PAV72052 D.H. 82C Tiger Moth 1/72

Kit has detailed resin parts, recessed panel lines, photo-etch details, vacu or injection-molded clear parts - canopy.
(injection-molded plastic kit). Limited edition. *****

British two-seat basic trainer biplane.
plastic parts: 41, resin parts: 10, vacu canopy: 1, photo-etched: 0
2 version decals (RCAF)

Developed from the two-seat de Havilland Moth civilian trainer, a new military trainer was developed and given the name DH.60T Moth Trainer. Although not flown by the RAF, this military trainer was sold to Brazil, China, Iraq, Egypt and Sweden. Refined under Specification 15/31, the now-modified DH.60T was given the name Tiger Moth. This name was carried on to yet another modification to the basic design, Specification T.26/31, which became the DH.82A Tiger Moth, powered by a single de Havilland Gipsy Major engine. This new machine first flew on 26th October 1931 and the RAF ordered 35. The first deliveries were to No. 3 Flying Training School at Grantham, Lincolnshire in November 1931 and the Central Flying School in May 1932.
The Tiger Moth soon proved to be a popular aircraft and was sold to such countries as Brazil, Denmark, Persia, Portugal and Sweden. Before the outbreak of WW2, Norway and Canada joined Portugal and Sweden in building Tiger Moths under license and during the war, both Australia and New Zealand manufactured over 1,400 aircraft between them. Large numbers of Australian-built Tiger Moth were shipped to Southern Rhodesia and South Africa for use under the Commonwealth Air Training Plan which also operated in Canada where the Tiger was redesigned and adapted to local conditions by de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd.
A two piece nose cowling which hinged along the centre line and opened down the front for improved accessibility, housed a Gipsy Major IC engine. By shortening the radius rods, the main undercarriage was moved forward to prevent nosing over when using the brakes which were fitted, together with a heavy duty tail wheel to improve ground handling. To combat the sub-zero temperatures of the Canadian winter, the cockpits were heated and covered by a large sliding canopy and later when supplies of Gipsy Majors were cut off by the Battle of the Atlantic, the American-built 125 h.p. Menasco Pirate engine was fitted. The extrenal appearance was so changed , even the familiar wide-chord interplane struts having given place to narrow steel tubular members, that a new designation D.H.82C was warranted. A batch of 200 DH.82C aircraft were ordered by the USAAF as the PT-24, but were diverted to Canada for use as trainers.
The Tiger Moth saw widespread use in WW2, as a trainer, air ambulance and light communications aircraft. Some were even fitted with light bomb racks and were used for coastal patrols to deter U-boats from operating in British waters. Many examples have survived into the 21st Century and can still be seen in the sky all around the world. Armament was not normally carried, but eight 20lb (9kg) bombs could be carried on the bomb racks, if fitted.