lelolo44,

I thought I recognised WK562 as a registration. I last flew your aircraft on 27th May 1970, having gained my PPL on G-APLO and G-ARCR (DHC1s) at Perth the previous year. WK562 was then at White Waltham with No. 6AEF. I remember the flight to this day, strangely.
I'm still flying de Havilland... Tiger and Hornet Moths. Lovely.

WW

I'm happy you remember well WK562 ! When i did my checkride with Tim Orchard at Booker he told me she was a very fine example among chippies...well i felt that from her scent and her skin !
If you want to experience 40 years later a ride in WK562 i would suggest that you cross the "the channel" !
Didn't you make pictures of her at that time ? ;-)

My very first flight was in a Chipmunk, as a young ( and probably slightly scared ) ATC cadet. I can still remember that evening at RAF Oakington.
Wonderful, but i never flew in one again.:{

More memories of WK562. She was on the strength of No.3 Air Experience Flight at Bristol Filton in 1976. The last time I flew her was 19.9.76, taking Air Cadets for their fun flying. Give the old girl a pat from me.

[ De Havilland Canada Chipmunk T10 (F-AZUR / WK562) France - Falaise 2004 ]

this is a shot of WK562, wearing her F-AZUR (AZUR means endless sky in french...)

De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk - (association looping) by Thomas BOGAERT | Pictaero

De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T10, WK562, Royal Air Force in 1975

Canadian canopy
 

Hate to burst your bubble (excuse the pun) but the Canadian blown canopy was introduced with the DHC-1B-2-S3 model ordered by the RCAF in late 1949.

Built to RCAF Spec.11-24 Issue 1, the blister canopy (which differed from the earlier RCAF Chipmunks with greenhouse style models) was first flown on DHC test and development aircraft CF-FHY through late 1949 and early 1950. First deliveries of the new model Chipmunks were accepted by the RCAF in mid 1950.

Meanwhile British production of Chipmunks with the sectioned canopy started in late 1949, by mid December only 17 had been completed at Hattfield. Initial deliveries to the Oxford and Cambridge UAS's began in the early spring of 1950 while production moved to Chester. With approx 900 yet to be built in the UK over the remaining production run it is clear to see that the Canadian bubble canopy was in use just as UK production was getting underway and that the bulk of UK production occured after the blister was in use in Canada.

I own and fly a Canadian model, visibility is magnificent, no drafts, rattles or leaks but the greenhouse style does (in my mind) visually represent a closer tie to the de Havilland models of the 1930s and has a nice clean top line following that of the fuselage.

Cheers,

H. Shields

I also flew in WK562 when she was with 6AEF in 1970. Glad to hear that the old girl is still with us. A proper aeroplane.

Chipmeet
 

If you love the Chippie, don't miss the Chipmeet! :D
www.chipmeet.com

Some pics of the 2009 edition on:
http://www.ericcoeckelberghs.com/index.php?page=2009_chipmeet&year=2009 :ok:

Sled Dog wrote:
Mine was in 1957 at RAF Chivenor. ATC annual camp. Absolutely loved it. There's one still flying in Oz, at Camden airfield south of Sydney. My daughter tried to organise a 50th aniversary flight in 2007 for me, but unfortunately it didn't come off.

The Chipmunk at Camden is now back on-line, after having a new centre section installed. It was WB 675, now VH-AKB, and is a real pleasure to fly, though I have to say that seeing 45kts indicated on finals is a little scary (after being used to the Pitts).

Happy Times
 

Chipmunk WK562 is a special aircraft for me as well. My first flight in a light aircraft was with the ATC at Filton in June 1984 in this aircraft. I remember doing aero’s over the Severn Bridge barely able to see outside the aircraft from the back seat, but I was hooked on flying. I joined the RAF and on Wings graduation had a year holding until my OCU, so I found a place on 10 AEF at RAF Woodvale in Feb 1992 to fly the Chipmunk. Guess what, the aircraft I did my conversion on was WK562 with Martin Mayer the boss of 10 AEF and ex boss of ETPS. I learned a lot about flying from this fantastic combination. I flew this aircraft on and off for the next year, hopefully firing a passion to fly in more young aviators. I hope our paths will cross again, look after her.

Perfect - looks as though I've got the right thread to clear up a long standing question. Can anyone identify where this was taken? Late 70's, Chipmunk was part of the Southampton UAS fleet and it was taken of my father during a summer camp - but neither of us can remember where. Possibly Leconfield?
Any help would be great.
http://i387.photobucket.com/albums/o...28/chippie.jpg

I flew a Chipmunk out of Booker with a former Nimrod display pilot for a jolly. We laboured up to 5000 feet and before we started looping and rolling, he asked "Do you want to see what happens if you get slow in the circuit ?" I flew a practice base leg profile and slowed to 50 kts before turning for final and the world fell apart. I was looking up at the cows in a split second. He commented .... "Imagine doing that in a PA-28 at 500 feet, they would collect you with a shovel".

IMHO, every student should be allowed to cock it up in a safe environment. It teaches you why the numbers are sooooo important.

Uh? 50kts is fine for a Chippy approach on a still day. It certainly shouldn't result in loss of control unless it's accompanied by some pretty gross mishandling. What exactly happened in your instance?

The turn was pretty normal however we were at 5,000 feet and probably had no flap. The point of the exercise was to demonstrate what could go wrong if your mind wasn't on the job in hand. I said 50 kts as that was the last speed I remembered given the instruction was to let the speed decay and turn when told. The Chipmunk snap rolled which was rather fun. I don't remember clearly if it rolled towards the turn or away as it was a few years ago. Logic suggests it was towards the turn however it may well have been otherwise. In any case, it was an opportune moment to demonstrate absolute respect for airspeed in the last stages of an approach.

If you're paying for the fuel, I'd be happy to repeat it :ok:

Ah..... deHavilland!

(and the RCN Sea Fury behind).

Meanwhile in the Antipodes...

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...g/P1010099.jpg

Back in Pommy Land, circa 1965
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r...640_1280A1.jpg

Your side of the world, evansb - 2 FTS, Church Fenton, c.1971

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...g/2FTSPAIR.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...ering/2fts.jpg