RMAF Chipmunks

[Dora-9]

Does anyone have, please, any photos of RMAF Chipmunks (not the museum example though)? Did they carry underwing serials and, if so, how were they presented?

Thanks.

[India Four Two]

D9,

Have you seen this one? It doesn't help with the underwing serials though.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/india42/RMAF%20DHC-1%20Chipmunk%20T.MK.10%20%20FM1025_zpsjcav6vyp.jpg

http://tinyurl.com/jlsqdxo

I wonder where the photo was taken. Maybe in England? It is interesting that the yellow star had not been added.

Follow up. I found this picture of an Airfix model, but have no idea if the serials are correctly displayed.

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal2/1601-1700/Gal1657-Chipmunk-Param/03.jpg

http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal2/1601-1700/Gal1657-Chipmunk-Param/00.shtm

However, the orientation is the same as on this Twin Pin:

http://tinyurl.com/hz62qq4

[Dora-9]

Ripper! Thanks so much for those, effectively you've doubled my RMAF Chipmunk photos.

Here's mine:


http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/VH-BBK%20when%20FM1022%20Rod%20Brown_zpswtdnfdjw.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/VH-BBK%20when%20FM1022%20Rod%20Brown_zpswtdnfdjw.jpg.html)

This is the true FM1022, not the pretend FM1022 now in the RMAF Museum. I'm pretty sure this photo was taken at Sempang, but note how the star virtually has disappeared from the square background here too. I can't see any evidence of an underwing serial here, but it would be nice to be sure.

This is for a current re-paint project (the real FM1022). Photos later.

Thanks again, I42, very much appreciated.

[Stanwell]

Aha! I'd wondered where the real FM1022 was - the RMAF Museum, or Oz.
Now I know.

Some years ago, during a brief stopover in KL, I popped into the Museum but, aside from the fact that my camera had malfunctioned,
sadly, I didn't take particular notice of their Chippy's markings - I was more interested in the Twin Pin which was as shown in I-42's pic.
If only I'd anticipated your need.. :p .. (Of course I now realise it wouldn't have been any good to you anyway.)
As had been noted elsewhere, one can't rely on museum exhibits for accuracy of markings.
Good luck with your quest for an authentic image of the underside.
.

[India Four Two]

D9,

I'm glad I was able to help.

This is for a current re-paint project (the real FM1022). I wondered about that. I came across this photo and the accompanying caption during my search:
In the contemporary image below, by Phil Vabre, shot in July 2009, it is devoid of any distinctive livery (getting ready to be repainted as a 'warbird' perhaps?). Previously 9V-BAE, and 9M-ANI in Malaysia before that, it was one of several Chipmunks acquired by the Royal Malayan Air Force in 1959, being ex RAF WD287. In the RMAF it was FM1022 before being civilianized and ultimately windng up in Singapore.http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austb/VH-BBK3.jpg
VH-BBK(2) (http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac1/austb/VH-BBK(2).html)

Concerning the possible fading of the yellow star, I'm not sure about that. Notice in the picture of 1025, that the yellow of the fin flash shows up as black, whereas the blue is a light grey. I don't think the yellow star had been painted at the time of this photo nor in your photo of 1022 at Sempang. More research required!

EDIT
I take that back about the fin flash. I see now it is a three-colour flash - light-blue, dark-blue, yellow, although the yellow is not obvious on the photo of 1025. However, it still looks as if the 14 point star was not painted in the "roundel".

[Dora-9]

Stanwell:

The RMAF Museum's "FM-1022" is actually C1-0606, an ex RThAF T.20 (originally coded 62-97). Somewhere along the line it's acquired at Canadian-type spinner (from a Thai DHC-1B perhaps) and the markings differ from the period photos.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/not-really-FM-1022_zpsgjdn73tw.gif (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/not-really-FM-1022_zpsgjdn73tw.gif.html)

India 42:

VH-BBK is currently being painted silver, prior to the markings being applied. The photo you posted shows the aircraft being flown by the owner - the schoolboy in the rear seat is his son, now an RAAF pilot currently undergoing his F/A-18F Super Hornet conversion. How quickly time passes!

