Tiger Moth Taxi

The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force and many other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. The Second World War saw RAF Tiger Moth carrying out a number of other roles, including maritime surveillance, defensive anti-invasion preparations, and even some aircraft that had been outfitted to function as armed light bombers.

This photo was taken at the Daedalus100 event; an event to celebrate 100 years of the airfield at Lee-on-Solent and took place over the two days of 16th - 17th September 2017. Day one was a glorious day with sunshine all day and very little wind, alas, day two was overcast and breezy. The took the form of static aircraft displays, many of which flew in to the delight of the early birds. There was a mixture of light aircraft and helicopters, all of which were parked to allow you to get close for some nice photos. Also on site was a varied mixture of stalls, with plenty of things to keep the children entertained.

Daedalus air station was first established in 1917 as HM Naval Seaplane Training School and transferred to the RAF in 1918. When the Fleet Air Arm was established in 1937 it was then transferred to the navy and named HMS Daedalus. There have been many moves to close the airbase, but thanks to many people’s tenacity, it is now going to remain, even if a little smaller. The Airfield is now owned by Fareham Borough Council, and has been renamed Solent Airport.

Aviation enthusiasts will be pleased to hear that there is now an outdoor seating area serving the needs of those who like to take photographs. Alternatively you could just grab a cuppa and a burger from the small cabin by the entrance and just relax watching the airfield activity. For future reference there are plans to hold a 75th anniversary event in 2019 to commemorate the the D-Day Landings.