De Havilland DH.60G "Gipsy Moth" – the British training and sport plane

In 1924 the British aviation factory "De Havilland Aircraft Company" began the modernization of the DH.51 plane. As a result of them, in early 1925, a new plane was produced, smaller and of the biplane scheme, powered by a new smaller in-line engine ADC "Cirrus", developing 60 h. p. power and mark the Cirrus I "Moth". The design of the plane was traditional, but it featured one innovation - folding wings. This made it easier to place the plane in the hangar and to transport it by land. Excellent flight characteristics and simple and inexpensive operation attracted the attention of the British Ministry of Aviation. 20 airplanes were purchased, with which 5 aero clubs were equipped. In the following years the design of the airplane was improved and in 1928 a new airplane took off for its first flight, which received the designation DH.60G "Gipsy Moth". Later constructed version with 120 h. p. power engine "Gipsy II". Production ceased in 1934. The “Gipsy Moth” has become one of the most popular machines, used for flying training, sport and tourism, as well as for racing and record flights. The Lithuanian Aero Club bought one DH.60T "Gipsy Moth" airplane in England in 1933. A so-called "christening" ceremony was held for the first D.H.60T in Lithuania (which became a tradition for other new airplanes and gliders after it), giving the name "Karvelis". D. H. 60T received registration marks - LY-LAL. Several types of training and sports "Havilands" were the most popular airplanes in England, they also made significant flights and set records. D.H.60T - two-seater, wooden biplane, powered by a 6-cylinder single-row air-cooled 120 h. p. “Gipsy II” engine. In the middle of the upper wing above the front cockpit is installed fuel tank. In the popularization of sports aviation, as already mentioned, in the spring of 1934 on the occasion of the opening of the football season, it was planned to drop a projectile from an airplane into the LFLS stadium. S. Jurevičius and K. Pūras tried to do this task, but being inexperienced pilots, they threw the projectile , tripped over one of the oak trees surrounding the stadium. The plane fell and was badly damaged, S. Jurevičius' leg was broken, K. Pūras was scratched. Repaired in the Aviation workshop until autumn, the D.H.60T later served successfully in the Aero Club until the Soviet occupation. LAK's D.H.60T the body was light blue; the wings were silver. Our “Gipsy Moth” had different bonnet tins, so when making "Lithuanian" model, you need to look for drawings with the "Gipsy II" engine, and otherwise the revisions only concern the colors and the engine.

A not very complex, but well-detailed model that, when done "from the magazine", you can choose one of two paint options: G-AAAH, used for Amy Johnson's record crossing, or G-AAMT, "starred" in Sidney Pollack's "Farewell to Africa". The model can be perfectly glued by both beginners with little experience and little advanced modelers, working under the supervision of more experienced colleagues.