Hi Gordon, I remember your father well - a real gentleman. I think that you may be mistaken in stating that WP809 was not one of the regulars at Plymouth. My 3rd Chipmunk flight on 07 Dec 1973 was in WP809. I next flew it on 08 June 1975 and again on 31 July 1975 (twice), all 4 flights being with your father as instructor. I again flew twice it on 22 August 1975, once with Stan Greenhow and once solo. I flew solo in it again on 10 April 1976 and my final Chipmunk flight at Roborough was in it with your father on 06 February 1977. So WP809 was at Roborough (albeit possibly intermittently) during this period of over 3 years. Incidentally, I only remember the grey and red colour scheme but unfortunately I don't have any photos.
I also recall the instructors telling us that the Flight had never had an actual accident and that the nearest they had come to one was a near bale out. However the story I remember was that there was an engine failure. After several unsuccessful attempts to restart, the instructor told the student to bale out. They opened the canopy and the student unstrapped and unplugged and was just starting to climb out when the instructor managed to restart the engine. Cue frantic attempts by the instructor to stop the student by tapping (probably hitting him hard) on the shoulder to tell him to get back in. A shaken student strapped himself back in and they returned to Roborough.
If it is of any interest, between October 1973 and February 1977 I flew:
WP795 (901),
WK634 (902),
WD374 (903),
WP856 (904),
WK608 (906),
WB575 (907),
WB657 (908),
WP904 (909),
WB671 (910),
WP801 (911),
WP809 (912).
It would seem that I missed flying WK511 (905).
Mark