Chipmunk's 60th

[Chippyfan]

Chipmunk's 60th - did you fly in one or are you a fan??
The Chipmunk Aircraft celebrates it's 60th Anniversary in 2006. There are many Chipmunk Fans and ex Chippy Pilots in the UK and there is a web site called caledonianchipmunks dedicated to "The Chippy" - please help keep this wonderful aircraft in the public eye. Please feel free to tell as many "Chippy" people as you like.

Thanks

Chippy Fan
Mods: sorry if this is posted in the wrong place!!

CF - I have removed the links to a commercial site as per PPRune guidlines. As for posting location, I feel you will fare better on Aviation History, so that's where it is going.

PS
Flew it
Loved it!

[renfrew]

Air Training Corps at school around 1958/9.
Had flights in Chipmunks out of Turnhouse,Andover and Honington.
Great memories.

[Chippyfan]

C.mon then - join the Chippy Forum and tell them all - we are based at Prestwick - if you are based in "Renfrew" - you could do it again???

Cheers
Happy New Year
Chippyfan

[Guern]

Had the pleasure of many flights in the Chippy in the early 80's from Finningley as a CCF cadet on summer camp. It was a great experience.

Happy days.

:)

[treadigraph]

Flew in two with me dad in Kenya in 1970ish - 5Y-KLS which ended up in Florida and which, remarkably, I ran across at Tamiami a decade or so later, and 5Y-KLY which I believe ended up in Rhodesia (well, it was at the time!). Love to renew the acquaintance, short though it was. :ok:

[ChrisVJ]

Two week long Summer camps at Bicester.

Our Math master, Peter Corlett had a Chipmunk, G-APSC, used to fly that from school, and after.

[FLCH]

My first flight flying an airplane was in a Chipmunk as a cadet, throat mike and parachute waddling like a duck to get in...it was a lot of fun in WG417. Nowdays it's a little more sedate in the LH seat of a 7576. :)

[con-pilot]

I had the pleasure of flying a highly modified Chipmunk with a 300 horsepower Lycoming engine with a 3 bladed prop and hydraulic toe brakes. It belonged to a good friend of mine that used the airplane to perform in air shows.

You had to fly it solo from the back seat due to the increased weight of the engine.

That thing was pure unadulterated fun! I could do a vertical “S” from straight and level flight. I had the option of rolling a half roll in the middle or just pushing to about 2 to 2 and half negative “G’s” to finish over the top. I usually did the half roll, I hate negative G’s. (Plus my flight surgeon told me that I was getting too old to be doing negative G’s. Bloody spoilsport! But I have to admit that I did burst some blood vessels in my eyes.)

What a great fun airplane, and I could fit into it!

[diginagain]

Had great fun in Chippies as an ATC cadet on summer camps, followed by Basic Fixed Wing on my Army Pilots Course (as have a number of ppruners, I suspect). I'd sell the wife for another jolly!

[Chippyfan]

Fantastic to hear all about your dynamic "Chippy" expeiences l keep 'em commin. I am away for the next week so don't think I have lost interest.

Cheers
Chippyfan

[G-APDK]

There will be several events during the summer marking the Chipmunk's 60th birthday, the event I organise at North Weald on 17-18 June being one.

Why not come along and join us and swap stories with the owners and crews.

G-APDK
ps If you own a Chippy you will be getting an invite from me shortly, if you fly someone elses and require details drop me a PM

[John Eacott]

S2,

857 was still there in 1968: and WP856/"904" was at Dartmouth: what an anorak thing to keep in my logbook! My first Chippie was during PPL at Stapleford Tawney, G-AOFE, which we used for spinning training: if you won Neville (?) Browning as your instructor, an inverted 50' run down the strip on return was a bit of an eye opener :ok:

A couple of old photos: WP799 from Linton on Ouse, around 1968

http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/Chipmunk%20WP799%20small.jpg


And another one on the ground in January 1969, not sure of the S/N

http://www.helicopterservice.com.au/photos/pprune/Chipmunk%20N%20@%20Linton%20in%20snow%20small.jpg

[Airbedane]

The Chipmunk - what a magic aeroplane. The control harmonisation is the best I've ever flown...........

I had the plesure as an air experience cadet in the 60's, university cadet 60's and 70's, air experience flight pilot mid 70's and latterly at Shuttleworth. On that subject, we must do something at Old Warden for the celebrations. Anybody any ideas...........

