The DH Tiger Moth has been a long time favorite subject of mine, and I finally decided to build one.

The model pictured is 48" span, based on the Gordon Whitehead design Radio Control Modeler published here in the US in March of '80. His prototype was 64 oz with an Irvine .20 glow, mine is right about 70 oz with the Astro FAI 15 geared, FX35D, 10x1700 SCRC's, and a bit more detail. Initial current draw on a MA electric 10x6 is about 27 amps. Control is maintained with a Futaba FM system 3 S-133's are used for full house control.

The Moth gets out of rough grass in less than 50 feet and is most realistic in the air. I have not run the power out in the air, prefering to land after 5 minutes or so. This leaves plenty of reserve for taxiing back after a flight. Handling is very scale in its need for rudder on the ground as well as with the aileron for turns when flying. It slips beautifully when landing and comes down quite quickly, though completely under control. Functional rigging and cable controls for the tail surfaces along with assorted external details here and there have it shaping up to be a pretty nice model, though still readily apparent as a work in progress.

At KRC '96 the Moth received 2nd place for Best Multi Wing. I was pretty surprised as my model wasn't nearly complete. First was well deserved by Don Bousquet and his NC-4, Keith Shaw's Super Stearman was third, probably because the judges had seen it a lot before and took mercy on the new kid in his first outing. I got just one flight with this plane due to a troublesome radio and some potential interference.

The model is essentially done for weekend flying. Now there will just be a few winter evenings spent on a little of this, and a little of that. Instruments, cockpit detail, fuel sight gauge and external plumbing, wing walkways, venturi tubes, pitot tube, carb intake, foot step behind cowl, cowl walkway, simulated engine, moving the switches and fuses, luggage compartment, more rigging, mechanical airspeed indicator on strut, slats on upper wing tips, and a few other goodies... :-) All stuff than can be addressed as I find a free hour or two now and again.

All in all, it has been a most satisfying project.

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Copyright 1998, Thayer Syme. All rights reserved