How to start a 1939 DH Tiger Moth

How to start a 1939 DH Tiger Moth, from cold.

[@ashtonschilling4094]

Captain Boggles taught me how to start Tiger Moths. He was Australia's only known barnstormer and highly experienced. His dogfights were incredible. He had vh-art and vh- alp. I was kept busy at times starting both planes, from behind the prop. Much safer.

[@GrumpyOldMan2]

Personal preference. I was taught both but prefer standing in front.

[@letsseeif]

I learnt to fly in Melbourne Australia in 1957. We used DH82 Tiger Moths and always did 3 point landings.

[@peterclark8208]

I was always taught never to start a Tiger without someone in the cockpit... 😳! It wouldn’t be the first Tiger ever to head off across the field with No one at the controls.... still nice video 😊

[@skwidthecrayfsh34]

So you need two people?

[@peterclark8208]

Skwid The Crayfsh Better to have someone in the cockpit ... obviously if you are on you own then you have no choice! 😊

[@ThomasDoubting5]

Ha ha 🤣

[@GrumpyOldMan2]

Not too sure about these days, but decades ago it was illegal in Aust to hand swing with someone on board.

[@justincase1575]

@@skwidthecrayfsh34 I always tied down the tail skid. After starting with engine at slow idle untie it and quickly climb in!

[@georgejacob3162]

Proper plane! I've had an aerobatic ride in one which can be seen on my KZbin channel. The pilot gave me two loops and a stall turn after viewing Stonehenge! Great stuff!

[@angelreading5098]

There is also a 'Turn-A-Day' filter under the cowling,never seen a Tiger Moth with mag switches inside the cockpit before ? they are normally on the outside just between the cockpits,lovely aeroplane that appears to be gaining more popularity than ever,lovely agricultural sound to the Gipsy Major when ticking over,a real aeroplane.

[@rogerwunker1215]

Beautiful plane, nice people... With that said ALWAYS stay out of the arc of the propeller and treat the Magneto like it could have an open P lead, aviation can be terribly unforgiving.(no person on brakes?)

[@BUCKERFIO]

Nice video!

[@beth1234m]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@Rick-tt6yq]

Gee, just like starting a gas lawnmower by putting it on its side and spinning the blade...I am thinking that flying this crate in the air was probably safer than starting it on the ground.

[@Back2TheBike]

Nice film. Looks like the flying jacket shrunk in the wash though? 😄

[@abundantYOUniverse]

haha!

[@cellnot]

Great Video, how about the carburettor heating control. Is it opreated manually or connected to the throttle?

[@homomorphic]

Started exactly when it was predicted to. Still, how is this better than pushing the start button ;-)

[@stuartmccall5474]

What do you think the start button does? It only connects via a relay(?) the battery to a starting motor as well as energise the high tension coil and then the distributor to provide the spark to the ignition plugs. The Tiger Moth doesn't have a battery, nor coil, nor distributor. In place of these it has a device called a magneto which acts like a coil + distributor, but requires an initial hand spin of the engine to turn the magneto to produce the spark. An engine start battery is very heavy whereas the magneto is relatively light and more reliable than a coil + distributor.

[@homomorphic]

@@stuartmccall5474 dude, I'm an 800 hour private pilot and an engineer. I know how planes work. My dad had many hours flying in a tiger moth and my son has ridden in one once

[@stuartmccall5474]

@@homomorphic: Friend, for such an experienced aviator and engineer were you not aware that the Gipsy Major engine fitted to most Tiger Moths doesn't have an engine starter motor, or the aircraft carry an engine start battery? As a matter of technical interest, without an engine start battery or starter motor how would an experience aviator and engineer like yourself start a Gipsy Major engine........with your "start" button?

[@homomorphic]

@@stuartmccall5474 it was a joke. You idiot.

[@johnclarke2553]

I can honestly say I've never started a Tiger this way, in Australia, we flood, 8 forward, then contact. I don't understand the 4 forward, 8 back. And, in my opinion, the throttle's to far forward. Especially unattended. All in all, dangerous. Not to be followed.

[@nikhildeshmukh3709]

How can you let a small child stand next to a propeller while priming for engine start this is negligent and dangerous!

[@stephenhobbs1052]

Someone should be in the cockpit! That was totally against all regulations?

[@stationmanager9325]

The start procedures you show is un-necessarly complicated. After all the engine is a very basic Gypsie Major engine. Its just fuel on throttle set. 7 prop's forward. Put the mags on set the throttle and away it will go with max 2 swings.

[@philipbrailey]

Video stopped.

[@skyillegaldiver8962]

Fooling with the prop with inexperienced people in front of it?????????? Where is the little boy when Daddy and Pops have their attention on swinging a potentially dangerous prop? Looney.

[@Jepflyer]

How can it be? Engine running no piot inside. Must be idiots I would not fly with this guy.

[@tramlink8544]

its called having the aircraft chocked, also the throttle was barely open, needs a fair bit more to get rolling

[@GrumpyOldMan2]

@@tramlink8544 and the control column tied fully aft.

[@edmondironside240]

It’s chocked…