A

[UNCTUOUS]

Had my first engine failure in a Chippy. Malcolm was in the backseat teaching me some low-flying at 500feet over a swamp when the engine started sputtering and was obviously dying. Being my first flight and an ad hoc thing at that, I wasn't familiar with anything, the P-8 compass or the fuel tank selector down on the floor in my front cockpit. Malcolm was a nice chap but he tended to get all excited and stutter badly under stress. When he wasn't stuttering he was stammering. We had Gosport tubes only and through my ill-fitting leather helmet I eventually made out what I thought was the word "fuel". I looked out at the gauges in the wing roots and could only just make out through the dirt and condensation that one of them was flickering on empty. Couldn't make out what the other one was reading. That encouraged me to start looking around and eventually I spotted a likely candidate down in the darkness, on the front cockpit floor. Quickly selected the other selection and was immensely gratified to hear the engine roar back into chippy-song - particularly when I looked up and saw that Malcolm was at 50ft asl aiming at the tree-covered island in the middle of the swamp. When I asked him why later, it was "because he couldn't swim".
He was so shook up that 20 mins later he groundlooped it while landing into a low sunset....so I got a tick in that box as well. After teaching me how to handspin the prop, which was slightly different to the Tiger, He signed me up on it and I had many a fun hour teaching myself aeros and spins. Unfortunately the next Chippy I flew had a completely different configuration and I became a real pain to ATC at a major capital city secondary airport - until, after many NORADIO rejoins, I discovered that it had a Gen Field switch. Switching that on was a monster help and assist to the battery and radio. At age 17 I was immortal and not very tech oriented.

Malcolm Blackshaw, an absolutely tremendous chap. To this day I recall his first words when the engine started coughing and before he started stuttering uncontrollably: "Bloody Hell, rooted by science again".

[treadigraph]

Airbedane, nice to see you!

How about a fly in (of course!) with, perhaps, a Chipmunk only aeros competiton?

So sad that Steve "Beauman" Young isn't still with us to celebrate, I seem to remember that he was a serious Chipmunk afficionado.

Cheers

Treadders

[Arkroyal]

FLCHMy first flight flying an airplane was in a Chipmunk Oh no, I'm sorry, but you were in an aeroplane that day.

Lovely machine, a small part of one I am priveleged to own. I just hope I can bring her to at least one of the planned meets, as I did for the 50th at Wellesbourne

[alvin-sfc]

mail0006 Hope this old photo of Chipmunk G-BDBP taken at Tollerton in the seventies comes through ok if not can anybody tell me the easiest way to put a photo on this site? Cheers, alvin-sfc

[diginagain]

Alvin, read the sticky on hints and tips at the top of the AH&N thread list.

[SlippingRight]

Did my first flight and first aeros in a Chipmunk as a cadet. Fell in love with them.

When I found out about a flying club with one recently I had to get involved. Superb flying and this one was in almost the same condition as when it left the RAF. And for all you ex cadets out there, the view's a lot better from the front seat!

[IanH]

Do you still have to wear one of those really uncomfortable parachutes that the cadets had to wear ? ..... I remember it was a real struggle walking and getting in and out of the Chipmunk .... looking at my old ATC 3822, .....I flew in WP979 & WP805 in the late 70's

[Arkroyal]

Ian,

Generally no. Ours has seat cushions and storage below.

As my old crab QFI, Pete Freddie said:

best parachute you've got, is that one, and that one

(pointing to the wings)

[alvin-sfc]

Alvin, read the sticky on hints and tips at the top of the AH&N thread list.

Hi didinagain, thanks for the reply.I'm a bit new to this site so can you be a bit more specific about how to send photos. Cheers, alvin-sfc.:ok:

[Guern]

Anyone else remember the safety film we had to watch as cadets before going up in an Chippie?

The only bit I remember is the bit about parachuting in the event of an emergency. I seem to remember it went something like this:

Pilot: "Jump Jump John"
Cadet: "Jump Jump Sir"

before pilot holds plane straight and level whilst cadet climbs out of cockpit onto wing and then takes care to avoid tailplane on jumping off wing!

