What aircraft is in this picture

[MarianA]

Hi,

Can someone help in identifying the type of aeroplane in this picture? The location is propably Malta, other than that I know nothing.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1272x998/biplane_6828f18429064c29e5959c0fc8f081c1b30987b4.jpg


Thank you very much.

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

This appears to be one of the earlier models of the de Havilland D.H.60 Moth. In November-December 1926 two of these aircraft G-EBMO and G-EBKU were flown together to India by T.Neville Stack And B.S. Leete. Perhaps this photograph is connected with that occasion?

[Self loading bear]

Seems to be Malta indeed 1931
2:30 in this shell video
Shell Malta (https://www.asl-shell.com/about-us/history/)

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Further to above it looks very much like a publicity photograph for Shell. With regards to the date it looks as though my 1926 time line does not match up with the date roughly promulgated as 1931 in the video. However I have just turned up this fragment for 1927. So far I have been unable to ascertain what type of aeroplane 'Shell Spirit' was but perhaps those of you better informed than me can throw some light on the matter?

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/592x192/screenshot_2021_05_19_neville_stack_his_parents_from_knockan ure_62fa6c3b231589c3e6d22ee21ae85caf6dfed51a.png

[FlightlessParrot]

SNIP So far I have been unable to ascertain what type of aeroplane 'Shell Spirit' was but perhaps those of you better informed than me can throw some light on the matter?

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/592x192/screenshot_2021_05_19_neville_stack_his_parents_from_knockan ure_62fa6c3b231589c3e6d22ee21ae85caf6dfed51a.png

I wonder if "on Shell Spirit" means "using Shell fuel"; IIRC "spirit" was used in the early 20th Century to mean "petrol" (or petrol + additives).

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Thanks Flightless Parrot that does make sense. I guess we will never know the circumstances of the above image. Chap in the suit could perhaps be Shell's local manager.......

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Well a bit more digging before Breakfast:

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/522x326/2008bg04_b4d686959caaab16c332cf4fec9faeff21eedff1.jpg

Leete's Moth at Bushire, Persia late December 1926. The Moths stopped at Bushire for six days to overhaul their engines. Stack is pictured second left between Sir Samuel and Lady Hoare. Looking at his hair cut he is probably the suited gent in the mystery photograph. Others in the image include Captain Leete and AVM Salmond. Obviously this is not the Moth in the mystery photograph.. Photo and info credit Aviation Postcard Club.



https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/600x239/143523_800_white_moth_c3bb00bf797650ac887fbb3a84674d71c87c5e de.jpg

This is Stack's DH Moth unusual at the time as it was painted white to reflect the heat of the Indian Subcontinent - almost certainly the 'Mystery Moth' thus dating the first image to 1926.

[DaveReidUK]

This is Captain Leete's DH Moth unusual at the time as it was painted white to reflect the heat of the Indian Subcontinent - almost certainly the 'Mystery Moth' thus dating the first image to 1926.

And written off after a wire strike in Assam, July 1927.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/619x163/dh_60_g_ebmo_history_4e6e56cbff8059da81fcffd264f0df006e67533 c.jpg

Credit: Air-Britain

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Very interesting Dave thank you.

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/1200x823/0241136_90b70ad19930a3fc9ccf05d6ea77c3346d3ff3ca.jpg
Both Moths at Delhi January 1927. Photo credit Air History.

[Kemble Pitts]

Looking at the picture in the original post, what you can see of the registration on the fuselage doesn't match that of any of the others posted. It looks like it ends in something like 'KB.

Edit. Looking again maybe it is 'MO so might be G-EBMO as in the other picture from OUAQUKGF Ops!

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

I did wonder about this but in those days the O of the registration was often painted on in the manner seen in #7. I'm fairly confident of my attribution particularly as DH Moths painted white were very rare at that time. The Moths arrived at Malta (Hal Far Aerodrome) on November 30th 1926. Their departure from Malta to Tripoli was delayed by bad weather until December 8th. Source: Stuart McKay ' The de Havilland DH.60 Moth' published 2016. Interestingly the author states that G-EBMO was painted Scarlet and White.

[Papasplane]

It is a DH 60. The photo includes my grandfather.

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Splendid PP ! Welcome to PPRuNe.

[megan]

Spirit is the earlier name for petrol, Wiki,British refiners originally used "motor spirit" as a generic name for the automotive fuel and "aviation spirit" for aviation gasoline. When Carless was denied a trademark on "petrol" in the 1930s, its competitors switched to the more popular name "petrol". However, "motor spirit" had already made its way into laws and regulations, so the term remains in use as a formal name for petrol. The term is used most widely in Nigeria, where the largest petroleum companies call their product "premium motor spirit". Although "petrol" has made inroads into Nigerian English, "premium motor spirit" remains the formal name that is used in scientific publications, government reports, and newspapers.