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 was a highly successful military trainer introduced in 1932, crucially preparing thousands of pilots across the British Empire for World War II.
It played a central role in the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, enabling Allied pilots to receive vital and safer instruction in locations like Canada and Australia, contributing significantly to the Allied war effort.
Beyond its primary training function, the Tiger Moth was innovatively adapted into the "Queen Bee," the world's first drone aircraft for anti-aircraft gunnery practice, and remains a popular and enduring aircraft today.

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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.