Genesis of the Tiger Moth project
By Don | March 17, 2008
The beginning
Several years ago Leslie gave me her blessing for me to travel to a huge air show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I went 3 years in a row because I was intriqued with the possibility of building my own airplane, and this was the place to find out.
Ultimately, I decided to build an “impractical” airplane, meaning one just for fun. Many guys build “practical” aircraft that are great for going fast on cross country trips. Initially, I decided on building a 1930s era biplane and in preparation for welding the frame took one semester of gas welding at Ventura College, then a semester of TIG welding. I was ready to go! But…
I had joined our local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and during my first month there or so, a member stated that volunteers were needed to support a new youth program called the Ventura Military Explorers (VME) that was going to be an aviation themed activity for middle and high school kids.
I got real curious, watched the kids for some months to see their maturity level, etc, and then met with Dave Howells to ask if the group might like to have a “project” the kids could work on. Yes was the answer, but my original project wasn’t appropriate for the kids (lots of welding, etc), so I switched to an all wood kit that would work well for these kids.
Thus was born the Tiger Moth project. This is a kit by Fisher Flying Products of North Dakata, roughly replicating a 1930s era deHaviland Tiger Moth, which was the British training model between the world wars. The Tiger Moth was extensively used for training throughout the British empire.
This Tiger Moth is (will be!) an open cockpit, 2 seat aircraft. The passenger sits in front and the pilot sits in the back.
Setting up
Another local builder, Mike Goodman, finished building his wings and fuselage on this 14′ long table and very generously donated it for our project.
Moving work table from Mike's garage.
We needed to move (in one piece) that table from Mike’s home in Ventura to its new home at the EAA hangar at Camarillo airport.
Mike is building a Dakota Hawk, a 2 seat, side by side airplane from Fisher Flying Products. Like the Tiger Moth, it’s an all wood, fabric covered airplane.
Unloading the work table.
So with the help of neighbors and friends, we got the table to the hangar (in one piece!) and set up against the back wall.
Many thanks to Bobbie, our neighbor, for letting us use his trailer, plus helping with the move.
The next issue was to make a little poster to hang on the wall explaining what this project was all about.
Project description and warning poster.
Plus, the shipping crate that contained the wood for the wings had such beautiful penmanship (from Fisher Flying Products) that I cut out the address and added it to the wall!
Finally, the small metal poster hanging under the plywood states: WARNING! Consider the possible consequences if you are careless in your work. (Click on the image for larger size). Good advice for all futue workers! I’ve made the students read that warning out loud for emphasis.
The moving crew.
Mike’s the guy in the white tee shirt in the back, in the middle. Thanks again guys for all the work!
March 11th, 2009 at 4:04 am
Hello Don,
I found your website in an online FA Newsletter Alumni news from last year. I probably remember you better than you remember me. I went to Faith also – Class of 1970 – and knew your sister Diane well. I even visited your familys’ home a weekend or two while we were classmates. The last I remember Diane was the 5th or 6th grade (’62? ’63?) Can’t remember when you all left the Philippines. Was just wondering how she is and where she is living now. Haven’t heard much about your family until you wrote to FA. I live in Dayton, Ohio, home of aviation. Sorry to infringe on your time and hope you are finding homes to sell these days! Sincerely, Deb Lough
March 11th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Hi Deb,
Thanks so much for touching base! Wow – a voice from my long lost past! Unfortunately, I think you may have confused me with another Nelson because I don’t have a sister (bummer…!). I graduated from H.S. in 1966 (in Minnesota). My claim to fame at Faith is that I lived in the “old” boarding house as the “new” campus was acquired and then built.
Skimming the current Faith newsletter (Feb/2009) a couple days ago is the article “Our Calling to F.A.” by Kim Keating, which brought back funny (now in retrospect!) memories. Len Brooks and his wife were my houseparents in the new campus and lived across the hall from my room. All I can say is I hope God has richly blessed them, because we boys caused them relentless grief. One story…
There were 4 boys per room and the closets in our room backed up to the closets of the next room. Above the closets was an open area where you could store suitcases and stuff. The plywood floor to that storage area was the top of the closets, and splitting the 4 closets were built-in dresser drawers. Above the drawers was a mirror and there was a light over the mirror. Being resourceful boys, we quickly learned we could pull up the plywood flooring (above the light), bootleg a bare light bulb to the 220 volt electricity, and read up there after lights out.
From time to time, something bad would happen (theft, contraband, switchblades, whatever) and all the boys would be taken to the central living room while a search was made of the rooms. In the storage space in the room next to us, “Skip” stored a bootleg container of gasoline for his (controversial) scooter he was allowed to have on campus, and the staff discovered our bootleg light just on the other side of the partition from the gas. Mr. Brooks had a paddle with holes in it – and I was introduced to it!
Another time we found a live hand grenade back in the hills and tried to blow it up. To this day, I just can’t believe how God spared a bunch of stupid boys. At an all school picnic, about half a dozen of us snuck out, got a pair of pliers, went back into the hills, worked the pin out and tossed it. Nothing. After a few minutes, we stomped around the grass, found it, and repeated the process. Nothing. We tried several times and gave up then brought it back to the dorm where it sat until it was found in one of the staff “sweeps”. The P.C. came in a convoy of bomb trucks to pick it up!
I’ve regaled my kids with these stories and had the opportunity to bring my family to the P.I. over Christmas, 2007, and show them the crime scenes of my youth. Again, I truly trust all the houseparents at Faith have been richly blessed because of boys like me.
Thanks again so much for touching base! Would love to hear about some of your memories (but I suspect girls live quite different lives than boys when growing up).