Flying a DH-60 Gipsy Moth, Part One

Test-flying a 1928 Moth with a Gipsy II engine, at a grass airfield in Southern Ontario, with commentary, July 2023. This is the oldest ex-RCAF aircraft still flying.
Part Two will feature the delivery flight to Quebec.
For Dave's album of aviation songs, see: hadfield.ca/shop/

[@steamwally]

Thank you, I very much enjoy your videos and the style in which you present them- no ego, just good sense, a wealth of shared knowledge and excellent flying.

[@chuckwagon1892]

Well said. He has a way of making me relax and listen and learn.

[@gregmiller1951]

Well said! I totally agree!

[@chuckwagon1892]

Your dads checklist is a treasure, I really enjoyed hearing it. Having said that, I'm amazed at how you have to trust a powerplant that is so old, and let's be honest, always at risk of failure no matter how carefully it has been rebuilt. It sounded great. Thanks for a very nice video.

[@davehadfield5906]

I know what you mean about old engines. But it's about maintenance more than anything, and very few light-aircraft engines are even remotely new. The Lycoming O-320 we have in our RV6a is a "modern" engine but ours was built in about 1963 for the early-generation 172s and Cherokees. So it's now 61 years old. The difference between 61 and 91 (Gipsy) is smaller than you think.

[@49richard]

Just love that video!! Your narative is interesting and informative. I'm 74, I have 22 years in the RCAF and owned and flew a Challenger ultralight. The last flight I did was in Chipmunk 017 with the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association in Windsor, Ontario. A promess I made myself as I never had the chance as an airman cause I was a Medic. Can't wait for the next video. Take care!

[@davehadfield5906]

Thanks! I have a new one about flying formation in an airshow display in the works...

[@philread386]

I live not far from the Shuttleworth Trust and have seen this model flying there. Whilst researching my family I found a distant relative flew these in Australia. He was an instructor and one of his female pupils became the first woman to get a private licence in Australia

[@P61guy61]

Enjoyable video. Thank you for posting. Some good lessons.

[@glgcmike]

Nicely done Dave!☺

[@davehadfield5906]

Thanks Mike!

[@jhaedtler]

In 1964 I was fortunate enough to fly X/C with Father John MacGilivery in his CF-IVO Tiger Moth From Howell Crestwood Illinois, just south of Chicago to Rockford Illinois. We had so much fun. That was the year that Father John donated CF-IVO to the EAA. After that plane Father John had a Miles Hawk CF-NXT I think? An other great plane I got to fly with Father John In!

[@peterrollinson-lorimer]

Beautiful old girl, makes me happy to see her still flying so well. Reassuring to see you being a stickler for the checklist, that is why you - and the aircraft you fly - are still gracing the skies.

[@alyciamarrison2916]

Wow1 The stall seemed very gentle! Not scary at all. Beautiful aeroplane!

[@philread386]

A distant relative of mine flew these in the twenties and in fact trained the first woman in Australia to get a pilot's licence. One hour down the road and there are two airworthy examples which I see flying from time to time.

[@LJDRVR]

Oh, the new airplanes pay the bills and I love them for all they are, but the old machines make my heart pitter-patter. Nice flying, Dave. You language and outlook are exactly how I approach my aviation. My current airplane is the newest machine I’ve ever owned and it’s a 1942. I would love to fly a Moth, or better yet Standard J-1 or Travel Air. Keep up the good work, chum.

[@gbentley8176]

Brilliant, brought back childhood memories going to buy the Tiger my late father trained on in the thirties. Sadly due to a delay and misunderstanding it got scrapped two days before we got to the yard. Still we did take off drill for the Mossie on our local wartime airfield in the car up to correct speed too. In the early fifties the runways were still ok. As an instructor my father thought that part of the job was far more risky than flying Mossie recce missions from late 42 on.. Great to see these 'planes are so well looked after. Best wishes from the UK.

[@givenfirstnamefamilyfirstn3935]

Lovely Moth and a lovely video, many thanks.

[@e-rj8984]

Thank You Very Much for an Nice and Pleasant Flight 🥰👍

[@wanderer5200]

How fortunate you are to fly this great airplane! I envy you.

