Freshly Restored 1928 Gipsy Moth New to AirVenture
Restored by an enthusiast in upstate New York, the vintage biplane has a colorful history
Michael Maniatis restored this 1928 de Havilland Gypsy Moth at his hangar on a grass strip in upstate New York. (Photo: Mark Phelps AIN)
Michael Maniatis restored this 1928 de Havilland Gypsy Moth at his hangar on a grass strip in upstate New York. (Photo: Mark Phelps AIN)

Michael Maniatis restored his first airplane decades ago in his Manhattan apartment, assembling wings, fuselage, and tail surfaces and passing them through a second-floor window for later assembly. He is now retired and living in upstate New York, and his latest effort is a 1928 de Havilland DH60G Gipsy Moth biplane. Much more rare than the World War II-vintage Tiger Moth, the Gipsy Moth was de Havilland’s first airplane.