Chipmunk Is Beautiful
WP 833
Following on from the above ULAS guys:
4 Mar 72 ( PI Sqn Ldr Sewell) Circuits GH Aeros
11 Apr 72 ( P1 Flt Lt Bomber) " " "
12 Apr 72 Solo " " "
31 Jul 72 " " " "
15 Sep 72 " " " "
End of an era.......
4 Mar 72 ( PI Sqn Ldr Sewell) Circuits GH Aeros
11 Apr 72 ( P1 Flt Lt Bomber) " " "
12 Apr 72 Solo " " "
31 Jul 72 " " " "
15 Sep 72 " " " "
End of an era.......
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Some nostalgic UAS posts here....I missed the Chipmunk at Southampton UAS by 12 months so flew some shiny new Bulldogs. This was from Hamble plus summer camps at Swinderby 75 & Wyton 76 (wonderful summer for aviators?)
However....did fly the Chipmunk (20 mins solo) on the Royal Navy Flying Grading course at Plymouth 1978 - on my way through RN Pilot Training.
My solo mount was WB575 - last heard of on the French civvy register.
BEagle - Would almost certainly have seen you bashing the circuit at Abingdon as I gazed out of the window at school!
However....did fly the Chipmunk (20 mins solo) on the Royal Navy Flying Grading course at Plymouth 1978 - on my way through RN Pilot Training.
My solo mount was WB575 - last heard of on the French civvy register.
BEagle - Would almost certainly have seen you bashing the circuit at Abingdon as I gazed out of the window at school!
BEagle - Would almost certainly have seen you bashing the circuit at Abingdon as I gazed out of the window at school!
Possibly, although the rest of us on ULAS would have been at White Waltham in those days.
Possibly, although the rest of us on ULAS would have been at White Waltham in those days.
Fake Sealion, I doubt whether you would have seen me bashing the RAF Abingdon circuit in 1973 - in the 2 weeks of Summer Camp I was only allowed 5 flights as I'd already passed my PFB in 1972. Most of my flying was at RAF White Waltham - although I returned to instruct on the 'dog at RAF Abingdon in 1990.
Funny you should mention the weather in Aug 72, FL. I had only recently bought myself a 5 year old MG Midget, so set off one Saturday morning from RAF Newton to drive home down the A46 / Leicester (no M69 back then...) / Fosse way to Bath, then down to Somerset. Roof down, suitcase in the boot and aircrew holdall under the tonneau cover - although it wasn't very sunny. But as I drove down Pennsylvania Hill into bath, there was a traffic jam....and then the rain started. It poured down!
To de-rig the tonneau cover, remove and stow the tonneau bars, raise the hood and fiddle with the 'lift the dot' fingernail breaking fasteners wasn't a quick job on a 1967 Midget, so I had to sit there getting wetter and wetter until the jam reached a lay-by. By then it had stopped raining, so I just thought "Sod it" and kept going!
Summer of '76 was indeed a good time for aviators - I had 3 months flying Hunters with Standards Squadron at RAF Brawdy. It was hell, I tell thee! But I'd had to sell another Midget in June, as it had become increasingly difficult to move all my wordly possessions around the RAF stuffed into a little MG! Best summer in living memory and I no longer had a convertible - ah well.
RAF Abingdon, RAF Brawdy, RAF Newton and RAF White Waltham - days when we had a reasonable sized RAF. They might no longer be RAF stations (neither are other aerodromes from my ULAS days - RAF Andover, RAF Chivenor, RAF St. Mawgan, RAF Tangmere, RAF Thorney Island, RAF Watton and RAF West Malling), but at least the good old Chippy is still pottering amiably around the skies!
Funny you should mention the weather in Aug 72, FL. I had only recently bought myself a 5 year old MG Midget, so set off one Saturday morning from RAF Newton to drive home down the A46 / Leicester (no M69 back then...) / Fosse way to Bath, then down to Somerset. Roof down, suitcase in the boot and aircrew holdall under the tonneau cover - although it wasn't very sunny. But as I drove down Pennsylvania Hill into bath, there was a traffic jam....and then the rain started. It poured down!
