De Havilland Puss Moth

de Havilland Aircraft Company
Industry	Aircraft manufacturing
Founded	1929; 97 years ago
Founder	Geoffrey de Havilland
Fate	Successor to earlier de Havilland designs; succeeded by de Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft, including the DH.80A Puss Moth

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The de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth was a British high-wing monoplane seating three, developed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company between 1929 and 1933. Capable of reaching speeds near 124 mph (200 km/h), it ranked among the fastest private aircraft available at that time. Its name derives from the puss moth (pronounced Template:IPAc-en, Template:Respell), a woodland moth native to Eurasia.

Design history

The initial DH.80 prototype, which took flight for the first time in September 1929, was created to serve the expanding private aviation market in the UK. This sleek, all-wooden model was equipped with the innovative de Havilland Gipsy III inverted inline engine, which offered unobstructed forward visibility by eliminating the protruding cylinder heads characteristic of the earlier Gipsy II engine.

Following prototype evaluation, the design was modified to incorporate a fabric-covered steel-tube fuselage, resulting in the DH.80A Puss Moth designation. The first production example flew in March 1930 and immediately embarked on a promotional tour across Australia and New Zealand. Demand escalated rapidly; during its three-year production span ending in March 1933, a total of 259 units were built in England. Additionally, de Havilland Canada produced another 25 aircraft. The majority featured the more powerful 130 hp (97 kW) Gipsy Major engine, enhancing overall performance.

The Puss Moth was eventually succeeded by the de Havilland DH.85 Leopard Moth, which utilized a plywood fuselage that reduced manufacturing costs and weight. This lighter construction contributed to improved performance despite using the same modestly powered 130 hp (97 kW) Gipsy Major engine.

Technical faults

During its early operational period, the DH.80A experienced several fatal accidents, notably including the crash that claimed Australian aviator Bert Hinkler while crossing the Alps in CF-APK on 7 January 1933. Investigations identified "flutter" induced by turbulent airflow as the root cause of wing structural failure. To address this issue, engineers reinforced the front wing strut by adding a jury strut connecting it to the rear wing root fitting, effectively resolving the problem.

Operational history

The majority of DH.80As served as private planes, although a significant number were also employed commercially by small air charter companies for transporting passengers and mail. Typically, the seating accommodated two individuals; however, in commercial operations, it was possible to carry two passengers seated slightly offset, with the rear passenger’s legs positioned alongside the front seat. The wings were designed to fold backward for convenient storage, rotating around the rear spar root fitting and the V-strut root fitting—a mechanism commonly used on other de Havilland light aircraft from that era.

One DH.80A participated in the Challenge 1934 European touring plane competition but was forced to withdraw due to an engine malfunction during one of the final stages.

During the Second World War, surviving British civilian DH.80As were requisitioned for use as communication aircraft. A handful of these aircraft have endured into the early 21st century.

Record breaking flights

Throughout the early 1930s, DH.80s were instrumental in achieving various record-setting flights. In early 1931, Nevill Vintcent completed the inaugural flight from England to Ceylon piloting G-AAXJ. On 25 May 1931, Captain James Douglas Mail flew his Puss Moth G–ABIU, named Baby Tank, from Croydon to Bulawayo over eight days, according to his logbook. The route took him through Pisa and Rome, then across North Africa following the east coast, with a total flying time of 73 hours and 50 minutes.

In July and August 1931, Amy Johnson undertook an eight-day journey alongside co-pilot Jack Humphreys in G-AAZV, called Jason II, flying to Moscow and Tokyo. She completed the leg to Moscow within a single day.

Later that year, Australian aviator Bert Hinkler flew the Canadian-built CF-APK on several significant flights including routes from New York City to Jamaica, Jamaica to Venezuela, and a notable 22-hour solo west-to-east crossing of the South Atlantic, marking only the second solo transatlantic flight.

In November 1931, 19-year-old Peggy Salaman departed in G-ABEH named Good Hope aiming to surpass the London to Cape Town flight record. Accompanied by co-pilot and navigator Gordon Store, she arrived in Cape Town at 5:40 a.m., beating Glen Kidston’s previous record by over a day.

Jim Mollison, piloting Puss Moth G-ABXY The Heart's Content, completed the first solo east-west Atlantic crossing in August 1932, flying from Portmarnock Strand near Dublin to New Brunswick, Canada. He also achieved the first east-west crossing of the South Atlantic from Lympne Aerodrome to Natal, Brazil in February 1933. His wife, Amy Johnson, set records between England and Cape Town flying G-ACAB Desert Cloud in 1932. Meanwhile, C. J. Melrose competed in the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race piloting VH-UQO named My Hildegarde, finishing seventh overall and second on handicap with a time of 10 days and 16 hours.

In 1933, a Puss Moth served as the reconnaissance aircraft during the Houston–Mount Everest flight expedition, although other aircraft types conducted the actual record-breaking flights over Mount Everest.

Accidents and incidents

On 5 May 1931, English aviator Glen Kidston lost his life when his Puss Moth disintegrated mid-flight while navigating a dust storm above the Drakensberg escarpment in South Africa.^[1]
On 27 July 1932, the Puss Moth registered G-ABDH, owned by Brian Lewis and Company and piloted by Bruce Bossom—son of politician Alfred Bossom—encountered severe turbulence and stormy weather during a flight from Heston to Hamble. The aircraft broke apart in mid-air near Hindhead, resulting in the deaths of all three onboard.^[2]
On 18 September 1932, a Puss Moth VH-UPM operated by New England Airways crashed near Byron Bay, New South Wales while en route from Sydney to Brisbane. The accident claimed the lives of three individuals, including World War I flying ace Les Holden, who was a passenger on the flight.^[3]
On 20 July 1936, a Puss Moth crashed during takeoff at the marina close to Boca do Inferno, in Cascais, Portugal. The crash resulted in the death of passenger General José Sanjurjo y Sacanell, who was traveling to Spain to lead the Nationalist forces in the Spanish Civil War. The pilot, Spanish aviator and socialite Juan Antonio Ansaldo, survived the incident.^[4]
On 19 January 1937, Puss Moth VH-UPQ from North Queensland Airways went down into the sea while approaching Cairns, Queensland on a flight originating from Cooktown. The crash caused one fatality and left two others seriously injured.^[5]
On 27 August 1941, a Puss Moth operated by Airlines of Australia crashed near the Coen River close to Coen, Queensland, during a flight from Thursday Island to Cairns. The accident resulted in three fatalities, including former Australian senator Charles Hardy.^[6]

Variants

de Havilland DH.80 : Initial prototype equipped with a 120 hp (89 kW) Gipsy III engine.
de Havilland DH.80A Puss Moth : Light aircraft designed to carry two or three occupants, typically powered by a 130 hp (97 kW) Gipsy Major engine.