Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Light biplane commercial transport

Power Plant:

One 97 kw (130 hp) de Havilland Gipsy Major four-cylinder in-line inverted air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

Designed by Arthur Ernest Hagg as a low-cost, light transport, the prototype DH.83 Fox Moth G-ABUO (c/n 4000) flew for the first time in March 1932. Subsequently it was shipped to Canada where it was evaluated on skis and floats by Canadian Airways Ltd. Some 98 Fox Moths were built in the United Kingdom, one in Japan, two in Australia, and 52  as the DH.83C in Canada. The majority of the English-built machines were fitted with the Gipsy Major engine, and some had a sliding cockpit hood, although most of the Australian aircraft had an open cockpit.

de Havilland DH.83 Fox Moths were not notable for record flights, and were mainly used in their intended role as a charter aircraft, or for private use. However, a machine was used in 1933 with the British Mount Everest Expedition, and another was flown on survey work in the Antarctic. A few others operated on floats, particularly in Canada.

Some 24 examples of the type have appeared on the Australian Civil Aircraft Register. The first of these VH-UQM (c/n 4010) was delivered to Holyman Brothers of Launceston, TAS in September 1932, this company changing its name to Tasmanian Aerial Services Pty Ltd in October that year. It again changed its name to Holymans Airways Pty Ltd in October 1933. In 1936 ownership was transferred to Australian National Airways Pty Ltd of Melbourne, VIC. It was destroyed in a hangar fire at Broken Hill, NSW on 6 September 1939.

Other operators  included MacRobertson Miller Aviation Company which operated VH-USJ (c/n 4048) in 1935, the DH.83 later going to Australian Aerial Medical Services, WA Section, at Port Hedland. It had a number of owners, including the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Western Australia, R C Currell of Maylands, WA, Bob Couper and Company of Cunerdin, WA, and W E Dermody of Shackleton, WA, eventually being lost in a crash on 16 March 1964.

VH-UVL (c/n 4015) also saw service with MacRobertson Miller Aviation Company Ltd of Perth, WA from September 1935, being damaged when a hangar collapsed during a cyclone at Port Hedland on 11 January 1939. It was sold in June that year to Sidney D Marshall of Rockdale, NSW and it was impressed by the RAAF as A41-2 during October 1942.

VH-UDD (c/n 4063 – ex G-ACGN) was MacRobertson Miller’s third Fox Moth, obtained in January 1936. It was damaged in a heavy landing at Tanunda, SA on 29 March 1936 and sold to Madang Aerial Transport Company of Madang, PNG in January 1940 but was lost to enemy action in January 1942.

Guinea Airways operated a number, including VH-UQR (c/n 4017) from March 1933, which overturned on landing on 14 September 1937. It was lost to enemy action in January 1942.

VH-UQU (c/n 4051), after service with Adastra Airways Ltd of Mascot, NSW from September 1933, was sold to Guinea Airways of Lae, PNG in March 1938. It crashed at Sonia, PNG on 30 August 1941 and was lost to enemy action in January 1942.

VH-UZL (c/n 4064), after service with Light Aeroplanes Pty Ltd of Brisbane, QLD from May 1937, entered service with Guinea Airways in November 1938 but was destroyed by strafing Japanese aircraft on 21 January 1942.

Mandated Airlines operated the DH.83, including VH-UQP (c/n 4020), which, after service with W R Carpenter & Company ( named ‘Jacqueline’) from December 1932, was sold to the company and operated from Wau, PNG until it crashed in the Bitoi Valley, PNG on 30 October 1941.

VH-UBB (c/n 4090) was operated by W R Carpenter & Company of Salamau, PNG from October 1935 until sold to Mandated Airlines in October 1936. It force landed at Bulolo River on 7 July 1941 and is believed to have been destroyed during Japanese air raids on Lae, Salamaua and Bulolo in January 1942.

VH-UTF (c/n 4039 – ex G-ACID, D-3408) was operated by L Ingram, G W Lewis, Robby’s Aircraft Repair Company and others, becoming VH-RAL in May 1953 and VH-UAL² in March 1963.

Qantas operated four, including VH-UZD (c/n 4040) from April 1937, which crashed landing at Tapini, PNG on 3 October 1949.

