Country of origin:

United Kingdom

Description:

Two-seat training monoplane

Power Plant:

One 67 kw (90 hp) de Havilland Gipsy Minor four-cylinder in-line air-cooled engine

Specifications:

History:

Designed as a successor to the DH.60 Moth biplane series of light aircraft, the Moth Minor had a similar performance to the Tiger Moth, although it had far less power. Over the years various ideas on building monoplane had been formed by de Havilland, and the DH.81 Swallow Moth was built along these lines.  The prototype of the DH.94 G-AFRD (c/n 94001- later VH-AAQ, ZK-AHI, NZ596 and ZK-ALN) was flown for the first time by Geoffrey (later Sir) de Havilland at Hatfield in Hertfordshire on 22 June 1937.

Built of spruce and plywood, the Moth Minor had a wing of similar contours to that fitted to the DH.88 Comet racing aircraft which won the London – Sydney Air Race in 1934. The Comet had box spars with plywood covering. The cantilever undercarriage of the DH.94 was attached to the front spar of the centre-section, as were the outer panels. The aircraft was normally flown from the front seat, unlike the biplanes in the series, which were flown solo from the rear seat. A large perforated airbrake was lowered, when required, from under the centre-section.

Production proceeded and by mid 1939 eight aircraft a week were being completed. Examples were exported to Australia, Canada, and South Africa. About 100 had been built in the United Kingdom when production ceased because the manufacturing facility was required for the war effort. All jigs, tools, and unfinished aircraft were then shipped to de Havilland’s facility at Bankstown, NSW, where production resumed.

Initial order was for 50 aircraft by the Department of Supply and Development on 5 October 1939, on the authority of the Australian War Cabinet. All subsequent production aircraft were manufactured for the RAAF for training purposes, and received RAAF serials A21-1 to A21-42, being delivered between January 1940 and November 1941.

The DH.94 saw service throughout the war years, four at one stage being converted to instructional airframes, these being A21-2, A21-6, A21-16 and A21-17, becoming Instructional Airframes Nos 1 to 4 respectively. As at March 1940 No 1 Flying Training School (FTS) at Point Cook, VIC had one; No 1 Engineering School had two, and No 2 Aircraft Depot had 20, five being sold to aero clubs, these being VH-ACQ and VH-ADJ to the Aero Club of Broken Hill; VH-ACQ and VH-ACS to Spencer Gulf Aero Club, SA; and VH-ACR to Matheson Aviation & Training.

The remaining 41 Moth Minors were taken on charge by the RAAF as A21-1 to A21-41 in January 1940. After Matheson Aviation ceased operations, VH-ACR became A21-42 with the RAAF. Aircraft A21-38 to A21-41 were assembled locally by de Havilland at Mascot, NSW and did not have British construction numbers.

In RAAF service the type operated with many units, in addition to the Empire Air Training Schools (EATS). DH.94s operated with Nos 2, 24, 35, 38, 71, 73 and 83 Squadrons; Nos 1, 2, 3 and4 Communications Flights; and No 7 Survey Flight.

First flight of a Moth Minor in Australia was VH-AAM (c/n 94002) at Mascot on 18 August 1939.

After World War II a number of examples were placed on the Australian Civil Aircraft Register, but only a very few have survived. Moth Minors registered prior to the commencement of hostilities included: VH-AAM (c/n 94002); VH-ADA/VH-ADL (c/n 94028); VH-ACO (c/n 94049); VH-ACR (c/n 94067 – ex –G-AFNN, later A21-42); VH-ACQ (c/n 94072 – ex G-AFNX); VH-AEE/VH-CBE (c/n 94033 – ex G-AFOO); VH-ACS (c/n 94047 – ex G-AFOW); DH.94 coupe VH-AGL/VH-AGO (c/n 9404 – ex A21-14, G-AFOR); VH-ADC (c/n 94073) which became PK-BFC; VH-AGT (c/n 94075 – ex A21-19); VH-ADB (c/n 94077); VH-BKI (c/n 94079 – ex A21-3); VH-AHT (c/n 94078 – ex A21-13); VH-AFV (c/n 94088 – ex A21-15) and VH-AHK (c/n 94087 – ex A21-24).

Also VH-AEK (c/n 94099 – ex A21-34); VH-AHJ/VH-KHJ (c/n 94070); VH-AMI/VH-DDG/VH-THT (c/n 94076 – ex A21-12); VH-AEM (c/n 94089 – ex A21-25); VH-AFQ (c/n 94095 – ex A21-30); VH-AFS (c/n DHP-18 – ex A21-39); VH- AFT (c/n 94060 – ex A21-4); VH-AFU (c/n 94083 – ex A21-23); VH-AFV (c/n 94088 – ex A21-15); VH-AGA (c/n 94084 – ex A21-20); VH-AGF (c/n DHP-20 – A21-41); VH-AGT (c/n 94075 – ex A21-19); VH-AHJ (c/n 94070 – ex A21-10); VH-AIB (c/n DHP-17 – ex A21-38); and VH-AXB/VH-BXB (c/n DHP-19 – ex A21-30).

A couple of DH.94s were exported to the United States, and one went to Canada. In the late 1950s a Moth Minor was mounted on the roof of the Marine Centre in Church Street, Parramatta, NSW but later was removed and its ultimate fate is not known.

The DH.94 also saw service with the RNZAF. Five civil aircraft were impressed for service during World War II. These aircraft had been operated by the Auckland Aero Club, Airwork (NZ) Ltd and the New Plymouth Aero Club. They took up duties in the communications and instrument training role with No 2 Service Flying Training School (SFTS) at Woodbourne and the Communication Squadron. The five received were: NZ591 (c/n 94061) which later became ZK-AKL; NZ592 (c/n 94071) which later became ZK-AJX; NZ595 (c/n 94046 – ex ZK-AHL, G-AFRD) which later became ZK-ALD; NZ596 (c/n 94001 – ex ZK-AHI, VH-AAQ, G-AFRD) which later became ZK-ALN; and NZ597 (c/n 94012 – ex ZK-AHK, G-AFON) which later became ZK-AKM.

Others registered in New Zealand have included: ZK-BFP (c/n 9403 – ex G-AFGR, HM579, G-AFRR) and ZK-AJN (c/n 94031 – ex G-AFPR, X5122).

Survivors have included the enclosed-cabin coupe ZK-AKL (ex NZ591); ZK-ALD (ex ZK-AHL, NZ595); and ZK-AKM (ex ZK-AHK, NZ597). One was imported in 1954 (ZK-BFP – c/n 94030 ex G-AFRR, HM579, G-AFRR) but was exported to the United States in 1980. The remains of c/n 94031 have been under restoration as ZK-AJN at Gore. A couple of others are believed to be in storage. Three have been under restoration by the Croydon Aircraft Company at Mandeville, being: G-AFPR (c/n 94031 – ex X5122); ZK-AJR (c/n 94084 – ex G-AFUU, VH-AGA, A21-20); and ZK-AJX (c/n 9071 – ex NZ592).