What is it? May, 2012

[Balsabasher]

What about the Pietenpol Aircamper  ? something keeps saying parasol to me ?
Barry.

[Mark Braunlich]

Cliff,
The color photo of the metal fuselage machine shows the Blackburn B.2 suggested by Barry.   But you're correct, it is a Moth of some description.....actually Lou suggested it first but it was an incomplete designation so I let the game go on for a bit.  Now tell us which Moth it is!!!

Barry,
Not the Hirtenberg or Pietenpol.

[cliff strachan]

Back to the books! And by the way, while looking through some older xeroxed copies from the, believe it was 1926 issue of Flight, I found a reference to the Moth Three - which apparently was a forerunner of the De Havilland Puss Moth. It even had 3views of the Moth Three which in place of 3views of the Puss Moth could pretty well stand in place for the more famous Puss Moth of Jim Mollison and Bert Hinkler fame. More later when I get it all sorted out.
Cliff.

[Balsabasher]

Lets get DH,83C Fox Moth out of the way ?

Barry.

[cliff strachan]

This is the best guess I can come up with. Its only a guess but after trying desperately to consult sources and having come this far - the library - I'll say that it is a version of A Thruxton Jackaroo. This is an aircraft that was derived from the DH82A Tiger Moth. It had various seating arrangements from a single seat to three or in some cases four seats.
Cliff.

[Mark Braunlich]

Not a Fox Moth or a Jackaroo.

[Balsabasher]

RWD.8 ? back to parasols again.
Barry.

[Mark Braunlich]

Not the RWD Barry.  It's a Moth as already mentioned...you just have to figure out which Moth and another hint: it's a VERY rare Moth.

[Will]

Mark,

Is it a DH60M Metal Moth?

Regards
Will

[Balsabasher]

Is it the DH.50 Giant Moth ?
Barry.

[Mark Braunlich]

Hurray for Will!

Yes, it's a D.H.60M but like none other 60M.  Sometimes called a D.H.60M(R). this is the famous G-AAXG (c/n 1542) built as a racing mount for Alan S. Butler, Chairman of de Havillands, for the 1930 King's Cup (came 2nd) and the 1930 Round Europe touring competition.   As built, it had closed cockpits.   It went to France soon after and was raced as F-AJZB by Edouard A. Bret to victory in the Coupe Zenith race of 1930.   It went to New Zealand before the war and stayed there as ZK-AEJ until a couple of years ago when long time owner Gerald Grocott sold it.  It is now back in the UK and has taken up it's original registration.  

It has numerous differences from a standard D.H.60M.   The fuselage is faired with extra stringers, the cabane struts are non-standard to reduce their length.  The Gipsy II engine is lowered a couple of inches and the cowling is one-of-a-kind.  The long exhaust pipe has been shortened and exits on the bottom of the fuselage.  

As an avid Moth fan, I have over 100 photos of this airplane, many from Mr. Grocott himself.  It is my intention to one day build this, the most beautiful of the Gipsy Moths as a R/C model.

[Balsabasher]

Mark it is back in the UK and based on an airstrip a mere 6 miles from where I live ! it certainly has had quite a bit of history to it and a few rebuilds as well.
Now go and find another tricky picture for us to have a crack at ! that one certainly wound me up.
Barry.

[Will]

Thanks Mark,

That was a real challenge.  I couldn't find it in any of the few books with Moth photos I have, and had to squint at hundreds of google images before stumbling on a photo at the right angle to show that distinctive cabane structure and louvres.  The front end of G-AAXG looks rakish but the extra stringers on the side make her look a bit portly - I think the standard DH60M looks nicer.

I wonder how the wings fold back on G-AAXG as she doesn't have all the struts alongside the fuselage like a standard Moth to hold the wing-bays in place as far as I can see?

Regards
Will

[Mark Braunlich]

Being a racer, it would not have carried the jury struts outside, the wings do fold though as shown.    Note the small gravity tank as well.  If you study long enough you can find all sorts of small differences in G-AAXG.     I have the fuselage, vertical tail and undercarriage plan drawn for my "someday" model.  Unfortunately I have several plans in such an unfinished state.  Wish I could retire and work at Barry's rate of knots.

[Balsabasher]

Mark your choice was a real teaser,those struts really made it a challenge.
See if you can come up with another to tax the old grey matter ?
Barry.