VH-UUS (c/n 4044) was operated by Mandated Airlines from February 1937, twice, in September 1937 and May 1941, being damaged when it overturned on landing. It was obtained by Qantas Empire Airways in June 1942 and was impressed by the RAAF as A41-3 during the war. Subsequent owners included the Federal Methodist Inland Mission at Kew, VIC; C W Lanham of Mt Isa, QLD; J & A Bjelke-Petersen of Kingaroy QLD, later Mr Bjelke-Oetersen became Premier of that State. In 1964 it became VH-CCH.

VH-UZC (c/n 4048 – ex G-ACCU) was delivered to Qantas in March 1937 and was impressed by the RAAF as A41-4 in World War II.

VH-USL (c/n 4096) was operated by Arnhem Land Gold Development Company of Sydney, NSW from December 1934, ownership being transferred to Qantas in June 1935. The aircraft was destroyed by a severe dust storm at Winton, QLD on 1 January 1938.

Raymond Parer in New Guinea operated a number, including VH-AAZ (c/n 4089) which crashed at Black Cat Range, PNG on 6 November 1939; VH-AAX (c/n 4059) which was destroyed by enemy action in 1942; and VH-ABQ (c/n 4024) which was also destroyed by enemy action.

The Department of the Interior operated one VH-UZS (c/n DHA5), which crashed at Katherine, NT on 10 October 1941; and the Bush Church Aid Society operated one VH-AAA/VH-BYA [ntu]/VH-CAS/VH-GAS (c/n DHA6) which crashed when it hit power lines and was destroyed near Yanco, NSW on 12 January 1963. It has been under restoration near Albury, NSW.

VH-UTY (c/n 4041 – ex G-ACCA) was operated by G W Lewis and crashed at Lake Myola, PNG on 17 November 1953.

VH-UQS (c/n 4019) was operated by Guinea Airways Ltd of Lae from October 1933 but crashed at Sandy Creek, PNG on 14 October 1935. It was rebuilt and crashed again at Sunrise Creek, PNG on 12 March 1938.

The Fox Moth has performed well over the years but attrition has led to the virtual disappearance of the type. Two aircraft survived in Australia until the late 1970s but one of these was destroyed in storage in New South Wales by a bushfire in 1979. A few have been under restoration in later years, one restoration for a Western Australian owner VH-USJ (c/n 4058) being completed at Mandeville, NZ in 2004.

A number of Fox Moths have been registered in New Zealand. ZK-ADC (c/n 4025) was built in 1932 for the Southland Aero Club at Invercargill and crashed into the sea on 30 December 1936 near Big Bay.

ZK-ADH (c/n 4085) was obtained by the Canterbury Aero Club in March 1934 and later served with Air Travel (NZ) Ltd,  crashing at Sockburn on 7 June 1936. It was re-built and a new fuselage (c/n T/S28100) was imported from the United Kingdom.It became ZK-AGM on 1 June 1938. It went to National Airways Corporation (NAC) in December 1948 and crashed on 27 April 1963 near Lake Wanaka.

ZK-ADI/ZK-ASP (c/n 4097) was exported to the USA in 1974 as N83DH, later becoming G-ACDD in the United Kingdom, returning to New Zealand in 1990. Two others were ZK-AEK (c/n 4033) and ZK-AGM (c/n T/S2810).

Three Canadian DH.83s were imported. ZK-APT (c/n FM.48) operated with the Marlborough Aero Club at Omaka from November 1947 but had an accident when the brakes seized on 7 March 1948. Whilst awaiting spares it was torn loose by a storm, blown over a cliff and extensively damaged. It was rebuilt and used by a number of operators until condemned and placed in storage in Auckland.

ZK-AQB (c/n FM.49) was operated by the Auckland Aero Club until sold to the Taurana Aero Club in 1953. It had a number of other owners until 28 June 1972 when it made a forced landing on Motiti Island and was written off. The remains were placed in storage but have since been rebuilt at Mandeville.

ZK-AQM (c/n FM.50) was registered in December 1947 and was privately owned but only survived a short time, being damaged following an engine failure on take-off at Hawera in October 1951. On 27 September 1953 it overshot an airstrip at Otautu and crashed into the Patea River, beong written off.

Registration ZK-ARQ was allocated for DH.83C (c/n FM.53) but this was not taken up and the airframe was reduced to spares. Work has been progressing to rebuild the three Canadian-built aircraft.

Operators of DH.83s have included the Canterbury Aero Club and Air Travel (NZ) Ltd, the first airline in New Zealand to commence licensed scheduled air services under the Transport Licensing (Commercial Air Services) Act 1934, the operations of this company later being taken over by the New Zealand National Airways Corporation (NZNAC), operating three DH.83s.

