This is a freeware aircraft for FSX by Australian developer Anthony Lynch, available from his web site www.antsairplanes.com as well as from avsim.com and Flightsim.com. The latest version at the time of writing (July 2011) is version 1.1, which was released early in 2010. The downloaded comes with some impressive paint schemes, including a UK-registered example G-AIXJ, and there are a number of very good repaints available from the usual repaint download sites.

I have the experimented with other Tiger Moth models in the past, both payware and freeware, and found this model to be excellent—it sets a quality standard that any developer would wish to aspire to. Over 10,000 downloads to date is testament to a fine product.

Tiger Moth

The De Havilland DH82 Tiger Moth is the classic instantly recognisable RAF 1930s biplane training aircraft, also used by Commonwealth and other air forces around the world. It was used as a primary trainer because of its docile and forgiving handling in normal flight phases, coupled with an aerobatic capability requiring definite pilot skill and concentration to perform well.

The Tiger Moth remained in RAF service until the 1950s, when it was replaced by the De Havilland Canada Chipmunk. Many examples found their way into civilian service and they remain a common sight at UK airfields. Over 7,000 aircraft are understood to have been built in the UK, and of those at least 4,000 were delivered direct to the RAF. The majority of UK-built Tiger Moths were manufactured at the Morris Motor Company, Cowley, Oxford.

The CIX VFR Club has in the past flown Tiger Moths as part of a formation team, although at present the clubs aerobatic team ‘2-4-CIX’ is equipped with its Chipmunk successor.

Handling

The Tiger Moth has tandem seating, rather than side-by-side, and is best flown from the rear cockpit, although this inevitably limits forward visibility, especially on the ground. Being a tail dragger the Tiger Moth has to be taxied while completing a series of tight left and right swings to glimpse potential obstructions ahead and to identify a line to take during taxi. The Tiger Moth was designed in the era of grass airfields, and was originally equipped with a tail skid. The Anthony Lynch model has a tailwheel, though, which improves ground handling on hard surfaces.

Take-off is accomplished by applying sufficient power to raise the tail and then kicking in a little left rudder to counter the yaw due to engine torque, with rotation at as low as 40 knots. Full power on the climb-out should not be maintained for long, though, to avoid damaging the engine. Cruise is recommended at about 80 knots. Remember to leave the automatic slats on the leading edge of the upper wings unlocked during take-off and landing, but lock them once airborne and double check they are locked before attempting an aerobatic manoeuvre or for taxying.

Only the bottom pair of wings have ailerons, so the maximum roll rate is relatively sedate. Aerobatics are best accomplished at speeds of 90 to 110 knots, and the Tiger Moth has a V_NE ‘never exceed’ speed of 140 knots.

One of the nice challenges with the Tiger Moth in FSX is to try and achieve a neat three-point landing. This actually proves to be quite difficult it has relatively poor elevator authority which makes it very difficult to keep the tail down in a suitable three-point landing position. The skill is to practice flaring the aircraft just a few feet above the landing surface, allowing it to drop, and then holding the stick back once it has contacted the ground. The Tiger Moth is probably most comfortable landing on grass strips, and forgives a few small bounces if the surface is uneven.

The Model

As shown in the pictures, the model is superbly detailed, and makes use of FSX visual effects such as bump mapping and specular reflection (shine).

Showing the attention to detail, a pop-up menu is available that provides options to hide the front-seat passenger allowing for better forward visibility, and to properly secure the aircraft at the end of a flight with chocks, tie downs and a cover.

In FSX I tend to fly the Tiger Moth from the virtual cockpit, and the attention to detail is evident here as well, with 3D gauges. The aircraft can be flown from from the front cockpit as well, and the model responds to how it is loaded — two passungers and a full fuel tank feels very different to a solo circuit with 1/3 of a tank. I understand that in the real Tiger Moth the cockpit can feel a little tight against the shoulders, and pilots often drop the door hatches in flight for greater comfort. The model in FSX allows for a flick of the door catches on either side, and the door flaps will drop, which also has the effect of improving visibility.

The cockpit view shows the port wing-mounted speed indicator, a crude metal bar on a sprung coil, so that faster the air rushing against it the further back it is pushed against the graded speed indicator metal panel. This works fully, and supplements the easier to use ASI gauge inside the cockpit.

Summary

Though strictly limited to day VFR, the Tiger Moth captures the feel of a simpler, bygone age. Its conventional gear and characteristics like adverse aileron yaw make it a challenge to fly well, and its aerobatic capability is excellent when you want to express the sheer joie de vivre you will get from flying it on a nice summer's day. It is ideally suited to the farm strips sometimes featured as the CIX VFR Club's monthly ‘guest airfields’, which club members are encouraged to visit.

Congratulations to Anthony Lynch for producing one of the best add-on options available for the FSX hangar — and a thank you from a very satisfied virtual pilot!

Feature text and images copyright © 2011 by Andrew Larkins. Published with kind permission of the author.