De Havilland DH60 Centenary Celebration, Rand Airport
by Russell Dixon-Paver
22.02.2025
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There were some serious concerns about the weather as the prior week had seen severe storms, heavy rains and flooding in many parts of the country. Some other aviation events scheduled for the same day were postponed because of this.
As Saturday approached, the weather predictions looked more favourable and even though there was rain and mist in the Rand Airport area, the weather cleared into a partly cloudy, windless day, ideal flying conditions for the DH82 Tiger Moth, and one Stampe to celebrate the centenary of their predecessor, the DH60. Some Tiger Moths from KwaZulu Natal, were not able to attend, as the conditions over the escarpment were not safe for the “old ladies” to make the journey.
Rand Airport tower in the early morning light, awaits the day's celebrations.
Some De Havilland history, as summarized in my previous report from the Tiger Moth 90th Anniversary Fly-in at Brakpan Airfield on 2021-09-25 (with some minor corrections and updates):
With acknowledgement to Gordon Bain's excellent book - de Havilland - A Pictorial Tribute: Some interesting historical background to De Havilland early aircraft series starts with the birth of Sir Geoffery de Havilland, it's designer, on 27th of July 1882. His father was Reverend Charles de Havilland and Geoffrey always had an interest in mechanical things. He attended school at Oakfield in Rugby and St Edwards School in Oxford, and commenced a three year mechanical engineering course at Crystal Palace Engineering School in 1900. His final project at this school was to design and build a petrol powered engine, which he fitted to a cycle-frame and used for transport to and from his family home, the rectory at Crux Easton, near Newbury, Berkshire! Quite an engineering achievement for 1903!
He then designed and built another petrol engine while at Williams and Robinson of Rugby, later working at the Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company and the Motor Omnibus Construction Company. At this latter company, he met Frank T Hearle, who worked for the Vanguard Omnibus Company, Geoffrey and Frank both developed an interest in the new-found sport of aviating. With the tone of Geoffery's career path thus firmly set, he decided he wanted to build his own aeroplane. His grandfather advanced him 1000 Pounds for the project, which was to be his bequest on his grandfather's death. He designed a new horizontally-opposed, water cooled four cylinder engine that was built by the Iris Motor Company and at a cost of 250 Pounds and he and Frank rented a workshop in Fulham to build the biplane with canard foreplane and rear stabilizer. The first flight at Seven Barrows on the Hampshire Downs in December 1908 ended badly when the port wings spar failed. Fortunately, Geoffery was not injured, and a second aeroplane was built, using lessons learnt from the first failure, and flew at Seven Barrows on 10 September 1910. The War Office bought the aircraft for 400 Pounds and Geoffery obtained his Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate (No. 53) on 7 February 1911 at Farnborough, where the aircraft was called the FE1 (Farman Experimental). This aircraft crashed on 15 August 1911.
Geoffrey joined the Army Aircraft Factory at Farnborough and this later became the Royal Aircraft Establishment and later yet, the British Aerospace Establishment. He joined the reserve Royal Flying Corps in 1912 as a 2nd Lieutenant. Shortly before the First World War Geoffrey, by then a captain, was persuaded by George Holt Thomas to leave the Royal Aircraft Factory and join the Aircraft Manufacturing Company as Chief Designer, where he was responsible for the DH2 through to the DH9 during the war.
After the First World War there were cut-backs and various changes of hands of companies took place and the de Havilland Aircraft Company was eventually formed on 25 September 1920. They set up at the Stag Lane site and times were really very difficult, but an important order came for a three-seat touring aircraft from Alan S Butler, who later invested in and became the Chairman of the company until 1950. Mr Butler led the company to great achievements leading towards the merger with Hawker Siddeley in 1960 and ultimately continuing into British Aerospace PLC. The company was saved from the ravages of the Depression years by the DH37 aircraft built in 1922.
Geoffrey de Havilland was knighted in 1944 for his services to aviation. A giant in terms of influence on the direction of aviation in the UK and indeed, the world!
Geoffrey had a vision to make aviation accessible to more people by the design of a simple and relatively inexpensive aircraft in the form of the DH51. He flew the prototype on 1july 1924. There were difficulties with the certification of the RAF 1A and a Renault engine was modified by Major Halford to achieve certification, but due to the increased cost only three DH51's were built. The last one built which is the only remaining DH51 is at the Shuttleworth Collection registration G-EBIR and known as “Miss Kenya” because the original buyer was in Mombasa, having been restored in 1965.
