Welcome to
The de Havilland
Aircraft
Association of South Africa
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Welcome to |
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de Havilland DH.82A Tiger Moth |
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Registrations carried: |
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The following was received from Carl Van Der Merwe. I have a bit more information on ZS-BTP, which might be of interest. Some partners and I (being an SAA co-pilot those days on B747 Classics) bought the aircraft from Dr. Bertie Binnewald in the mid-70’s where it was kept at DF Malan. (Cape Aero Club, I think). Russell Donaldson, a good friend of mine at the time, and I, then attempted to fly her up to what was Barragwanath those days, but failed to succeed twice, due to manifold leaks, both times having to return to Cape Town. After acquiring a new manifold, (I forget where from), this was fitted, and Russell flew her up alone over 2 or 3 days, as I was out of the country at the time on a flight. The trip was interesting, as we had to arrange fuel at all sorts of farms, etc, about at 200nm intervals. BTP was hangared at BarraG, while the partners got on with a complete strip down and rebuild. After some time, when the decking was completed, the floorboards rebuilt, the fuselage fully refurbished, the engine partly overhauled, and the control box completely rebuilt (by me under the beady eye of Bok Strecker), and the wings about to be done, one of the partners became very ill, and the partnership was disbanded. Unfortunately, I did not at the time have the funds to buy the other two out, and BTP was very reluctantly sold to my good friend, Captain John Tainton, (Also SAA). He then completed the rebuild and kept her in Plettenberg Bay until his death, when she was sold on by the estate. It was with interest that I came across your website. I hope this bit of history is of some value to the club, and to the present owners of that lovely Tiger. Kind regards, Carl Van Der Merwe. 4 March 2013 |
