Recreating the de Havilland Tiger Moth

Ride along on a Microsoft Flight Simulator journey through history in the first airplane that most British pilots in WWII learned to fly.

Patrick Chovanec

Monday, May 06, 2024 at 04:49 PM ET

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The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth, recreated in 'Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020.' [Courtesy: Patrick Chovanec]

Key Takeaways:

The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth, designed by Geoffrey de Havilland, was introduced in 1932 and became the primary trainer for thousands of British Commonwealth pilots during World War II.
It was instrumental in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), with production facilities in countries like Canada and Australia supplying numerous Tiger Moths to safely train a significant portion of Allied airmen away from combat zones.
Beyond its widespread use as a pilot trainer, some Tiger Moths were ingeniously converted into "Queen Bee" radio-controlled target drones, pioneering drone technology, and its robust design ensures hundreds continue to fly today, cementing its place as an aviation icon.

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Today in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, I’m flying the de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth, the airplane that trained thousands of pilots from across the British Empire to take to the air in World War II.

Born in 1882, Geoffrey de Havilland was the second son of a village pastor. At an early age, he displayed a mechanical interest and pursued a career as an automotive engineer, building cars and motorcycles. Frustrated at work, in 1909 he received a gift of 1,000 pounds from his grandfather to build his first airplane, just a few years after the Wright brothers had made their first flight.