To de-rig the tonneau cover, remove and stow the tonneau bars, raise the hood and fiddle with the 'lift the dot' fingernail breaking fasteners wasn't a quick job on a 1967 Midget, so I had to sit there getting wetter and wetter until the jam reached a lay-by. By then it had stopped raining, so I just thought "Sod it" and kept going!
Summer of '76 was indeed a good time for aviators - I had 3 months flying Hunters with Standards Squadron at RAF Brawdy. It was hell, I tell thee! But I'd had to sell another Midget in June, as it had become increasingly difficult to move all my wordly possessions around the RAF stuffed into a little MG! Best summer in living memory and I no longer had a convertible - ah well.
RAF Abingdon, RAF Brawdy, RAF Newton and RAF White Waltham - days when we had a reasonable sized RAF. They might no longer be RAF stations (neither are other aerodromes from my ULAS days - RAF Andover, RAF Chivenor, RAF St. Mawgan, RAF Tangmere, RAF Thorney Island, RAF Watton and RAF West Malling), but at least the good old Chippy is still pottering amiably around the skies!
On another thread, that is for some reason closed, Dan Winterland said of the Chipmunk:
When did this requirement come in and was it triggered by an "incident"?
Nobody seemed worried about one radio when I flew Chipmunks above winter stratus in the late sixties.
a second radio which was required by the RAF regs to fly above cloud
Nobody seemed worried about one radio when I flew Chipmunks above winter stratus in the late sixties.
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My first flight was with the ATC at RAF Newton in May '61. I subsequently completed my PPL on my Flying Scholarship at Castle Donington (EMA) in September 1965. Wonderfully forgiving aircraft, happy days!
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India Four Two, iirc, there was to be a series of King's Cup Air Races and Schneider Trophy Air Races and the Flying Selection Squadron were chosen to represent the RAF using the Chipmunk. Some of the RAF's fleet were VHF equipped, some were UHF using PTR 170. That was a 12 channel set, crystal controlled. This was incompatible with airways transits and the civilian airfields that the crew had to establish contact with as they were all VHF only.
The Becker was presented to me by the fleet Engineering Manager based at RAF Swanton Morley for installation on one aircraft. I don't recall if there was a requirement for it to be easily removed and installed in another aircraft in the case of an unserviceability. Nevertheless, I had my ideas where it was best installed and the Squadron management had theirs! I preferred the removal of one of the instruments which wasn't on the Minimum Operating Requirement list and fitting the radio to the panel. That's why it ended up being in a really awkward place to be operated. '331 (A) was chosen by Squadron engineering management in consultation with the Aircrew. A different propeller was fitted especially for the races too, but I don't recall the details - coarser pitch I think.
As for when, I can only quote Dan here as it being 1985 which ties in with my ever diminishing memories. I removed the Special Trial Fit and left the Squadron not long after the races finished. After that there was a mod. programme and the aircraft got all tarted up with the new radio and a heater!
The Becker was presented to me by the fleet Engineering Manager based at RAF Swanton Morley for installation on one aircraft. I don't recall if there was a requirement for it to be easily removed and installed in another aircraft in the case of an unserviceability. Nevertheless, I had my ideas where it was best installed and the Squadron management had theirs! I preferred the removal of one of the instruments which wasn't on the Minimum Operating Requirement list and fitting the radio to the panel. That's why it ended up being in a really awkward place to be operated. '331 (A) was chosen by Squadron engineering management in consultation with the Aircrew. A different propeller was fitted especially for the races too, but I don't recall the details - coarser pitch I think.
As for when, I can only quote Dan here as it being 1985 which ties in with my ever diminishing memories. I removed the Special Trial Fit and left the Squadron not long after the races finished. After that there was a mod. programme and the aircraft got all tarted up with the new radio and a heater!
There's a whole heap of radio modifications so I'm unable to locate a precise date for the Becker radio fit. However, if this helps, the modification to fit the cockpit heater (H.336) is dated 18.6.1979. Presumably though it took quite some time for the entire fleet to be fitted....
Cheers!
Cheers!
