VH-UUE de
Havilland D.H. 85 Leopard Moth (c/n 7109)
Similar to the aircraft it
succeeded (the D.H. 80A Puss Moth), the Leopard Moth was introduced
in 1933. The
steel tube structure of the Puss Moth was replaced with the spruce and
plywood box
which
was
fast becoming the D.H. norm. VH-UUE was first
registered in October 1935 to G.W.
Sawtell of Sydney, and the
aircraft was based at Mascot.. The photo above is off the CofA.
This
Leopard Moth is currently
under renovation in Adelaide by Harvey McBain
(2007). Geoff Goodall
has several
shots of it taken in the1980s. The image below,
from
the March 1985 Mangalore air
show, is probably one of the better ones
which show off this old
timer's unique lines to advantage.