De Havilland DH.87 Hornet Moth
| De Havilland DH87 Hornet Moth | |
|---|---|
|
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| Type: | Touring aircraft , trainer aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
May 9, 1934 |
| Number of pieces: |
165 |
The De Havilland DH.87 Hornet Moth was a closed-cabin biplane manufactured by the De Havilland Aircraft Company . It served as a travel and training aircraft . During the Second World War it also served as a liaison aircraft.
history
The first prototype of the DH.87 flew on May 9, 1934. The wooden fuselage and wings were covered with fabric. However, this led to landing problems, so that a number of machines were damaged. De Havilland therefore offered the owners an exchange of the wings. The planes with these new wings were named DH.87A. The wings of the successor type DH.87B were changed again.
variants
- DH.87A , 60 pieces
- DH.87B , 100 pieces
- DH.87B as a seaplane, 4 pieces
A total of 165 machines were built, including the prototype.
Today you can get a DH.87B in the De Havilland Aircraft Heritage Center in London Colney in the county of Hertfordshire visit. Another machine is in Denmark in the Dansk Veteranflysamling in Stauning . The Danish machine is still airworthy.
In the novel, Midnight Hawks by Ken Follett plays a Hornet Moth with which the two main characters from that of Germany in World War II occupied Denmark to England to escape, an important role.
Military use
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Technical specifications
| De Havilland Hornet Moth : | |
| Parameter | Data |
|---|---|
| length | 7.6 m |
| Wingspan | 9.8 m |
| Wing area | 20 m² |
| height | 2.0 m |
| drive | 1 × 4-cylinder in-line engine de Havilland Gipsy Major with 130 HP (air-cooled) |
| Top speed | 169 km / h |
| Range | 1000 km |
| crew | two-seater |
| Service ceiling | 4,500 m |
| Empty weight | 563 kg |
| All-up weight | 885 kg |
See also
literature
- AJ Jackson: De Havilland Aircraft since 1909. 3rd ed., Putnam, London 1987, ISBN 0-85177-802-X .
Web links
- DH87B in the Dansk Veteranflysamling (Danish)