[@stephenwebber3076]

Thanks for taking us along

[@johncaldwell-wq1hp]

I went for a joy-ride,-in "the Red-Baron"-a Tiger-moth that used to do flights over Sydney Aust, harbour (1980)--the old Melbourne Aircraft carrier was tied up there,--and the "Red-Baron",from about 2 miles came down,-and lined her up,-as to land !-you should have seen those sailors waving and going beserk,-as we flew across the deck at 200 ft !--in a Moth with "iron-crosses"on it !!-it was the best $200 bucks,-iv'e ever spent !!

[@majorbloodnok6659]

Thank you, that was really interesting.

[@mothmagic1]

I love your informative videos. I think you love the historic aircraft you get to fly. I thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge. Very much a "learn from the mistakes of others because you won't live long enough to make them all yourself." If you have to check five times to be happy then that's what you do if you value your life. Sooner that than checking once and being caught out by a problem. There's no nicer way to see the countryside than between the wings of a biplane.

[@davehadfield5906]

Thanks! I do get a soft spot for the unique aeroplanes I've had a chance to fly. Even if they nip at me a bit.

[@mrowl-the-dsm1304]

Hello from UK. this was a most enjoyable video to watch, and I really like how you explain things, I am not a pilot, but have done some basic training, but you really explained so well in an easy to watch and listen style, I look forward to part 2

[@jfingerskeys]

I have hundreds of hours in the simulator I've seen them never been in one I've touched it love to fly one very informative and wonderful video

[@richardknott2021]

Great video..

[@BaumannJA]

Dave, Can't tell you enough how much I enjoy these videos as you take us along. Can't get enough of it!!!

[@deniscostello3987]

Thanks so much Dave! Watched all of it and enjoyed your thinking and handling of a new to the pilot airplane. What a treat!

[@lloydrobert6182]

Wonderful!

[@storiesfromtheoldcowboy8876]

Great to see you what Sir Francis Chichester flew from GB to Australia in the 30's.

[@mikeymikeymotorbikey]

Dave, your brother gets the glory,but, you are my hero. So much fun.

[@davehadfield5906]

Hah! Chris has lots of fun in his daily life too.

[@abundantYOUniverse]

That is awesome love that airplane. Thanks great video!

[@davecarlson2802]

Wow that was great. I used to fly a Spuercub tow plane and the heal brakes were more a wish than a fact.

[@gzk6nk]

I was going to ask if the brake system is like the Chipmunk. It seems it is, except the Chippy is hydraulic and has a brake lever where you set a couple of notches for taxy. The RAF flight manual calls for a couple of notches to be set for landing, but in my 35 years of Chippy flying, I much preferred zero brakes set for landing. If you do run out of rudder in the roll-out, you can just hook the little finger of your left hand around the brake lever, and pull. You'll already have appropriate rudder on, so you'll get appropriate brake as you pull back the lever - more brake the harder you pull it! I loved those Chipmunk brakes - heck, I just loved the Chipmunk! That took me right back to the sounds and experiences of Chipmunk flying - thanks! Vince

[@theflyingfool]

I always look forward to your videos Dave and you never disappoint!! I hope the aircraft behaves all the way to Gatineau!

[@BBHC2012]

Thanks Dave. Always educational.

[@luehauge1667]

one of my favorites!

[@Panda-gs5lt]

Thanks … that is the nicest sounding little engine I’ve heard.

[@Bugsworth]

Excellent commentary, thank you!

[@Ephedrin666]

outstanding video, thank you for sharing such great flights with us.

[@Craig52-zq1bt]

The button on the carb pushes down the float to get the fuel into the cylinder. Brits called it a 'strangler'.

[@davehadfield5906]

I've also heard it called a "tickler".

[@craigwilliams8464]

31:11 beautiful, thank tou Dave and team

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Thank you and very nice Gipsy Moth..... Shoe🇺🇸

[@stringpicker5468]

Looking out my window in NSW Australia. Heard the sound of an old DH Gipsy. Tracked down first one then another Tiger Moth. Awesome. The DH 60 was a part of Australia's history.

[@adehol]

Thanks, Dave!

