Tiger Moth
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Lucky so and so - on my list of things to do, Duxford, Redhill, or if Tiger Club can do joy rides, in dear old G-ACDC...
My old friend Peter Charles was doing some work for a well known restorer in North Norfolk, and blagged me a trip from Lt Snoring to Langham - good job gates were open! Brilliant, one of the most memorable quarter hours in my life. Thanks Pete and HL
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Hmmm. I was very dissapointed when I flew one. Awful ailerons, and very poorly harmonised controls. It looks far better than it flies, and is only redeemed by having 'character' as an open-cockpit biplane.
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Blimey! I must have been asleep when I flew them. Never noticed any of that! Loved it. OK, the Stampe has better roll rate (whether the ailerons were "better" or not I couldn't say, they all looked OK to me) and was vastly easier to handle on the ground but the Tiger was just a joy to fly. (Dear old ACDC)
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Was ACDC once blue and based at Swanton Morley circa 1985?
G-ACDA made a brief reappearance in the 1980s until being rudely interrupted by some power lines - still extant, no idea what colours she wore.
Last edited by treadigraph; 21st Jun 2013 at 22:11.
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You can also fly a Tiger at the Cambridge Flying Group. Their two Tigers are really well maintained aeroplanes and they offer excellent tuition both in flying and operating them.
If you ever have a chance to fly the DH60, particularly if you've flown the DH82a, do so. You'll find most variants of the DH60 to be quite a bit nicer than the DH82a.
There are also a number of lovely books written by Stuart Mackay on various subjects of the deHavilland nature. Much better than the "Haynes" Manual series!
If you ever have a chance to fly the DH60, particularly if you've flown the DH82a, do so. You'll find most variants of the DH60 to be quite a bit nicer than the DH82a.
There are also a number of lovely books written by Stuart Mackay on various subjects of the deHavilland nature. Much better than the "Haynes" Manual series!
Awful ailerons, and very poorly harmonised controls. It looks far better than it flies, and is only redeemed by having 'character' as an open-cockpit biplane.
I agree with you, but perhaps you and I have been spoiled by our Chipmunk flying. However, the open-cockpit is a wonderful redeeming feature. The most vivid recollection of my first Tiger flight was the graphic demonstration of what profile drag means, when I closed the throttle without lowering the nose. It seemed as if we were going to stop in mid-air.
My favourite biplane is the Stearman - like a Tiger on steroids - better handling, brakes, wonderful radial engine sounds, lots of grunt and a fuel bill to match!
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I prefer the Stampe. I flew a Stearman once and it was OK but not very agile (big, heavy, ponderous, like a Waco I flew in Florida). The Stampe almost rivals the Chippy for 'nice to fly'. I once flew a Jungmann, but not long enough to get to know it; that was very nice to fly.
The only other biplane I've flown is an Acrosport that I was considering buying a share in many many years ago. I remember that as very agile but lacking grace and with strangley 'dead feeling' controls; it darted around everywhere like a hyper mad kitten, going just where you pointed it!
The only other biplane I've flown is an Acrosport that I was considering buying a share in many many years ago. I remember that as very agile but lacking grace and with strangley 'dead feeling' controls; it darted around everywhere like a hyper mad kitten, going just where you pointed it!
My only experience of Tiger Moths was in my early days in the RAF when I was at 5 FTS (RAF Thornhill), Rhodesia.
Couple of photos from my album of one taking off
And of one landed - sort of!
When they were replaced by Chipmunks from September 1951 onwards some were sold/given to the Royal Rhodesian Air Force with the remainder being flogged off locally at £5 each, but even at £5 not many were sold and most were scrapped.
Couple of photos from my album of one taking off
And of one landed - sort of!
When they were replaced by Chipmunks from September 1951 onwards some were sold/given to the Royal Rhodesian Air Force with the remainder being flogged off locally at £5 each, but even at £5 not many were sold and most were scrapped.
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Tiger Moth "Easy to fly, but blooming difficult to fly well".
Here's one flown very well.
Yes a higher performance aircraft can do it all better and easier, Stampe, Pitts, Nanchang, Yak, Extra, Sukhoi and the list goes on etc but so what.
A nostalgic treat.
Tiger Moth biplane aerobatics - YouTube
Here's one flown very well.
Yes a higher performance aircraft can do it all better and easier, Stampe, Pitts, Nanchang, Yak, Extra, Sukhoi and the list goes on etc but so what.
A nostalgic treat.
Tiger Moth biplane aerobatics - YouTube
Last edited by kluge; 24th Jun 2013 at 03:10.
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It should be remembered that the Tiger was used for training in the 39/45 war. It's a bit unfair to compare it with much more modern aircraft even including Chipmunks. The Chippy had a disturbing tendency to swing a bit on landing on a runway, if not watched carefully.
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It should be remembered that the Tiger was used for training in the 39/45 war. It's a bit unfair to compare it with much more modern aircraft even including Chipmunks. The Chippy had a disturbing tendency to swing a bit on landing on a runway, if not watched carefully.
Chippy swing on landing? Not in my very conderable expeience on type (30+ years of strip flying, aeros etc).
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All taildraggers will swing on landing if you let them - they are directionally unstable on the ground, the CG being behind the main wheels. That's why you use your feet!
Some taildraggers have a greater propensity to swing than others. The Chippy is not one of these.
Some taildraggers have a greater propensity to swing than others. The Chippy is not one of these.
I always find it interesting to hear the various opinions given by pilots. I guess a lot of it has to do with the sequence that they fly various aircraft in and how often they flew them.
I did my PPL on the Tiger Moth and I loved it probably because I hadn't flown anything else.
I flew my first Chipmunk after 120 hours on the Piston Provost and it did absolutely nothing for me, nor has it since.
I'm sure if I had flown the Chipmunk before the PP then I might have thought differently?
I did my PPL on the Tiger Moth and I loved it probably because I hadn't flown anything else.
I flew my first Chipmunk after 120 hours on the Piston Provost and it did absolutely nothing for me, nor has it since.
I'm sure if I had flown the Chipmunk before the PP then I might have thought differently?
Last edited by JW411; 24th Jun 2013 at 16:43.