:D

[SlippingRight]

I think most of us can remember the 'cadet waddle' to get to the ac in your normal blues with parachute attached! Remember the warnings to look aroound or you'll get run over by the ac you can't hear? Seems a bit different to today's ones in growbags with fetching white fitted crash hats. What's changed, are the Grobs that much more dangerous? I think not! Good ole H&SAW.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

I've been flying the lovely G-BCSL since I got my PPL in '79. The Chippy is far and away my favorite of the many types I've flown. Here's me closing the canopy having just started up at the dH Moth rally at Woburn last summer, for return to Liverpool.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b132/GZK6NK/vince1.jpg

Picture courtesy of the excellent DamianB.

SSD

[Mr_Grubby]

http://www.btinternet.com/~simon.gurry/Dadsphotos/CHIPMUNKWB558OldSarum64small.JPG

Old Sarum 1964


Clint.

[Peter Barron]

Shaggy Sheep Driver.

Are you sure that's you in the Chipmunk.

Looks like Bill Oddie from the Goodies to me.:confused:

Perhaps that's your part time job, Bill Oddie lookalike :ok:

Peter.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Shaggy Sheep Driver.
Are you sure that's you in the Chipmunk.
Looks like Bill Oddie from the Goodies to me.:confused:
Perhaps that's your part time job, Bill Oddie lookalike :ok:
Peter.

If I was Bill Oddie, I could probably afford a Chippy all of my own. Unfortunatley, I only own a little bit of SL. ;)

SSD

[airborne_artist]

My first flight at Roborough in Nov 78 was in WP904 (909), also flew:

WP795 (901), WP374 (10 mins solo!) (903), WB575 (907), WK634 (now in Tx, USA).

[Malcolm G O Payne]

My first Chippy flight was at 12 RFS Filton in 1952. After some months of flying Tigers off the grass area at the north side of the field I had to face landing on the runway that was built for the Brabazon - about three times wider than I was used to at Staverton and I had awful problems with the perspective. I can still remember my instructor irately saying "Only fools and blockheads make the same mistake twice. Payne, you have done that. What are you?" We lost one Chippy when two qualified pilots went off on some mutual IF. The system in use involved the use of amber screens and blue goggles. The pilot doing the IF got fed up after a while and took his goggles off, handing them to the pilot in the back seat, where the stowage was. The back seat pilot said "I have it", meaning the goggles. The front seat pilot relaxed and admired the scenery confident in the ability of the other pilot, while the rear seat occupant did the same. The aircraft entered a slow descending spiral until it hit the ground. Both pilots survived, but injured.

[henry crun]

I did a ground tour at St Athan in the late 1950's and there were several to keep the few pilots in current flying practise.

The only thing that made that job more bearable being able to go and thrash around in a Chippie whenever I felt like it, a lovely aircraft.

[Brian Swell]

My first flight flying an airplane was in a Chipmunk as a cadet, throat mike and parachute waddling like a duck to get in...it was a lot of fun
Me too! RAF Leuchars '72(ish) - I remember my instructor pulling a SUDDEN VERY SHARP TURN to get out of the way of a Phantom scrambled from the QRA shed and seeing the beast as it went by us, at VERY close range - awsome! :D We'd only just taken off, still in the climb on runway track. We got to see the photo's of the Bear the next day- intercepted somewhere over Scandinavia I think. (Wasn't you in the Phantom, was it BEagle?). :ok:
Very fond memories of the Chippie, would love to fly in one again!
BS

[the_flying_cop]

the chipmunk was the first EVER aircraft i flew in. 5th December 1986. I remember it so vividly, and also the stimulating "john andrews sir" video that was viewed prior to strapping on the world's most uncomfortable parachute.
loved it so much i went on to do all the flying scholarship etc. there is a civvy one in red that flies out of barton and over my house from time to time........arrrrgh the memories.
long live the chippy.

one moment i will remember was during a later flight a few years on i was doing a stall turn. cant remember if it was left and throttle to idle or left and full power. i got it the wrong way about and was greeted by the sight of the prop coming to a standstill in the vertical position.the nice chap in the front seat gives it "oh, thats not meant to happen......i have control" two ticks later a pop, bang, and splutter and the old girl was off again. hurrah

[Mr_Grubby]

http://www.btinternet.com/~simon.gurry/Dadsphotos/CHIPMUNKWK515Hurn63small.JPG

Hurn 1963


Clint.

[chipmunkbob]

Does anyone have any time logged in (or even better - pictures of) WK639?