[Dora-9]

I42:

Wherever FM1025 was photographed, I'm now sure that it was not in the UK. More sleuthing reveals that FM1025 was C1-0625 (WK615) and was shipped to the MAAF initially before this became the basis for the RMAF. MAAF Chipmunks retained standard RAF markings, so your photo is apparently during or just after the repaint into RMAF markings, i.e. in Malaya or in Singapore.

Cheers.

[India Four Two]

I've also been doing "more sleuthing" in a swamp, as it were! ;)

How about posting the story and picture of BBK's aquatic adventure?

Re the lack of a star in the picture of 1025, I have concluded that it is due to the light blue and yellow colours having similar tones on panchromatic film - the yellow star blends into the light blue square.

As an aside, I discovered that the 14 point star (and the 14 stripes on the Malaysian flag) originally represented the 11 Malayan states plus Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore. They faced a quandary when Singapore was kicked out in 1965!

However, nothing was done about it until 1974 - possibly because of the asymmetry of a 13 point star or the fact that even in SE Asia, 13 is often considered an unlucky number. However, when Kuala Lumpur was declared a federal territory, they conveniently co-opted Singapore's 14th point to represent the federal government. :)

[sycamore]

I flew 9M-BAF(WD337/FM1024) and 9V-BAE(WD287/FM1022/VH-BBK) in Singers/Paya Lebar Flying club in May and October 1966.Be interested to know how`287 became a `Shipmunk` for a while...

[Dora-9]

Ah, the "shipmunk"...

This photo caused quite a stir with the owner, while my suggestion that we paint a little wavy water-line down the fuselage with little fish, crabs etc below this wasn't particularly well received!

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/WD287-recovery_zpsytj34zzb.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/WD287-recovery_zpsytj34zzb.jpg.html)

I'm greatly indebted to Geoff Ambrose for the following details:

"The photo would have been taken between 16/8/1957 and 24/8/1957. The Chipmunk of the Malay Auxiliary Air Force based at Penang had run low on fuel and in attempting to land at Medjie Airstrip 3 miles NNE of Johor Bahru ran into a mangrove swam. Date of accident 15/8/1957. Initially declared a write off, it was decided to retrieve and rebuild the aircraft [cat 4] at Selatar, where it arrived on 24/8/1957. The photo shows the retrieval operation underway."

[oftenflylo]

There is a 1962 pic of a Provost on ebay right now (might be listed as proctor)

[Dora-9]

Gents, thanks again to all who responded. The project is now almost complete, as VH-BBK is now flying resplendent in her c.1959 RMAF markings. There's still a few stencils and the underwing serials to go...

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/IMG_1125_zpsx6hq3rgs.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/IMG_1125_zpsx6hq3rgs.jpg.html)

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/IMG_1116_zpsibvpvsrn.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/IMG_1116_zpsibvpvsrn.jpg.html)

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/IMG_1160_zpsqroswlct.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/IMG_1160_zpsqroswlct.jpg.html)

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a144/Blithering/IMG_1267_zpsfs0hmtz3.jpg (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/Blithering/media/IMG_1267_zpsfs0hmtz3.jpg.html)

Enjoy!

[India Four Two]

Very nice. It's always good to see a Chippy in authentic markings from an air force other than the RAF. I saw one in Danish colours at Oshkosh this year.

D9, your first picture - Bribie island looking west towards Pebble Beach?

[Stationair8]

Neat little jigger.

Dumb question department, how easy are spares to obtain for Gypsy Major engines?

[Dora-9]

I42 - all photos taken over Bribie Island. Top one: Bongaree in the foreground, Sandstone Point behind, Bribie Island Bridge just off-screen on RHS, looking SW. I confess I'm not sure where Pebble Beach is (and I'm a local)!

S8 - G-M spares usually available, there are some good sources here in Australia - nobody said they were cheap though.

[DaveReidUK]

Lovely photos, a nice reminder of what a fine-looking aircraft the Chipmunk was/is.

[Stanwell]

Beautiful shots of a beautiful aircraft, D-9. :ok:

[India Four Two]

Dora 9,

I should have used Google Maps, rather than GE. Pebble Beach is a cricket oval in Sandstone Point! It's been a while since I've been to Bribie and I couldn't remember the names.

I see there is tinted plexiglass in the top panels. Very sensible for flying in the Sunshine State.