de Havilland DH.61 Giant Moth

de Havilland Aircraft Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1927 · light aircraft

The de Havilland DH.61 Giant Moth was a large single-engine biplane designed to carry seven passengers or mail, used principally by Qantas Empire Airways on early Australian routes.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	11.89 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Large single-engine biplane airliner of the late 1920s
Enclosed passenger cabin with open pilot cockpit
Used on early Australian air mail routes

A large biplane for a single-engine type, with an enclosed passenger cabin below the wing and an open pilot's cockpit; the Jupiter or Jaguar radial engine gives it a prominent nose installation.

Specifications

The de Havilland DH.61 Giant Moth has a length of 11.89 m (39 ft).
It has a wingspan of 15.85 m (52 ft).
Its maximum speed is 212 km/h (132 mph).
Typical crew: 1.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 1927, the Giant Moth was built in small numbers and served in Australia, Canada, and elsewhere for passenger and mail operations. It played an important role in establishing early Australian civil aviation infrastructure and Qantas's early route network.

Variants

Eight aircraft were built with minor variations; no distinct named variants beyond individual aircraft configurations.

Where you'll see it

The DH.61 served primarily with Qantas in Australia and with smaller operators in Canada, carrying passengers and mail on remote routes through the late 1920s and early 1930s.

Related aircraft

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