[@appleiiee]

Great video and excellent commentary. It makes our going through a complete restoration of a DH82A something that's attainable.

[@frostyfrost4094]

Take your time and enjoy the restoration project

[@charlestosi5199]

Very nice instructional and entertaining video. Thanks.

[@locustvalleystring]

Thanks for sharing.

[@jamesmagnum]

Educative narration of a test flying of just another classic beauty by Dave Hadfield, how much cooler a youtube flight video can get>? Thanks!

[@Rickxta]

Thanks for a wonderful video.

[@TankBuilders]

Greatly enjoyed this, masterful. Good to see a #TyphoonLegacy t-shirt too.

[@ianmosely3441]

Very enjoyable. Looking forward to part 2.

[@tomcoryell]

Very smart of you to be sure of the fuel system! It’s one thing to have an old vehicle that starves out on the ground and quite another situation in the air. Excellent landing by the way.

[@brushitoff503]

What a fantastic plane, great video & commentary. Thanks Dave, cheers from Down Under.

[@stevehoward3981]

Awesome Pilot.

[@Curious_Skeptic]

Got to fly in a Stomp. OMG. That was something. Can't even imaging this thing!

[@josteinatlejrgensen6962]

A great story .

[@CanadianGrenadian]

Awesome Dave, thank you

[@wbuttry1]

those dehavelands were always a wonderful aircraft.

[@douglipscomb3002]

That countryside is soooo green!

[@SimonAmazingClarke]

Excellent video. I do like video's that have a narrative. I flew a Tiger Moth many years ago. It made me laugh that climb out was 70, cruise was 70 and approach was also 70.

[@av8bvma513]

Nicely done, nicely done! Nicely filmed, nicely flown, nicely narrated! Bravo!

[@JohnMoore-xf5wy]

Sir Francis Chichester's feats in a Gypsy Moth are legendary! Almost unbelievable! Research him if you haven't already.

[@davehadfield5906]

Oh yes. I am a sailor, owned by a 1946 ketch. I've read everything by him. And have heard many personal comments about the man.

[@JohnMoore-xf5wy]

@@davehadfield5906 He was a one-off! His autobiography was fascinating! I'm an old sailor also. Lived aboard a Pearson 38' double cabin sloop two years. About all I did was work on it. 😂

[@colvaughan9596]

A superb video, thank you Dave 👏🏼👏🏼

[@jgrenwod]

Great video. I’ll be binge watching the rest. The title caught my eye because of Francis Chichester’s book “lonely sea and the sky(?)”. I’m sure you’ve read it. Flying a Gipsy Moth from England to New Zealand was quite a feat in the 20s, or any time. He only had a few hours of flight time (total) and crashed the plane once during his short ‘how to fly a plane’ course. Holding the stick with his knees to maintain 50’ altitude over the ocean to do sun shots with a nautical sextant. He was quite the adventurer.

[@davehadfield5906]

Yes indeed. I'm a sailor, and have collected all the Sir FC books.

[@Mongo63a]

very neat video again thanks

[@SamuelVella1995]

Loved this video! I'm a fresh pilot, and this just seems right.

[@larrykrise3609]

love the old planes.would love to go up in it.

[@2140BlackCreek]

Nice to watch, thank you. British brake systems; at least this was before pneumatics another one of the great ideas!

[@davehadfield5906]

They actually work fine on the Spitfire and Hurricane we fly. On the Lysander, not so much...

[@2140BlackCreek]

I agree on the Spitfire, however, in the DH Dove and Heron not so much, one working brake and a full castering nose gear equals fun!@@davehadfield5906

[@mrvoyagerm]

CF-AAA is (was) located at Guelph Airpark. My Dad flew all of the moths including the Fox Moth on floats in Yellowknife and surrounds. The other Fox Moth on floats flying out of Yellowknife back then was flown by someone named Max Ward.

[@davehadfield5906]

The Gipsy Moth with CF-AAA registration was sold to a UK owner years ago.

[@mrvoyagerm]

@@davehadfield5906 Well I do have a photo of my dad in the cockpit at the Tiger Boys Fly In in Guelph but now that you mention it, he has been gone for over 30 years now, so you are more up to date then I would be for sure.