At one stage in 1953 Aerial Sowing (Canterbury) Ltd had plans to use two Fox Moths for aerial topdressing. The Tauranga Aero Club in the 1950s had a taxi and charter licence and operated Fox Moth ZK-AQB.

ZK-AEK was purchased by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VIII, in 1933, the aircraft later going to Belgium as OO-ENC and flying in the Egyptian International Air Rally. In 1935 it was obtained by Air Travel (NZ) Ltd and joined other DH.83s on the West Coast mail service. It went to Fiji in 1957 as VQ-FAT for a period but deteriorated and was returned to New Zealand for restoration. It was rebuilt and exported to the United Kingdom as G-ACDD before being re-imported. It has been airworthy at Wanaka.

Three were used by the Marlborough and Auckland Aero Clubs. A couple have been reconstructed using new-build fuselages built in New Zealand at Mandeville, including ZK-AQB, this aircraft formerly operated by the Auckland Aero Club and Tauranga Aero Club. Whilst operated privately it had an engine failure in the 1960s and was placed in storage.

One DH.83 ZK-ADI/ZK-ASA (c/n 4097), which had operated with Air Travel (NZ) Ltd and Air Contracts Ltd of Masterton, was exported to the USA and later went to the United Kingdom as G-ADHA, returning to New Zealand in the 1990s as ZK-ADI with the Croydon Aircraft Company.

Another has survivesd airworthy in New Zealand, ZK-AEK (c/n 4033) with the Alpine Fighter collection at Wanaka, and another has been held by the Croydon Aircraft Company at Mandeville.

One example saw service with the RNZAF. This machine NZ566 (c/n 4097) was formerly ZK-ADI and was impressed by the RNZAF, operating in the light communications role until 1948 when it returned to civil service.

Four were impressed by the RAAF in World War II, all eventually being operated by No 2 Air Ambulance Unit, but also served with other units, including communications duties with No 36 Squadron. These included A41-1 (c/n 4047 – ex-VH-ABU, G-ACCT), which later became VH-ABU and VH-GAV, crashing at Bulolo, PNG on 25 April 1949; A41-2 (c/n 4012 – ex VH-UVL, G-ABXS) converted to components in November 1943; A41-3 (c/n 4044 – ex VH-UUS, G-ACSS) noted above; and A41-4 (c/n 4048 – ex VH-UZC, G-ACCU) converted to components in May 1945.

A couple have survived in Australia, including VH-AAA (c/n DHA6), formerly operated by the Bush Church Aid Society, under restoration at Albury; VH-USJ (c/n 4058) based in Western Australia; and VH-UVL (c/n 4015 – ex A41-2) airworthy in Sydney. An example has been the subject of restoration at Murwillumbah, this aircraft (c/n 4044 – ex A41-3, VH-UUS, G-ACSS) again becoming VH-UUS on 13 September 2014 to Gregory Challinor of Bungle Gully, Come by Chance, NSW.

A DH.83 G-ACRU (c/n 4089) was used by John Rymell during his expedition to the Antarctic with the British Graham Land Expedition (BGLE) in the years 1934 to 1937. Mr Rymell, born in Penola, SA in 1905 was a pilot in the British Arctic Air Route Expedition of 1930-1931. The objective of the expedition was to penetrate and survey the coast of the Weddell Sea which was known for the vastness of its pack ice.

The aircraft and equipment were shipped on board the vessel previously known as ‘Brittany’ which was a fishing schooner and became known as the ‘Penola’. The aircraft was equipped with an Eagle III survey camera, a radio and had a three man crew. It was flown by Wilfred Hampton and was operated on floats and skis. It was used to photograph 1,600 km (1,000 miles) of the west coast of Graham Land. The aircraft later came to Australia and was registered as VH-AAZ with J R Parer and Richard Glasson.

In 2019 a Fox Moth replica was completed and placed on display at the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Experience Centre at Dubbo, NSW.  This non-flying replica of VH-UQM was built by Luskintyre Aircraft Restorations. The original aircraft (c/n 4010) had been owned by Australian National Airways Pty Ltd and was operated on lease by the Australia Aerial Medical Service at Broken Hill, NSW until it was destroyed in a hangar fire.  The replica was created by using some DH.83 parts.  It has been fitted out to represent the original aircraft with a stretcher on board.