I just took a quick look at my Pilot's notes for that period and it mentions that post Mod SEM 018, a Dittel ATR720B VHF radio set was installed. When I was a student at the FSS (Flying Selection Squadron) in 1985, only WD331 had the Dittel installed as it was the air racing aircraft. I went back there in 1991 as an instructor and all 15 aircraft of the now re-named EFTS had the Dittel, as well as a new UHF set which you could tune rather than relying on having the correct crystal loaded! We used to fly the aircraft above 8/8ths in 1985, but in 1991 that was only allowed with a second or standby radio. It's possible that the FSS Chippies weren't complying - I remember on the Jet Provost in 1985, the fairly unreliable two channel Standby UHF was a no-go item. So the dual radio regulation may be prior to 1985.
The Dittel was a local mod and only the EFTS Chippies were fitted with it. EFTS were the only Chipmunk unit at the time regularly flying their aircraft IMC and we all had current instrument ratings, whereas most of the other units, the Air Experience Flights were limited to VMC only.
Dora-9: Your aircraft had the Dittel fitted as an EFTS aircraft. It was also the air-racing mount for a couple of seasons.
Aerials - I don't think the racing aircraft had a different prop - it was just a newer cleaner one. At the time we only had the one prop type. There was a slightly finer one available for glider towing, but not in 1985. WD331 did get wider jets in the carburettor and a few other mods including removal of the heater which involved re-fitting the earlier more aerodynamicly cleaner exhaust. Your extra aerial must have added a bit of drag though! The racing aircraft were still Squadron airframes and were used for flying instruction - but not often given to students to fly solo.
The Dittel was a local mod and only the EFTS Chippies were fitted with it. EFTS were the only Chipmunk unit at the time regularly flying their aircraft IMC and we all had current instrument ratings, whereas most of the other units, the Air Experience Flights were limited to VMC only.
Dora-9: Your aircraft had the Dittel fitted as an EFTS aircraft. It was also the air-racing mount for a couple of seasons.
Aerials - I don't think the racing aircraft had a different prop - it was just a newer cleaner one. At the time we only had the one prop type. There was a slightly finer one available for glider towing, but not in 1985. WD331 did get wider jets in the carburettor and a few other mods including removal of the heater which involved re-fitting the earlier more aerodynamicly cleaner exhaust. Your extra aerial must have added a bit of drag though! The racing aircraft were still Squadron airframes and were used for flying instruction - but not often given to students to fly solo.
Last edited by Dan Winterland; 7th Apr 2011 at 06:06.
Our UAS Chippies were fitted with the ancient VHF controller which was connected to the suitcase-sized VHF box somewhere behind the rear seat (I think). The controller caused a unidirectional motor to rotate to select the right crystal; going from Channel A to Channel B was quite quick, but from B back to A took a fair bit longer - you could hear the thing whirring and clattering away..
Funnily enough, many years after the frequencies were no longer in use, our aircraft were still crystalled with historic frequencies such as 115.56 MHz and 142.29 MHz etc - utterly useless except for Chippy-to-Chippy!
But putting the full-band VHF set in the Hawk was fun - if you hunted around above 137 MHz, you could find some interesting conversations...
Funnily enough, many years after the frequencies were no longer in use, our aircraft were still crystalled with historic frequencies such as 115.56 MHz and 142.29 MHz etc - utterly useless except for Chippy-to-Chippy!
But putting the full-band VHF set in the Hawk was fun - if you hunted around above 137 MHz, you could find some interesting conversations...
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Laurence
I just came across your thread today. I love the shot of you in front of WZ860. The reason it has my attention is that I fly WZ860 all the time. In fact, I won an award at Airventure with it last year. It belongs to Jim and Cathy Read in Indiana (USA). Positively a delight to fly. It has been restored in RCAF colors and fitted with a bubble canopy. Registered under N26JH. If you google it you will see both it and me. Do you have any information about it during that time? Where were you? I love to collect information about the aircraft.
Thanks in advance for any assistance,
Steve Buchelt
[email protected]
I just came across your thread today. I love the shot of you in front of WZ860. The reason it has my attention is that I fly WZ860 all the time. In fact, I won an award at Airventure with it last year. It belongs to Jim and Cathy Read in Indiana (USA). Positively a delight to fly. It has been restored in RCAF colors and fitted with a bubble canopy. Registered under N26JH. If you google it you will see both it and me. Do you have any information about it during that time? Where were you? I love to collect information about the aircraft.
