Delta Juliet
A Brief History of G-ACDJ

1939 to 1953
Delta Juliet joined No. 1 EFTS (Elementary Flight Training School) at the outbreak of war, her civilian registration being cancelled on the 30th October 1940. Her civil markings were exchanged for the RAF training colours of the day and she was allocated serial number BB729.
On the 1st November 1940 BB729 moved to No 28 EFTS at Wolverhampton where she was used to train a contingent of Turkish Pilots. She continued in service until the 21st July 1945 when she was delivered to No. 9 MU (Maintenance Unit) Cosford for storage. She was released to RAF Dyce on the 6th June 1952 and used as a 'hack' until she was put back into store, this time at No. 20 MU Aston Down.
BB729 was finally sold to A.J. Whittemore (Aeradio) Ltd. Croydon on the 6th November 1953 and was restored to the civilian register on the 4th December of that year.
She was not converted to civilian specification at this time, and was later resold to Continental Aircraft Services Ltd. Croydon where her registration was cancelled on the 22nd July 1955.

1973 to 1990
In January 1973 Delta Juliet, in a dismantled condition, was acquired by Captain Fred Perry of Beaconsfield being registered to F. J. Perry on the 5th March 1973.
Assembly was undertaken by Cyril Pugh at Nympsfield, who separated out from the consignment the accompanying parts of G-APFU (86081) and commenced the rebuild of both aircraft in parallel.
Painted yellow and and black and with a renewed C of A dated 17th May 1974, Delta Juliet was moved to a private strip at Siege Cross Farm, Thatcham where she was operated in partnership with the Calleva Flying Group's Tiger Moth G-AJHU (83900).
In June 1979 Delta Juliet was a participant in the Famous Grouse Rally from Hatfield to Strathallan, in which she achieved 32nd place.
Delta Juliet was sold to Peter Henley and Kevin Moorhouse on the 10th September 1990.

2001 to Today
Following the sale of Delta Juliet the de Havilland School of Flying Ltd was formed, and in August 2001 'DJ' was granted a Public Transport Certificate of Airworthiness. Since then she has been training pilots and giving lucky individuals their first taste of real flying.
She is based at White Waltham Airfield in Berkshire, which by coincidence, was acquired by the de Havilland School of Flying in 1928.

1933 to 1939
Built at Stag Lane, Edgware in 1933, Delta Juliet was registered on the 6th February and gained her Certificate of Airworthiness on the 29th March 1933. G-ACDJ was one of the first batch of ten DH82a Tiger Moths built by de Havilland, and is one of only two of that batch that are still flying today. She spent her entire pre-war life with the de Havilland School of Flying at Panshanger, Hertfordshire who were contracted to provide flying training to the Royal Air Force Reserve under the auspices of No. 1 ERFTS (Elementary Reserve Flight Training School).

1953 to 1971
During December 1955 Delta Juliet was acquired by Rollason Aircraft and Engines Ltd. where she was overhauled and returned to civilian colours.
The next recorded owner was Surrey Aviation Ltd who purchased the aircraft on the 26th July 1957 and renewed her Certificate of Airworthiness on the 30th August of that year.
She was flown at Croydon by the Surrey Flying Club who then moved to Biggin Hill during December 1959 and became the Surrey and Kent Flying Club. The photograph below shows Delta Juliet overhead Croydon Airfield, and was used by the national press to publicise the closure of Croydon in 1959.
In July 1965 Delta Juliet was sold to Agricultural Aviation and Engineering Ltd at Hardwick.

1990 to 2001
During late 1990 Delta Juliet was dismantled. The aircraft fuselage was carried by road to Woodford Aerodrome for a complete overhaul, while the wings were recovered by the Newbury Aeroplane Company at Hungerford.
Painted in her pre-war colours of the de Havilland School of Flying, G-ACDJ was declared airworthy at Woodford following a post restoration flight in the hands of her engineer, Colin Frey, on the 30th September 1991. A new Certificate of Airworthiness was issued on the 17th October 1991.
In 1992 Delta Juliet became a regular member of the de Havilland Moth Club's Diamond Nine Formation Team and led the formation for the 1993 season.
Following the death of Kevin Moorhouse in 1996, sole ownership passed to Peter Henley. Delta Juliet was moved to a private strip in Wiltshire and was registered to Peter Henley on the 19th February 1997.
Peter continued to fly Delta Juliet, and she participated in a number of air shows primarily as a static display, however, in 2000 during the Farnborough Air Show, G-ACDJ did take part in the de Havilland Fly Past.