Wilcox, Oliver James

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The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and many other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. In addition to the type's principal use for ab-initio training, the Second World War saw RAF Tiger Moths operating in other capacities, including maritime surveillance and defensive anti-invasion preparations; some aircraft were even outfitted to function as armed light bombers.

The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until it was succeeded and replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk during the early 1950s. Many of the military surplus aircraft subsequently entered into civil operation. Many nations have used the Tiger Moth in both military and civil applications, and it remains in widespread use as a recreational aircraft in several countries. It is still occasionally used as a primary training aircraft, particularly for those pilots wanting to gain experience before moving on to other tailwheel aircraft.

Overseas manufacturing of the type commenced in 1937, the first such overseas builder being de Havilland Canada at its facility in Downsview, Ontario. In addition to an initial batch of 25 Tiger Moths that were built for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), the Canadian firm began building fuselages which were exported to the UK for completion. Canadian-built Tiger Moths featured modifications to better suit the local climate, along with a reinforced tail wheel, hand-operated brakes (built by Bendix Corporation), shorter undercarriage radius rods and the legs of the main landing gear legs being raked forwards as a safeguard against tipping forwards during braking. In addition the cockpit had a large sliding canopy fitted along with exhaust-based heating; various alternative undercarriage arrangements were also offered. By the end of Canadian production, de Havilland Canada had manufactured a total of 1,548 of all versions.Wikipedia

Wikipedia de Havilland Tiger Moth

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth

2 EFTS (2 Elementary Flying Training School)

An Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) gave a trainee 50 hours of basic flying instruction on a simple trainer like the De Havilland Tiger Moth, Fleet Finch, or Fairchild Cornell over 8 weeks.Elementary schools were operated by civilian flying clubs under contract to the RCAF and most of the instructors were civilians. For example, No. 12 EFTS Goderich was run by the Kitchener-Waterloo Flying Club and the County of Huron Flying Club.The next step for a pilot was the Service Flying Training School.

The School was established at Fort William, Ontario. The former school is now the Thunder Bay, Ontario Airport.

More information on the RCAF Station at Fort William can be found at

RCAF.info - RCAF Station Fort William ON

NW Ontario Heritage Center - 2 EFTS

Project 44 BCATP

Project 44 BCATP

YouTube - Valour Canada Aerodrome of Democracy

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Moth, Tiger 5991

Moth, Tiger I 5991

Delivered to stored reserve at No. 10 Repair Depot, Calgary. Issued to No. 33 Elementary Flying Training School at Caron, Saskatchewan on 26 January 1942. To storage on 17 June 1942. Issued from storage on 1 September 1943, for use by No. 31 Elementary Flying Training School at De Winton, Alberta. Reported as equipped for night flying on this date. To M&C Aviation in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan for overhaul, 26 August 1943. Diverted to Mid-West aircraft in Winnipeg on 1 November 1943. Completed 21 January 1944, to stored reserve with No. 2 Training Command. Issued from storage on 22 February 1944. Category A crash, date not clear, destroyed by fire. To No. 8 Repair Depot for scrapping on 13 May 1944.

1941-12-18 Taken on Strength No. 4 Training Command 2019-08-20
1944-May-06 Accident: 2 Elementary Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Wilcox
1944-06-13 Struck off Strength Struck off, reduced to spares and produce 2019-08-20