=CB=
Current caretaker of WK639 in Seattle, WA. USA

[TD&H]

The trouble with learning to fly on Chipmunks is that it spoils you for anything else. 'RV and 'RS were my mounts back in 76, seem to remember 'RV only having an 8 stud radio.

[BEagle]

No Brian, not me. In 1972 I was still a student.

Flying Chipmunks at the premier UAS, based at White Waltham but shortly to move to RAF Abingdon.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

The trouble with learning to fly on Chipmunks is that it spoils you for anything else.

Oi! That's copyright!;)

('Pilot' magazine, err...... some while ago):E

SSD

[pulse1]

I have two memories of the Chipmunk.

The first was my first ever flight, as an ATC cadet in the mid 50's at camp in Hawarden. I was bundled out to the aircraft to find that the cadet in front of me had been sick in his oxygen mask. When I eventually got in, the cockpit and mask was swimming in disinfectant. I managed to be sick in the bag.

Second memory was, as an ATC gliding instructor at Old Sarum, we had just launched a glider. An AEF Chipmunk took off and, for some reason, turned hard left, flew into the launch cable and spun into the far hedge. The young RAF pilot who had just got his wings was very badly hurt. Fortunately the cadet was only slightly hurt.

The RAF BoI blamed everybody except the Chipmunk pilot. In my book he was the only one to blame. If he had done what everyone I know was taught and climbed straight ahead until he was at 400', he would have missed the cable.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

An AEF Chipmunk took off and, for some reason, turned hard left, flew into the launch cable and spun into the far hedge. The young RAF pilot who had just got his wings was very badly hurt. Fortunately the cadet was only slightly hurt.


Did the cadets sit in the back?

SSD

[TD&H]

Sorry SSD!

Didn't mean to plagiarise. Haven't read Pilot mag in quite a while. Must be a case of great minds.....:ok:

Quite envy you. Being current on a Chipmunk that is, not for looking like Bill Oddie:E

[Tim Inder]

SSD, yes, the cadets used to sit in the back. Good view of the wings and the pilot's 'dome (used to have their name Dymo'ed on the back!)
I remember once many moons ago at 5 AEF flying in those days from Cambridge when my pilot having been fairly comfortable with my flying let me have control around the circuit and then on asking me to 'turn final and line up with the runway' wondered why we managed to get ourselves pointing the right way, but quite considerably off-centreline!

[effortless]

Second memory was, as an ATC gliding instructor at Old Sarum, we had just launched a glider. An AEF Chipmunk took off and, for some reason, turned hard left, flew into the launch cable and spun into the far hedge. The young RAF pilot who had just got his wings was very badly hurt. Fortunately the cadet was only slightly hurt.
The RAF BoI blamed everybody except the Chipmunk pilot. In my book he was the only one to blame. If he had done what everyone I know was taught and climbed straight ahead until he was at 400', he would have missed the cable.
Remember it well, saw it but wasn't called as a witness. The cadet's name was Bennett. The chippy turned early at about 50' and slid down the cable. Everyone knew about the gliding and the pilot seemed to us to be at fault. No one else turned in like that and there were one or two other chippys doing joy rides at the time as well as combined services Otters. Cadet got a cut shoulder from loose straps. Pilot cracked a vertibra as I remember. I wondered what happened to the pilot's career after that. :(

[Flying Lawyer]

Superb aircraft, a joy to fly.
One of the best trainers ever built IM(very)HO.

http://www.raf.mod.uk/bbmf/rafcms/mediafiles/4B146F0B_1143_D71E_467751E1139433A4.jpg
WK518


First solo 1971 in WK518 - although it didn't have the high-conspicuity paint scheme in those days.
WK518 was (maybe still is) one of the last two Chipmunks in RAF service. I don't know if it's still there, but it was with the BBMF and used for conversion training of pilots who frequently don't have tail-dragger experience.
It started its service life at Cranwell in 1952 and subsequently served with the University of London Air Squadron at RAF White Waltham, some minor UAS units and No 1 AEF at Manston before going to the BBMF in 1983.
Anyone know if it's still in service?

My 'usual' aircraft WD345, which I shared with BEagle amongst others. I wonder if WD345 is still flying. It wasn't available when I did my first solo. Perhaps BEagle was flying it - he was more senior (older ;)) than me.

