirrus. It had a fuel consumption of
of 110 mm to give an capacity of Brothers of Rochester. These two 28.5 litres per hour and weighed
4.94 litres. This gave a normal out- aircraft were operated by the Sea- 136 kg. First flown in June 1928,
put of 75 hp. at 1,800 rpm, and a plane Training Flight at Point Cook, the DH60G Gipsy Moth flew
December 2013 ● Issue 226 ● AVAN 10