de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird
de Havilland Aircraft Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1923 · light aircraft
The de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird was a British single-seat ultra-light monoplane of the early 1920s, one of the first practical light aircraft developed in the UK.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 5.99 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Tiny inter-war British ultralight monoplane
- Single open cockpit for pilot only
- Very small low-powered engine
An extremely small mid-wing monoplane with a tiny engine, single open cockpit, and a conventional tailwheel undercarriage; its modest size places it among the smallest powered aircraft of its era.
Specifications
- The de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird has a length of 5.99 m (20 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.17 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 117 km/h (73 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed for the 1923 Lympne Light Aircraft Trials, the DH.53 attracted considerable interest for its very low cost and economy of operation. Fourteen were built, and the type was evaluated by the RAF as a potential training aircraft. Its very small engine limited performance but it demonstrated the viability of ultra-light aviation.
Variants
Aircraft differed in engine installation between individual examples, with various small engines tried.
Where you'll see it
The DH.53 served with private owners and was evaluated by the RAF; some aircraft were taken on charge by the Air Ministry for research purposes.
Related aircraft
- de Havilland DH.50
- de Havilland DH.27 Derby
- de Havilland DH.34
- de Havilland DH.15 Gazelle
- Avia BH-11
- Avia BH-5
- Avia BH-8
- Avia BH-9
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