Originally Posted by
Shaggy Sheep Driver
Genghis - have you tried the Yak52? Eats Harvards for brekkers at a fraction the costs. But even at twice the running cost of the dHC1 together with inifnately more power and better aerobatic capability than the Chippy, I'll take the old Brit classic over the '52 any day (and I had a share in a '52 for a few years so do know them quite well).
I've logged Harvard and Chipmunk, and handled the controls of a Yak-52. My recollection is of enjoying the Harvard most, then the Chipmunk, then the Yak - but I flew them years apart with developing experience as I went along, so my comparisons may not be what I'd say if I was flying all three the same weekend now.
I confess I do also have very happy memories of the good old Bloodknot - which doesn't seem to have captured the world's hearts as well as the Chippie has. Probably because it has a training wheel I suspect.
I suspect that one of main reasons the Chipmunk will stay so popular is that tandem seating became unfashionable amongst aircraft designers - but it is very nice if you don't like looking at your pax or prefer to pretend you're flying a single seat fighter.
G