![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
|||
|
|||
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
Guillow's Kit 50-2 (1956) deHaviland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk Wingspan: 17" Class: Sport Building Skill / Flying Skill: Easy / Easy
Successor to the world famous Tiger Moth biplane, the Chipmunk was the first original design by deHaviland Canada and was built in quantity in Canada and in Great Britain for R.A.F. Primarily used as a basic trainer to provide air cadets with elementary flying instructions prior to going onto jet aircraft training. The parent Canadian company produced a total of 218 DHC-1’s of which remain in service with the R.C.A.F. One thousand fourteen were built by deHaviland in the U.K. including both military and civilian versions. As a civilian aircraft, the Chipmunk is often seen an aerobatics competition.
The de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk is a tandem, two-seat,
single-engined primary trainer aircraft which was the standard primary
trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force and several
other air forces through much of the post-Second World War years. The de
Havilland Chipmunk was the first true postwar aviation project of de
Havilland Canada.
Today, over 500 DHC-1 Chipmunk (affectionately known as "Chippie")
airframes remain airworthy with more being rebuilt every year.
The Chipmunk was designed to succeed the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane
trainer that was widely used during the Second World War. Wsiewołod
Jakimiuk, a Polish prewar engineer, created the first indigenous design
of the aircraft at de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. It is an
all-metal, low wing, tandem two-place, single engine aircraft with a
conventional tail wheel landing gear and fabric-covered control
surfaces. The wing is also fabric-covered aft of the spar. A clear
perspex canopy covers the pilot/student (front) and instructor/passenger
(rear) positions. CF-DIO-X, the Chipmunk prototype, flew for the first
time at Downsview, Toronto on 22 May 1946 with Pat Fillingham, test
pilot from the parent de Havilland company, at the controls.[1] The
production version of the airplane was powered by a 145 hp (108 kW)
in-line de Havilland Gipsy Major 8 engine while the prototype was
powered by a 145 hp (108 kW) de Havilland Gipsy Major 1C.
Two Chipmunk aircraft were evaluated by the Aeroplane and Armament
Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at RAF Boscombe Down. As a result,
the fully-aerobatic Chipmunk was ordered as an ab initio trainer for the
Royal Air Force (Prince Philip took his first flying lesson in one in
1952). The Royal Canadian Air Force also adopted the Chipmunk as their
primary trainer.
British-built and early Canadian-built Chipmunks are notably different
from the later Canadian-built RCAF/Lebanese versions. The later
Canadian-built airplanes have a bubble canopy, while early Canadian, and
all Portuguese and British examples have the multi-panelled sliding
canopy, the rearmost panels of which are bulged for better instructor
visibility.
Super Chipmunk
A number of Chipmunks were modified as aerobatic aircraft in the United
States as the "Super Chipmunk". Along with an uprated engine, the
aircraft underwent an extensive makeover including clipping its wings,
adding retractable landing gear, conversion to a single-seat layout,
adding an autopilot and being fitted with a red, white and blue wingtip
and tail smoke system. The control stick received a three-inch (76 mm)
extension for greater control during extreme aerobatic maneuvers. For
over 25 years the Super Chipmunk in its distinctive bright color scheme
of blue stars and sunburst effect was displayed by the aerobatic pilot
Art Scholl.
Four Super Chipmunk conversions were modified, Scholl's N13A and N13Y,
Harold Krier’s N6311V and Skip Volk's N1114V. Another more recent "Super
Chipmunk" was converted by air show performer, Jim "Fang" Maroney who
similarly modified an ex-RCAF example by strengthening the airframe,
replacing the original 145 hp (108 kW) engine with a 260 hp (190 kW)
version incorporating an inverted fuel and oil system, clipping three
feet off the wings and adding 30% more rudder and 10% more elevator. A
spatted landing gear was retained. Another similarly modified "Super
Chipmunk", N1804Q, is owned and flown by air show pilot Greg Aldridge.
N13Y is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian
Institution, Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington-Dulles International
Airport., while N1114V is preserved at the EAA AirVenture Museum at
Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Operational history
The RAF received 735 Chipmunks, designated de Havilland Chipmunk T.10,
manufactured in the UK by the de Havilland parent company to
specification 8/48 as a Tiger Moth replacement. They initially served
with Reserve Flying Squadrons (RFS) of the RAF Volunteer Reserve (VR) as
well as the University Air Squadrons. A few Chipmunks were pressed into
service in Cyprus on internal security flights during the conflict in
1958. From 1956 to 1990 some were used for covert reconnaissance by
BRIXMIS operating out of RAF Gatow, Berlin.[citation needed] They were
still in service for ATC Air Experience Flights until 1996 (the final
AEF to use the Chipmunk was No. 10 Air Experience Flight, RAF Woodvale)
when they were replaced by the Bulldog. Chipmunk T.10s were also used by
the Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm for primary training. The last
Chipmunks in military service are operated by the British historic
flights - the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (including one of
the BRIXMIS aircraft), the Royal Navy and Army historic flights, to keep
their pilots current on tailwheel aircraft.
Canada
The RCAF accepted its first DHC-1 Chipmunks in 1948 and did not retire
the last one until 1972, three years after unification in 1968. The
Chipmunk's long service was due, in part, to its fully aerobatic
capabilities and superb flying characteristics, which made it a delight
to fly. It is also a mechanically sound aircraft and, consequently, many
ex-RCAF Chipmunks are still operational around the world.
Production
Downsview built 217 Chipmunks, the last in 1956.[citation needed] A
total of 1,000 were built in Britain initially at Hatfield Aerodrome and
then later at Hawarden Aerodrome.[4] A further 66 Chipmunks were
licence-manufactured by OGMA (Oficinas Gerais de Material Aeronáutico,
at Alverca) from 1955 to 1961 in Portugal for the Portuguese Air Force.
|
The Build: CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE...
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
NEXT:
Comet Kit #3405 Vultee A-35 Vengeance
Parker Information Resources Houston, Texas E - mail: bparker@parkerinfo.com |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
![]() |