DE HAVILLAND DH-60 "GIPSYMOTH"

1925’32

Plane & Pilot

Tuesday, December 16, 2008 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: Omar Filipović

Key Takeaways:

The de Havilland DH-60 Moth series, a two-seat light biplane, debuted in 1925 and evolved from early models with wooden fuselages to the improved 1928 DH-60 GM Gipsy Moth featuring a welded steel-tube fuselage and folding wings.
Powered by engines up to 120 hp (e.g., de Havilland Gipsy II), a typical DH-60 boasted a top speed of 107 mph, a cruise speed of 85 mph, and a range of 320 miles with a ceiling of 18,000 feet.
Approximately 1,850 DH-60 units were manufactured, with production taking place in both England (around 1,700) and the U.S. (150) over seven years.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The de Havilland Moth series of two-seat light biplanes began with the flight of the DH-60 in 1925. The original Moths had a wooden fuselage structure and were powered by engines ranging from the 60 hp A.D.C. Cirrus I to the 105 hp Cirrus Hermes. As production of the early models tapered off, the improved DH-60 GM Gipsy Moth was introduced in 1928. The Gipsy featured a welded steel-tube fuselage, folding wings, and engine options up to 120 hp. About 1,700 DH-60s were built in England during the seven years of production, with an additional 150 built by Moth Aircraft Co. of Lowell, Massachusetts.