Tiger Moth G-BWMK (T8191)

The de Havilland G-BWMK  (T8191) Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was primarily operated in the UK by the Royal Air Force, but also used by the Fleet Air Arm and many other operators as a primary trainer aircraft.

After 1936, the rate of acceleration of Tiger Moth manufacturing increased dramatically and by the by the outbreak of the World War 2, a total of 1,424 Tiger Moths had been completed by both domestic and overseas manufacturing efforts.  In 1941, de Havilland transferred principal manufacturing activity for the Tiger Moth from its Hatfield factory to that of Morris MotorsLtd at their facility in Cowley, Oxford, which is where this aircraft was built.   In 1945, all activity on the British Tiger Moth production lines was terminated, but which time Morris Motors had completed a total of 3,433 Tiger Moths.

The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until it was succeeded and replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk during the early 1950s, however, it remained in Service with the Royal Navy until the early 1970’s as target tugs and “air experience” machines. Indeed one of these aircraft became the last biplane to land on an aircraft carrier (HMS Eagle) in the English Channel during the summer of 1967.  Many of the military surplus aircraft subsequently entered into civil operation and it remains in widespread use as a recreational aircraft in several different countries today.

CREW – 1 (+1)

FLIGHT SPECS

Speed – 109 mph (max) or 67 mph (cruise)
Range – 302 miles
Ceiling – 13,600 ft
Climb Rate – 12,000 ft/min