[@vady64]

Как же все таки красивые бипланы!!! Удачи.

[@michaelmontefusco896]

Gear "down and welded" lol😆

[@toilatoi7469]

Chiếc này tự chế hay là mua sẵn . Đông cơ cánh quạt này mấy kw ?

[@ianmangham4570]

Furniture manufacturers make the best planes ever 🤠🤟🇬🇧💯

[@jayceec_ross]

"Leaked, broke or fell off...", sounds like a Harley motorcycle owner! 😆

[@christiandebney1989]

Do you know when the drag mechanism was replaced with a wheel on the tail the gipsy moth? were gipsy moths fitted with back wheels in the 30's?

[@davehadfield5906]

Not normally. Most airport back then were unpaved, so tail skids were more common. The Tiger Moth was modified by DHC here in Canada for wartime training, with brakes, a free-castering tailwheel, and a shortened front gear strut. Most modern conversion use elements of that.

[@sideswipebl]

I know this video is about the plane, but damn that Torino is gorgeous.

[@brenstratters2026]

Is she a DH60M "Metal Moth"? I see stringers through the fuselage fabric. Thanks for posting. Absolutely marvellous stuff.

[@davehadfield5906]

Yes, it's a DH60M -- a metal tube fuselage, fabric covered, unlike the early ones in which the fuselage was a plywood box.

[@mikeonb4c]

Always love your videos, and this one is a beaut. What is the throttle management procedure when you are doing those wingovers (i.e. do you pull the throttle back as the plane dives or is it all done and over so quickly there's no need?).

[@davehadfield5906]

I just set Cruise power and then leave it alone, yo-yoing with the energy.

[@joejody7814]

I think this video speaks to the fact that tailwheel airplanes are dynamically unstable especially at the end of the landing roll out. Ad the axiom states : u can give up rudder authority or tail wheel authority, but never both at the same time. And brakes won't forgive you the mistake. During the preflight you mentioned it had a free castering tailwheel. For me, that would have done it for the day.

[@davehadfield5906]

Most British aeroplanes in WW2 had free-castering tailwheels. It was a "thing" that I too shake my head over.

[@edstoro3883]

Dave, fantastic check out. Sort of 'been there, done that' to an extent. (re: check yourself out in a Bulldog). The BIG question is the brake/right turn problem. Can not wait to hear about the solution. The Bulldog is much the same. Even being rabid with the rudder does not do the trick. But....I have noticed that the longer I hold the tail wheel off the better the outcome. And for all of you readers: This aeroplane has a rudder bar. Not rudder pedals. Cross reference this with a bicycle handle bar and your head will hurt!!. It actually takes a bit of Vulcan mind melding to make yourself treat the rudder bar just like regular set of pedals. 5 hour cross country?????????? What are you thinking !!!!!!!!!!

[@davehadfield5906]

The Solution: stay tuned for Part Two...

[@frostyfrost4094]

Bulldog? Bristol or Beagle

[@davehadfield5906]

@@frostyfrost4094 Bristol. Big Bad Biplane.

[@edstoro3883]

A Beagle Bulldog ???? I bet it's ears and nose look funny. Dave got it right, we refer to her as 'the Beasty girl' (wife's concoction, never argue with wife)

[@jameslaurencesmith]

the scenery looks very much like england !

[@JamesLangford-Cosslett]

Thank you for sharing this wonderful video. May I please ask how much of the the aeroplane is original?

[@davehadfield5906]

A lot. The restorer, Wat Martin, died about 10 years ago. He was very highly regarded.

[@FortyGumble]

There is little doubt that I would last all of five minutes inside that aircraft with it on before I tried to look cool and in the meantime rested my arm on that exhaust.

[@davehadfield5906]

Yes, when they inverted the engine the whole exhaust pipe question became simpler.

