The Tiger Moth was used by many air forces throughout the world as the primary ab-initio trainer from around the time of world war two to many years after. In fact ask any RAAF pilot who joined up around this time and they will tell many a story of the humble Tiger.
The DeHavilland Tiger Moth has been continually in service since the 1930′s and is still going strong today. During the fifties, the RAAF started to replace the Tigers with the Winjeel. Many surplus Tigers were sold and used for just about anything imaginable including agricultural work and civilian flight training. Over time the Tigers were gradually retired tending to sit in the back of hangers, gathering dust.
The seventies and eighties saw the birth of the old aeroplane movement in Australia and the old Tigers took on yet another role. Tigers started to become popular with enthusiasts who began to seek them out in hangers and barns to restore them to flying status and their former glory. The Tigers started to be flown by pilots who wanted to experience the thrill of a time gone by. Joy flight operators soon caught on to the charm of the Tiger with many operators using them to offer the public the same chance to experience that golden age of flight.
Today we have around two hundred Tigers still on the register in this part of the world, a testament to the types popularity and charm. Thankfully we can expect the humble Tiger to be around for many years to come.
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