Geoffrey designed a scaled-down version of the DH51, this being the DH60 “Moth”. Many of the de Havilland aircraft were named after moths as Captain de Havilland was a keen lepidologist. Again, Major Frank Halford designed a new engine for the DH60, based on some designs elements of the old Renault engine. This became the Cirrus I upright 60hp engine. The DH60 was a biplane of fabric-covered spruce and plywood construction and had place for pilot and tandem passenger seating for two. The DH60 prototype (Cirrus Moth) was registered G-EBKT and her wings and tail surfaces were covered in clear doped linen, so the simple construction was visible, and her fuselage was later painted blue for public introduction. She had folding wings, which were stressed for aerobatics, and the folded width was 9' 8”, which saved hangar space and fees.
The DH60 Moth could cover 300 miles at cruise speed of over 80 mph. Empty weight was 764lb and all up 1250lbs. Geoffrey d Havilland flew the first one on 22 February 1925 at Stag Lane and twenty were built in 1925. DH60's were also built under license in Australia and Finland. The DH60 type was well known for being flown by Sir Francis Chichester from London to Sydney in 1929 & Amy Johnson in 1930. Various other engines were used - Cirrus II, III Hermes and Armstrong Siddely Gennet, some DH60's were used by the RAF Central Flying school with the DH60G Gennet Moth. De Havilland wanted their own engine, because engine availability potentially limited the success of the DH60, when sales “took off” from 1926. Major Frank Halford was approached to develop de Havilland's own Gipsy 1 engine of 100hp for the new DH60G Gipsy Moth, which won the 1928 Kings Cup at 105mph and contributed greatly to de Havilland's popularity across the globe. They were manufactured under license in France and the USA. A DH60M Metal Moth with a welded steel tube fuselage frame, in place of the wooden frame, was 62lb heavier but less maintenance was required and it opened the way for more powerful engines in the form of the Gipsy II, which was an upright 120hp engine and then the Gipsy III which was the first inverted format of 120hp. The Gipsy Major was also inverted and further developed to 130hp output. The inverted engines provided improved visibility for the pilot and a more streamlined cowling. With the Gipsy III engine fitted the DH60 became known as the DH60G III Moth Major.
The DH60T was a development of the DH60M and was offered against an Air Ministry specification which required full dual-controls for training as the new RAF trainer. The DH60T design remained difficult for the front seated instructor to exit the aircraft by parachute in an emergency and various modifications were made to flying wires, but it still remained a problem. The solution was to move the top wing forward, but this would alter the centre of pressure, so the top wing was swept back to compensate for this.
During September 1931, almost 94 years ago, changes to the design were made, including increased sweepback and dihedral on the lower wing and these modifications prompted a new type number and the Tiger Moth was born, thus becoming the DH82!
Further development of the Gipsy III engine produced the 130HP Gipsy Major engine and other refinements to the design produced the DH82A Tiger Moth, so well known world-wide as an excellent training aircraft.
The Tiger Moth was strong, reliable and an excellent trainer because you had to be a good pilot to fly it accurately - as stated by some of the period instructors. The first one flew on 26 October 1931. Initial production was at Stag Lane factory, moved to Hatfield in 1934 and again to Cowley, near Oxford, in 1941, to make way for production of the DH Mosquito (the “wooden wonder”) at Hatfield. Tiger Moths were also produced in Toronto - Canada, Sydney - Australia, Rongotai near Wellington in New Zealand, Portugal, Norway and Sweden, forming the underpinnings of the Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
During WWII there were 30 flying schools flying Tiger Moths in the UK, another 55 in Canada, Australia, Rhodesia and South Africa. Tens of thousands of pilots trained their initial 200 hours to receive their wings, before training conversion onto advanced trainers and operational types.
Over 8000 Tiger Moths were produced and many are still flying today, having been beautifully restored, not least, in South Africa. Over 10 000 Moths and Tiger Moths were produced and over 250 are still flying worldwide. G-ACDC is apparently the oldest flying DH82A Tiger Moth was built at Hatfield in 1933, she was the 3rd Production Tiger Moth.