Andy Septon was more senior still - 'Senior Student' of the Squadron, no less - first steps on his very distinguished flying career.

Happy Days at ULAS.
The RAF introduced short(er) service commissions later. If they had been an option at the time, my life might have taken a different course.


FL


SSD
Yes, Air Experience cadets sat in the back - at least with No 6 AEF which was also at White Waltham at the time.

.

[pulse1]

effortless,

We must have been there at the same time. They didn't call many witnesses. It was felt at the time that, as the pilot was at the beginning of his career (he was waiting to go to OCU, I think) they ensured he was not officially blamed.

The ATCO, OC Flying and the instructor in charge of the gliding were punished. Seems quite common to have unjust outcomes to RAF BoI's.

NB. The AAC operated Beavers and these and a club Tiger Moth used to mix in with the gliders with no difficulty (and no ATC either).

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

TD&H - no probs.:)

But it was published a while ago - about '93 I'd guess. I'd be flattered if the phrase had stuck. :ok:

TI & FL - Ta! Most of my passenegrs complain that all they ever see is the back of my head. When I had a Yak52 share a while back (also flown P1 from the front), a fellow group member had a reproduction of Munch's 'The Scream' painted on the back of his helmet!

SSD

[effortless]

Pulse1
NB. The AAC operated Beavers and these and a club Tiger Moth used to mix in with the gliders with no difficulty (and no ATC either).

Yes of course Beavers, too many years and too many beers.

Interesting landing there as I remember, bit of a rise in the middle of the runway. Landing aircraft used to disappear then come over the top and down the other side. The only time I experienced negative G after touchdown.

[pulse1]

Would I be right in thinking that the Chipmunk has the unique honour of being the only RAF aircraft which has been scrapped from its primary role, and then reintroduced back into that role? I used to glide with a chap who had bought a crated Chipmunk in the early 60's. He sold it back to the MoD in the late 60's.

[John Eacott]

No Brian, not me. In 1972 I was still a student.

Flying Chipmunks at the premier UAS, based at White Waltham but shortly to move to RAF Abingdon.

There's another illusion shattered: all these years, me thinking BEag's to be a steely grey haired old f@rt, and he was a stude years after I went front line.

Now I do feel my age.....:p

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Would I be right in thinking that the Chipmunk has the unique honour of being the only RAF aircraft which has been scrapped from its primary role, and then reintroduced back into that role? I used to glide with a chap who had bought a crated Chipmunk in the early 60's. He sold it back to the MoD in the late 60's.

With military procurement, anything's possible. I thought the first RAF ones to be sold off were in the early '70s (including our own WG474 - now G-BCSL), but there may have been earlier sales.

I suppose the one you refer to might have been re-aquired by the service at a time when Chippys were used in many service roles, to replace a written-off or seriously damaged machine of their own? But I can't understand why theye'd have sold it in the first place.

SSD

[pulse1]

SSD,

My vague and failing memory thought that there were two reasons why it was that Chipmunks were no longer required:

1. In the early 60's we were entering the missile age and pilots would not be needed and,

2. Later on, when they realised how wrong they were, they thought that all pilots would be taught in JP's from the beginning. It was the resultant significant rise in accident rates which encouraged the return if the Chippie to sort the men out from the boys at EFT.

That all may be a figment of my drink sodden imagination. It was the 60's after all!

[waldopepper42]

First flight in ANY aeroplane was a Chippy at RAF Newton, circa 1972/3, first aerobatic flight, again a Chippy (RAF Bicester). Must have had a lasting effect - bought a share in Chipmunk WK633 and held it for 5 years. Loved flying it, similar to others' experience, best harmonised and lightest controls of any aeroplane I've flown. Sorry to let the share go, but was becoming too expensive, given the amount of time that I was in the UK to be able to fly it.

WP.

[BEagle]

Actually, Flying Lawyer, you were probably driving the fuel bowser :rolleyes: at the time I was flying '345 solo. I think '345 went to a new owner in the USA when demobbed.

And, I'll have you know, 'twas moi who was Senior Student in 1972-73 and it was Adrian Irwin in 1971-72, not Andy! The badge of office (the 2 pint tankard) is still in regular use at THQ in Brompton Road.

I have '518 in my log book as well - my second ULAS flight on 4 Oct 69 when FL probably still had a Welsh accent!

