De Havilland Swallow Moth

de Havilland Aircraft Company

Industry	Aircraft manufacturing
Founded	1920
Founder	Geoffrey de Havilland
Headquarters	Hatfield , United Kingdom
Products	Aircraft

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The de Havilland DH.81 Swallow Moth was developed to serve the affordable sports aircraft segment during the economic challenges of the Great Depression. Featuring a single engine and seating for two in a low-wing monoplane configuration, only one unit was ever constructed.

Development

The DH.81 Swallow Moth featured a cantilever low-wing design. Its structure included a plywood-covered fuselage combined with a tightly cowled inline Gipsy IV engine delivering 80 hp (60 kW), which contributed to its sleek aerodynamic profile. The wings were equipped with horn-balanced ailerons positioned at the tips, while the tail assembly followed typical de Havilland styling, incorporating a balanced rudder. The cockpit accommodated two occupants in tandem seating; initially, this was an open arrangement but was later modified with a single-piece hinged canopy, resulting in the designation DH.81A. This enclosure improved the aircraft's top speed by approximately 12 mph (19 km/h). The main landing gear consisted of legs extending to mid-fuselage ahead of the wing's leading edge, supported by bracing struts attached fore and aft to the keel—a configuration later adopted for the Leopard Moth. A small tailskid completed the conventional undercarriage setup.

The inaugural flight took place at Stag Lane Aerodrome on 21 August 1931, piloted by Geoffrey de Havilland. Subsequent modifications were made to the vertical stabilizer as flight testing proceeded until February 1932. During this period, it bore the class B test marking E-7, though it never entered the civil aircraft registry. The Swallow Moth’s design elements notably influenced subsequent de Havilland models, especially the 1938 Moth Minor.

Variants

DH.81

This is the initial model featuring a two-seat open cockpit design.

DH.81A

A modified prototype equipped with a closed cabin, which first took flight in November 1932.