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Aeroplane, Tiger Moth

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Aeroplane, Tiger Moth
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This aeroplane training aircraft, the De Havilland DH.82a 'Tiger Moth', was built for the RAF in 1940. It was retired in 1953 but remained active until 1972. It had a string of owners, amongst whom was comedian Dick Emery (1963). Apparently, Emery gatecrashed a friend's wedding by landing the aircraft on the back lawn and jumping out of the cockpit, appropriately dressed. The plane was sold to the Strathallan Collection in 1975, and bought by the Museum in 1980.

The two-seated biplane is powered by a single De Havilland Gipsy Major engine of 130 horsepower. The plane is displayed in the colours worn when owned by Dick Emery. It wears the civil serial number 'G-AOEL'.

The Tiger Moth was perhaps the most famous training aircraft ever. It was first flown in 1931, and became a common training aircraft for both civil and service pilot trainees. Almost all who have flown the type have expressed their love of the aeroplane, since it was very forgiving of a student pilot's mistakes. The Tiger Moth was sold to 25 countries as basic trainers for their Air Forces. By 1945 a total of 7,290 had been built. They became the mainstay of post-war civil club flying.

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