[Escondido99]

Royal Aero Club of NSW at Bankstown had two in the mid 50s, ex the RAAF
I think , was Junior Instructor, was allowed to fly them only at lunch time and in good weather. Wonderful memories , were a little hard to get out of full stall
had a 5000 ft min start at club. Big Bad Bill.

[TD&H]

I flew the Chippie at Edinburgh UAS in the 1960's. It was a pile of poo. Nothing to do with me but the fool of a Polack designer who went on to disgrace himself with significant parts of the Concorde. He knew next to sod all. I wonder if after all these years it would turn out to be a delight after all? Is there, do you think, an equivalent of a tooth fairy that swops young men for old but exacts revenge by applying retroactive fond memories to absolute crates? As a boy in the early fifties the Vampire exercised a fascination but when I got my hands on a Venom it had become sedate. The JP was for wusses, the Gnat had a delightful bite and everything went downhill from there. But let me assure you the Chippie was a bag of bolts. Unless I was a very bad pupil you understand.:p
Oh to be young again. Anyone got Dorian Gray's phone number?
This was a response to a question I posted over on Flight Testing (on control harmonisation). Anyone wish to take up the cudgels with enicalyth?:E

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

This was a response to a question I posted over on Flight Testing (on control harmonisation). Anyone wish to take up the cudgels with enicalyth?:E

He could not be more wrong! Of course, it won't have the whizz bang handling of a Gnat - it's only a 145hp light aeroplane. But among all the very many light aircraft I've flown, none come close in handling terms.

Some (like the Acrosport or Yak52) have much higher roll rates etc, but none are as well harmonised, or give that 'strap-on-a-pair-of-wings' feeling quite like a Chippy does.

Those who've flown the Spitfire and the Chippy say the former is just like a bigger, infinately more powerful, Chippy.

Be intersting to know just what enicalyth does consider to be a nice-handling light aeroplane?

SSD

[TD&H]

Perhaps his problem was he flew a Chippie (=carpenter) hence the pile of poo:yuk: :E

[Mandator]

Flying lawyer:
WK518 still very much alive and well and still earning a crust at the BBMF. At present it is on a major at Marshalls, I believe.
Regards

[prospector]

Memories, looking in my first log book for accuracy, checked out in Chipmunk at the Royal Singapore Flying Club Dec 14 1959. VR-SDW, Check pilot was Rudy Frey who from memory was both Ops Mgr and CFI. 45 min dual then out alone with the whole of Paya Lebar to myself, got caught out tho, was having so much fun over the navy base and the causeway did not notice a big CB moving in on Paya Lebar, by the time I got back the wind was "Quite Strong", touched down, wheeler, had to wait for wingtip assistance(Both) before I could lower the tail to turn off the rwy. Most embarrassing sitting in flying attitude and going nowhere. Total time 45 hrs, brand new PPL.

Prospector

[Algernon Lacey]

TD&H

If you are interested RV is I believe still flying out of Sheffield.
After many adventures including a precautionary landing at a parachute strip north of Barcelona, she returned to the UK and I bought her with a friend.
We decided to put her back into RAF colours, after a bit of research we discovered that she had been a member of the Skylarks aerobatic team of the Central Flying school.
When the cream and green were stripped off much of her skylark colour scheme came to light.
We sold her about 3 years ago to Yorkshire vintage flyers and I believe she now earns her living doing trial flights.
Long live WD347!!

[TD&H]

Algie L (if I may be so bold as to use patronims)

I have always had a soft spot for the old cream and green paint scheme, especially as there were three Chipmunks RS, RV and PB plus the Hornet Moth in the same colours.

Used to enjoy using the bangers for starting (are there any Chipmunks still using them? Sourcing them must be interesting, and probably require a firearms licence), somehow seemed more in keeping with the ancient rituals of getting a Gypsy started, tickling the carb, hitting the impulse mag with a stick to make sure it would produce sparks at the right time, pulling through to prime the cylinders, then climbing in, remembering to set the rear mags to on (been known to forget and cause loud noise, then embarrassing silence!), canopy slid forward to half closed, rest of the checks, call 'clear prop' and pull the toggle to create a lovely bang and hopefully followed by a not embarrassing lovely tick over. Ahh! de Havilland:ok:

Then the wonderful 'Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds' feeling, heaven!