Back to today's event:
As we do not have any DH60's in South Africa - I would be happy to be corrected on this - so the DH60 centenary celebrations of today, 2025-02-22, were conducted by flying Tiger Moths from many parts of South Africa. Similar celebratory events were held in Stellenbosch, South Africa with Tiger Moths, and in Luskintyre, Australia today with about 6 DH60's, Tiger Moths and other de Havilland types. Similar celebratory events will be held in the UK, when their summer arrives.
Susan Prinsloo was again a prime-mover in organising this well-run event to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the DH60 Moth. Keith Fryer and Adrienne Visser of the newly formed Airboss SA were involved in the operational and safety aspects of the event. Airboss SA did the training of some new young marshallers, who were trained and supervised by Geoff Timms and other more experienced marshallers. This is partly in preparation for the Rand Airshow later in the year and is a great way to start youngsters with an interest in aviation on their journey.
There was a festive 1930's atmosphere at Rand Airport complete with live band old “big band” numbers getting feet tapping, inspiring some dancing and with some folks even singing along.
Band played the 1920's & 1930's period music.
There were many vendor gazebo and trailers offering aviation-themed clothing, aviation accessories, books and memorabilia, toys for the youngsters and food and drink, with the barrister trailer doing a roaring trade from early on.
There were also some beautiful stationary engines, including a radial engine used in an M4 Sherman tank and two diesels on display and being run for the public's enjoyment. Two vintage motorcycles, an Austin Healy, a Pontiac Bonneville and modern Gull-wing-doored Mercedes were on display as a warm-up for the Heidelberg Great Train Race later in the year.
A range of land vehicles on display drew expressions of nostalgia and envy.
The various working stationary engines on display.
Some Tiger Moths were local to Rand, some arrived from other airfields and there were many other visiting types.
The Stearman, Stampe and three Tiger Moths from the Classic Flying Collection arrived in formation from Springs.
Susan Prinsloo, the main organiser of the event, moves along the line of Tiger Moths, while Keith Fryer, the Airboss, and Derek Hopkins take Tigers for walks, because they were missing their dogs.
Some other non-de Havilland aircraft types.
The eleven Tiger Moths that were to participate in the mass celebration flypast were parked, grouped in their in their red, blue and yellow formations on the hard apron and all the other aircraft types on the grass behind them.
Col Keith Fryer of Airboss SA lead the pilot's formation briefing, covering all operational and safety aspects in great detail, as meticulously planned.
Many of the pilots and crew live out their enthusiasm for their Tiger Moths with their flight suits.
Michael Pretorius, aviation artist, had a small exhibition of some of his aviation themed pencil sketches on the foyer of the terminal building.
After the detailed pilot briefing, the pilots and their respective crews did their final pre-flight inspections and engine startups.
Susan Prinsloo turns over her Tiger Moth's engine to remove accumulated oil in the inverted cylinders of the Gypsy Major engine, and the engine is then “hand-propped” to start. This is quite a dangerous procedure that is best left to those who are trained to do it safely.
The Tiger Moth formations all start up and then taxi out in their respective formation groups so they can take-off in sequence, facilitating organised form-ups into their formations for the fly-pasts.
The Rand Airport Fire Crew were on standby during the formation flypasts, but thankfully their services were not needed.
Susan Prinsloo leads the Red Formation and the entire mass formation.
They are then followed by the Blue and Yellow formations.
The mass formation consisting of the three sub-formations performs a second flypast.
The formations then break to provide separation for landing.
All the Tiger Moths taxi back to their original parking positions of the apron.
Susan Prinsloo taxi's her Tiger Moth ZS-BGL back to the apron, reflecting on a successful celebration flypast and memorable day at Rand Airport.
Pilots, ground crew and safety team after to superb safe day of celebration of the DH60 Centenary.
Ground crew and safety team have some fun to end the day.
Grant Timms leads the two-ship yellow Tiger Moths of the Classic Flying Collection for some excellent formation flying to round off the day.
The “tail piece” - this young man has made a start on his aviation journey and will never look back!
Susan Prinsloo and all those helping her behind the scenes, Keith and Adrienne from Airboss SA, the Rand Airport staff and the vendors and exhibitors can be proud of an enjoyable, well-organised and safe event that will be remembered for a long time!
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