Thanks in advance for any assistance,
Steve Buchelt
[email protected]
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Thanks for your message Steve.
I first flew WZ860 (coded "C") with Oxford UAS in December 1961. I see from my logbook that it became quite a "favourite". That same month I did my Instrument Flying Test on it with instructor Boz Robinson, ex Hunter pilot on 74 Sqd, who went on to become AVM and a lead figure in the "first Gulf War".
My longest flight in 860 was 2h20 from Kinloss to Middle St George in August 1962, ferrying it back from our summer camp. I then took it from MSG back home to Bicester. I got to know it aerobatically during an intensive camp to work up for the Cooper Trophy in April 1963. It was also a favourite of mine for instrument flying and I have a number of GCAs logged. July 1963 saw me flying it at Leuchars. Indeed my last OUAS flight was in 860, in December 1963, again a couple of GCAs, I think at local Upper Heyford.
There is a photo of it still as "C" at Bicester in 1970.
Oxford UAS RAF [C]
I am a bit sorry to see it dressed up as a Canadian Chipmunk, but that is the owner's preogative.
Laurence
I first flew WZ860 (coded "C") with Oxford UAS in December 1961. I see from my logbook that it became quite a "favourite". That same month I did my Instrument Flying Test on it with instructor Boz Robinson, ex Hunter pilot on 74 Sqd, who went on to become AVM and a lead figure in the "first Gulf War".
My longest flight in 860 was 2h20 from Kinloss to Middle St George in August 1962, ferrying it back from our summer camp. I then took it from MSG back home to Bicester. I got to know it aerobatically during an intensive camp to work up for the Cooper Trophy in April 1963. It was also a favourite of mine for instrument flying and I have a number of GCAs logged. July 1963 saw me flying it at Leuchars. Indeed my last OUAS flight was in 860, in December 1963, again a couple of GCAs, I think at local Upper Heyford.
There is a photo of it still as "C" at Bicester in 1970.
Oxford UAS RAF [C]
I am a bit sorry to see it dressed up as a Canadian Chipmunk, but that is the owner's preogative.
Laurence
Going back to a post nearly two years ago I described a fully camoflaged ex Cyprus chipmunk our squadron had when the Valiants were grounded. We used two, WB733 and WP850 with 850 being the camoflaged one. Both were sold shortly afterwards in April 1965 becoming GATDE/F. WP 950 ended up at the Test Pilot School in Mojave but sadly has been repainted back to its standard paint scheme.
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somebody was wanting to finish a Chippie out to orginal Royal Navy marking and color.
If I can help I have WP 904 that is in orginal Royal Navy colors and marking. I have pictures of same if you need them. Shoot me an email and I can send you the pictures. I guess my email address is available to you via this site. If not it is [email protected]
If I can help I have WP 904 that is in orginal Royal Navy colors and marking. I have pictures of same if you need them. Shoot me an email and I can send you the pictures. I guess my email address is available to you via this site. If not it is [email protected]
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CF-FHY
Another fun read..
We had a Chipmunk in for C of A in 72/3? at Shipdam and I fitted new u/c bushes among other work. It looked a bit different to normal and I was told it was the original DHC evaluation a/c for the RAF. So that would have been CF-FHY? For reasons I can't remember, the air test was not by one of our pilots, but the guy who did it said he had flown 22 different 'types' and this was by far the nicest. I managed a quick PX in it and a short 'clutch'.
Andrew
We had a Chipmunk in for C of A in 72/3? at Shipdam and I fitted new u/c bushes among other work. It looked a bit different to normal and I was told it was the original DHC evaluation a/c for the RAF. So that would have been CF-FHY? For reasons I can't remember, the air test was not by one of our pilots, but the guy who did it said he had flown 22 different 'types' and this was by far the nicest. I managed a quick PX in it and a short 'clutch'.
Andrew
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DownWest, that was probably G-AKDN which was a Canadian built aircraft acquired by DH in 1947. Still registered and airworthy!
DH also had G-AJVD which later became G-ARFW but was WFU in 1966.
DH also had G-AJVD which later became G-ARFW but was WFU in 1966.
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but at least the good old Chippy is still pottering amiably around the skies!
