The de Havilland DH60, first introduced in the 1920s, played a crucial role in shaping early civil aviation. Known for its reliability and elegant design, it became a staple for private pilots and flight training, influencing generations of aircraft to come, and also trained pilots for the war. Tiger Moths are the offspring, so to speak, of the DH60, and a group of enthusiasts at Rand Airport, South Africa (FAGM) are organizing an event to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Geoffrey de Havilland’s first flight in the DH60 that he designed and built on February 22, 1925.
The event will take place on 22nd February 2025 in Germiston, South Africa. The event is being organized by Susan Prinsloo, an aviation legend in South Africa and the only female Tiger Moth pilot in Africa. She learned to fly on Tiger Moths as a young lady and fell in love with the de Havilland DH82, completing her entire PPL (Private Pilot License) training on a Tiger Moth and buying her own machine thereafter, ZS-BGL one of the oldest Tiger Moths in South Africa. She pursued various licenses, including microlight, gyroplane, and helicopter ratings, making her one of the few women flying gyroplanes at the time. She continued advancing her skills, earning her Commercial Pilot License for helicopters (CPLH) and an instructor rating in 2010. She is a passionate aviator who played a key role in organizing an event celebrating the 90th anniversary of the Tiger Moth, and is now heading the DH60’s 100 year anniversary event.
The event she helped organize for the 90th DH60 event was a well-run gathering at Brakpan Aero Club, attended by aviation enthusiasts and pilots. It featured historical Tiger Moth aircraft and showcased the contributions of passionate aviators. She has put together a group dedicated to preserving and celebrating aviation history. The goal of this 100th anniversary event is to bring together aviation enthusiasts, historians, and pilots to honor the legacy of the de Havilland DH60. South Africa has a long and rich aviation history, especially with the Tiger Moth, and pilots from all over the region look forward to celebrating their heritage and sharing an exciting gathering to commemorate this legendary aircraft in Africa.
The event will feature flights, displays, guest speakers, a huge charity event, brass bands playing 1920s to 1940s style music, and kids helping with the event to promote young aviators. Attendance is expected from aviation historians, pilots, veterans and vintage aircraft enthusiasts from around the region. More than 2,000 people will walk through the gates. So far an 18-ship formation flight is planned, making it the most Tiger Moths on one single display in the Southern Hemisphere since the war. Keep and eye on Vintage Aviation News for an update after the event.
