De Havilland Moth Minor
| DH.94 Moth Minor | |
|---|---|
| Type | Tourer/Trainer |
| Manufacturer | De Havilland Aircraft Company |
| Maiden flight | 1937 |
The de Havilland DH.94 Moth Minor was a 1930s British two-seat tourer/trainer aircraft built by De Havilland Aircraft Company at Hatfield Aerodrome, England and Bankstown, Australia.
History
The Moth Minor was designed as a low-wing monoplane to replace the biplane Moth series, intended to give similar performance on lower power, and not requiring rigging. The wooden prototype was first flown by Geoffrey de Havilland on 22 June 1937 at Hatfield Aerodrome [1]. Production started and nearly 100 examples had been built by the outbreak of the Second World War. With a selling price of only £575 [1] the Moth Minor was popular with flying clubs keen to acquire modern monoplanes. Nine aircraft were specially built with hinged coupe tops instead of the normally open cockpit.
As the factory at Hatfield was needed for the war effort the drawings, jigs, components and unfinished aircraft were delivered to the de Havilland factory at Bankstown, Sydney. More than 40 aircraft were produced in Australia[1].
Civil aircraft operated in the United Kingdom were impressed into wartime service with the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm, one example was used by the United States Army Air Corps.
Variants
- DH.94 Moth Minor : Two-seat touring and training aircraft.
- Moth Minor Coupe : Two-seat touring and training aircraft, with a built-up rear fuselage and hinged cabin top.
Military operators
New Zealand
Specifications
Data from British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Vol 2 [1]
General characteristics
- Crew: Two
- Length: 24 ft 5 in (7.44 m)
- Wingspan: 36 ft 7 in (11.15 m)
- Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
- Wing area: 162 ft² (15.05 m²)
- Empty weight: 983 lb (446 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 1,550 lb (703 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× De Havilland Gipsy Minor inline piston engine, 90 hp (67 kw)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 103 knots (118 mph, 190 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 87 knots (100 mph, 161 km/h)
- Range: 261 nm (300 miles, 483 km)
- Service ceiling: 16,500 ft (5030 m)
- Rate of climb: 620 ft/min (3.15 m/s)
- Wing loading: 9.57 lb/ft² (46.7 kg/m²)
- Power/mass: 0.058 hp/lb (0.095 kW/kg)
References
- ^ a b c d Jackson, A.J. (1973). British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2. London: Putnam. ISBN 0 370 10107 X.
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
Related content
Designation sequence
DH.92 Dolphin - DH.93 Don - DH.94 Moth Minor - DH.95 Flamingo - DH.98 Mosquito,
Related lists
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| Records | Flight airspeed record · Flight distance record · Flight altitude record · Flight endurance record · Most produced aircraft |
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