De Havilland D.H.80 Puss Moth

1929

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De Havilland D.H.80 Puss Moth

Developed to provide the growing numbers of affluent private pilots with cabin comfort, the prototype de Havilland D.H.80 was first flown at Stag Lane on 9 September 1929. It introduced the inverted de Havilland Gipsy II engine, improving the pilot's view over the nose, and had a slab-sided plywood-covered fuselage accommodating the pilot (forward) and two passengers side-by-side at the rear of the cabin. Two doors were provided on the starboard side. Production aircraft began to appear in March 1930, designated D.H.80A Puss Moth, incorporating a new welded steel-tube and fabric-covered fuselage, the first de Havilland light aircraft to feature this method of construction. Notable were swivelling main landing gear shock-absorber fairings which could be turned broadside to the airflow to act as airbrakes. Other changes included single doors on each side of the fuselage, and installation of the improved 89kW Gipsy III; later examples were powered by the 97kW Gipsy Major. A total of 259 aircraft was manufactured in the UK, the last leaving Stag Lane in March 1933, and many were used for pioneering flights. Another 25 aircraft were built by de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd.

During July 1931 Amy Johnson used Jason II to fly from Lympne to Tokyo in 8 days 22 hours 35 minutes, and in 1932 Jim Mollison flew from Lympne to Cape Town in 4 days 17 hours 19 minutes. Mollison's second Puss, The Heart's Content, had a 727-litre fuel tank installed in the front of the cabin and additional windows in the rear, its 5794km range enabling him to make the first solo east-west North Atlantic crossing, leaving Portmarnock Strand, Dublin, on 18 August 1932 and arriving 31 hours 20 minutes later at Penfield Ridge, New Brunswick. On 6 February 1933, Mollison took off from Lympne en route to Natal, Brazil, and became the first man to make a solo crossing of the South Atlantic.

3-View 
De Havilland D.H.80 Puss MothA three-view drawing (700 x 689)

Specification 
 MODELD.H.80
 ENGINE1 x de Havilland Gipsy III inline piston engine, 89kW
 WEIGHTS
  Take-off weight930 kg2050 lb
  Empty weight574 kg1265 lb
 DIMENSIONS
  Wingspan11.2 m37 ft 9 in
  Length7.62 m25 ft 0 in
  Height2.13 m7 ft 0 in
  Wing area20.62 m2221.95 sq ft
 PERFORMANCE
  Max. speed206 km/h128 mph
  Cruise speed174 km/h108 mph
  Ceiling5335 m17500 ft
  Range483 km300 miles

Comments
Bill Hanshaw, e-mail, 22.08.2016 22:57

I'm searching for a photo of the original 1929 Puss Moth DH80 Prototype coded "E.1", later coded G-AAHZ. It was an all- wood structure with a slab-sided fuselage. The aircraft was later used as a test-bed for testing Gypsy engines. I'm building an indoor rubber-powered scale model of this plane and would appreciate any information on it, especially color information. Thanks, Bill

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name, e-mail, 10.05.2023 Bill Hanshaw

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drsjvmahipal, e-mail, 30.11.2015 16:22

We are from Bellary Karnataka India 583103 ph 9448006897 1932
J R D tata tata airways flew the indias first air mail starting from karachi Bombay BELLARY to madras he stayed in night at small toy airport, plane was de haviland puss moth we want details of the vevt and plane to celebarate the event any planes available or models kindly help

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Chris Hall, e-mail, 16.04.2013 19:34

I have just received a photo of DH Puss Moth G-ABLD on a flat sandy beach with low dunes behind. Can anyone add more information about 'LD for me ?

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Agaram Sunderajan, e-mail, 29.08.2012 15:27

Did it have dual controls?

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sean duffy, e-mail, 16.04.2012 01:00

Does anyone know the whereabouts of or what bacame of Jim Mollison's plane? Just back from a great walk along the Portmarnock strand where he took off in 1932 -80yr anniversary coming up! No mean achievement considering prevailing winds are west-east across the n.atlantic.

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Vince Pleasant, e-mail, 11.12.2010 18:14

The Puss Moth in your photo G-AAZP was based in Hawarden in the early 1970's. It was painted in the colours of Hawarden Flying Club, cream and olive green. There was also a Hornet Moth, Tiger Moth and three DH22 Chipmunks - I went solo in May 1976 in Chipmunk G-BBRV. Happy times.....

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chalkes, e-mail, 05.11.2009 10:34

I inderstand that the plane was put on exhibition in a London Theatre for a period of time, does anyone know which theatre it was please. Thank you

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Sanjiv Raheja, e-mail, 17.09.2009 21:28

I just wanted to know about the total nos of the type in India and whether any of those were registered as VT-ACS or VT-ACB

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Robin Hasting, e-mail, 17.09.2009 02:26

Pierre,
"The Heart's Content" was overall yellow with the name in black script under the side windows with registry
(G-ABXY) in large black letters on the side with the Union Jack on the upper rudder. I have sent you four pictures of the plane for reference.

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Romulo Figueiredo, e-mail, 06.01.2007 20:02

The first man to make a solo crossing of South Atlantic was Bert Hinkler, the famous australian flyer, in 1931, from Natal, Brazil, to Bathurst, Africa. His plane (CF-APK) was also a Puss Moth, with a Gipsy III engine, and was the same that led him to the final flight in Northern Italy in 1933.

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Pierre Vachon, e-mail, 06.01.2007 16:50

Jim Mollison landed at Pennfield Ridge, about thirty miles from where I live, and I want to do a watercolour painting of him about to land there. I have flown over the area and have a pretty good idea of the landscape he saw as he was about to put down. However, I have little or no information on the colour scheme of the Puss Moth he flew. Can anyone tell me how the machine was painted?

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