[@e-rj8984]

De Havilland UK + De Havilland Canada = ❤🥰👍

[@hohocc1349]

On the video of the first landing at about 17 minutes, it appears (and it certainly could be a trick of the camera etc), the aeroplane is rolled a degree or two to it's left (compared to the background foliage). If that were the case the aft end would tend to try to descend the "slope" causing the yaw to the right, unemcumbered by the castoring tailwheel. Could be camera angle, runway crowning, tyre or suspension spring etc etc. Would be interesting to land the opposite direction in calm conditions and see if she went the same way, or the other way! Not sure if that's helpful or not, but regardless she's a beautiful aeroplane being very carefully operated. Thanks!

[@davehadfield5906]

I didn't do enough landings to check this out. The regular pilot at Gatineau will no doubt gain more experience.

[@hohocc1349]

​@davehadfield5906 If you do happen to hear of any likely causes being found it would be very interesting to know about them. Please keep making the videos, they are very informative, thanks.

[@davejob630]

My Father used to fly Keith Hatfieds Leopard Moth down here in Australia- a relation of yours by any chance? I had a few flights in it with him. He took a very similar approach .

[@davehadfield5906]

Hah... not that I know of.

[@RobertJackson-vc9rk]

what is the cap just above the propeller for?

[@davehadfield5906]

Oil filler neck.

[@leifvejby8023]

Is this a steel moth? (Steel tube fuselage)

[@davehadfield5906]

Yes, a 60M.

[@leifvejby8023]

@@davehadfield5906 Thanks!!

[@Ax89]

This is the first video of yours I have seen -- very nice presentation on a very very cool airplane! I have a question about the tach. The needle was all jumping around when it was at idle rpm (at the end of the video) - does that matter? (The tach on my old british car did the same thing, I was told that I could pull out the centre piece, and lubricate as I put it back in, but I ended up purchasing a replacement cable instead.)

[@davehadfield5906]

Yes, it's normal with these. As a pilot you get used to averaging-out the swings. It's helpful once a year to put a tru-tac on it for a visual cross-check.

[@Ax89]

@@davehadfield5906 I wrote tach above, but I meant speedo as my car's tach was accurate only when the engine was off as it always read 0 rpm. (I suspect the car's tach "generator" was designed in hades so I had the tach converted so it would be triggered by the ignition coil. It's really great because I have the original gauge but now have an accurate tach reading.) Biplanes always remind me of the Bandy Papers (by Donald Jack). Thank you for your video, looking forward to part 2. If you haven't already done it, I'm afraid you might have a chilly flight. Also, kudos to the mechanics. That engine sounded really good.

[@jimsmith9819]

nice plane, why are bi planes always flown from the rear cockpit?

[@davehadfield5906]

Not all are. The Finch is solo from the front. It depends on weight and balance. But oddly, you sometimes get a better sight picture from the back seat -- you're looking along the fuselage, and see directional changes faster. If you can't see over the nose from either seat because of the old-style engine, then the front seat isn't much of an advantage.

[@flyerbluedog]

I thought I saw such an aircraft in the family barn in a documentary about your brother. Is that correct?

[@davehadfield5906]

Not a Gipsy Moth, a Stampe. I put a picture of it in this video.

[@flyerbluedog]

@@davehadfield5906 Thank you for your reply! I never thought we had Stampe’s in Canada. I love those old European biplanes, I find there’s something romantic about them, like the old American Jenny’s.

[@gerryellis3847]

What engine is this as it is right way up as you put it?

[@davehadfield5906]

This is the original configuration of a DH Gipsy engine. The cylinders are above the crankcase. But, as you saw, the forward visibility is poor, and the prop is low enough to cut the weeds, so DH later inverted it to make the Gipsy III, and evolved that into the Gipsy Major.

[@richardharding444]

Does your job get any better

[@davehadfield5906]

I'm a volunteer. It's a passion, not a job.

[@gordjenkins9574]

Calibrate your feet. Love it.

[@johnfalkenstine8377]

Super video. Mike wind noise is awful.

[@davehadfield5906]

Yes, I agree. The windscreen is small, and the helmet-cam is outside, in the breeze, unless I'm looking to the right. So, it's mic picks up huge wind noise. Believer it or not, as I edited the video I pulled the volume down to -12 or so. In truth, the video sound is not so different from reality. The Sound-Shake-Movement of these machines is very startling to someone who rides in one for the first time for real. But, for Part Two, I think I'll drop the level even more.