NotGettingAny Younger - those Manston photos
Great photos thanks, may I comment (hopefully constructively) on them? I stress I don’t claim expertise regarding University Air Squadrons and would welcome further comment.
Firstly, I can find no reference to a “Kent University Air Squadron”. I understand that Kent was covered by the University of London Air Squadron (ULAS).
I suspect the first photo was taken rather later than 1973 as both Chipmunks are in the second version of the Red/White/Light Grey scheme, which didn’t appear until 1974. By this stage the SA Bulldog had replaced the Chipmunk with the UAS’s, so I doubt they were UAS aircraft either.
However the 1973 date is quite likely in the lower photo, as at least one Chipmunk is in the first variant of the R/W/LG scheme, introduced in 1970. These ones are UAS aircraft! UAS markings had by this stage devolved into a standardized arrangement, whereby the badge was located beneath the rear cockpit and comprised a university unique device within a square frame, flanked by bars in the appropriate colours. Despite trying to enhance the photo, I can’t see just which device or bar colours are there. But they’re not ULAS aircraft - this unit seems to have eschewed the standardized markings, favouring a small badge on the cowl and the fuselage roundel flanked by dark blue bars – clearly not evident in the photo.
Hopefully this will provoke more discussion and won’t read too much like a lecture.
Cheers!
Firstly, I can find no reference to a “Kent University Air Squadron”. I understand that Kent was covered by the University of London Air Squadron (ULAS).
I suspect the first photo was taken rather later than 1973 as both Chipmunks are in the second version of the Red/White/Light Grey scheme, which didn’t appear until 1974. By this stage the SA Bulldog had replaced the Chipmunk with the UAS’s, so I doubt they were UAS aircraft either.
However the 1973 date is quite likely in the lower photo, as at least one Chipmunk is in the first variant of the R/W/LG scheme, introduced in 1970. These ones are UAS aircraft! UAS markings had by this stage devolved into a standardized arrangement, whereby the badge was located beneath the rear cockpit and comprised a university unique device within a square frame, flanked by bars in the appropriate colours. Despite trying to enhance the photo, I can’t see just which device or bar colours are there. But they’re not ULAS aircraft - this unit seems to have eschewed the standardized markings, favouring a small badge on the cowl and the fuselage roundel flanked by dark blue bars – clearly not evident in the photo.
Hopefully this will provoke more discussion and won’t read too much like a lecture.
Cheers!
India Four Two: ZK-CVM etc
I’ve just returned from the Omaka Air Show, where I managed to get a really good look at ZK-CVM but didn’t get to meet the owner. It is indeed “in beautiful condition” as you stated, an absolute credit to him and obviously the result of a fastidious AND extensive restoration (for that you can read $$$$$!).
Walking around this aircraft it becomes apparent just in how many ways a Canadian-built Chipmunk differs from its UK (or Portuguese) built brethren. While I’d always thought the different undercarriage rake was difficult to detect in photos, rather surprisingly it’s readily apparent when seen “in the flesh”.
You’ll recall my earlier comments about Canadian windscreens – further research indicates that ALL Canadian windscreens (for both the DHC-1A and -1B) are identical, all having the same narrower cross-section (compared to that fitted to the T.10/Mk.20/21/22 – these photos show the difference:
Lastly, returning to Omaka, there were two other immaculate Chipmunks present. More and more I like the silver/yellow bands scheme! These were ZK-RFS (C1-0141, ex WB693) and ZK-UAS (C1-0633, ex WK621, G-BDBL):
Walking around this aircraft it becomes apparent just in how many ways a Canadian-built Chipmunk differs from its UK (or Portuguese) built brethren. While I’d always thought the different undercarriage rake was difficult to detect in photos, rather surprisingly it’s readily apparent when seen “in the flesh”.
You’ll recall my earlier comments about Canadian windscreens – further research indicates that ALL Canadian windscreens (for both the DHC-1A and -1B) are identical, all having the same narrower cross-section (compared to that fitted to the T.10/Mk.20/21/22 – these photos show the difference:
Lastly, returning to Omaka, there were two other immaculate Chipmunks present. More and more I like the silver/yellow bands scheme! These were ZK-RFS (C1-0141, ex WB693) and ZK-UAS (C1-0633, ex WK621, G-BDBL):