De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk

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The correct title of this article is de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.
de Havilland Chipmunk
A former RCAF DeHavilland DHC-1B-2-S5 Chipmunk with the Canadian-style bubble canopy in the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, Hamilton, Ontario
Type trainer
Manufacturer de Havilland Canada
Designed by Wsiewołod Jakimiuk
Maiden flight 22 May 1946
Retired 1972 (Canada)
Status Retired from military service, still in civil use
Primary users Royal Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
Portugal
See other military operators
Produced 1947-1956
Number built 1075 [1]

The de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk is a tandem, two-seat, single-engined primary trainer aircraft which was the standard primary trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force and several other air forces through much of the post-Second World War years. The de Havilland Chipmunk was the first true postwar aviation project of de Havilland Canada.

Contents

[edit] Design and development

Designed to succeed the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane trainer, chief designer, Wsiewołod Jakimiuk, a famous Polish prewar engineer, created the first indigenous design of the de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd. The Chipmunk was an all-metal, low wing, tandem two-place, single engine airplane with a conventional tail wheel landing gear. It had fabric-covered control surfaces and a clear plastic canopy covering the pilot and passenger/student positions. CF-DIO, the Chipmunk prototype, flew for the first time at Downsview, Toronto on 22 May 1946 with Pat Fillingham at the controls[2].The production versions of the airplane were powered by a 145 hp in-line de Havilland Gipsy Major "8" engine while the prototype was powered by a 108 kW (145 hp) de Havilland Gipsy Major 1C.

Two were evaluated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Boscombe Down. As a result, the fully-aerobatic Chipmunk was ordered as an ab initio trainer for the Royal Air Force (Prince Philip took his first flying lesson in one in 1952). The Royal Canadian Air Force also adopted the Chipmunk as their primary trainer.

British-built and early Canadian-built Chipmunks are notably different from the later Canadian-built RCAF/Lebanese versions. The later Canadian-built airplanes have a bubble canopy, while early Canadian, and all Portuguese and British examples have the multi-panelled sliding canopy, the rearmost panels of which are "bubbled" out for better instructor visibility.

From the 1950s onward, the Chipmunk also became a popular civilian aircraft, being used for training, aerobatics and crop spraying. Most civilian aircraft were ex-military.

RCAF Chipmunk from the Primary Flight School at CFB Borden, Ontario, July 1965, (CF Photo)
RCAF Chipmunk from the Primary Flight School at CFB Borden, Ontario, July 1965, (CF Photo)

[edit] Operational history

The RAF received 735 Chipmunks manufactured in the UK. They initially served with Reserve Flying Squadrons (RFS) of the RAF Volunteer Reserve (VR) as well as the University Air Squadrons. A few Chipmunks were pressed into service in Cyprus on internal security flights during the troubles of 1958, and some were used for covert reconnaissance operating out of Berlin. They were still in service for ATC Air Experience Flights until 1996 when they were replaced by the Bulldog (itself replaced by the Grob Tutor in 1999-2001). The last Chipmunks in military service are operated by the British historic flights - the RAF Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight, the Royal Navy and Army historic flights to keep its pilots current on tailwheel aircraft for flying displays in the UK.

Civilian Chipmunk D-EPAK painted in RAF markings
Civilian Chipmunk D-EPAK painted in RAF markings

[edit] Production

Downsview built 217 Chipmunks, the last in 1956. A total of 1,000 were built in Britain initially at Hatfield Aerodrome and then later at Hawarden Aerodrome. A further 66 Chipmunks were licence-manufactured from 1955 to 1961 in Portugal for the Portuguese air force.

[edit] Super Chipmunk

One of the most famous civilian Chipmunks was the US-based "Super Chipmunk," a highly-modified air show performer. Along with an uprated engine, the aircraft underwent an extensive makeover including clipping its wings, adding retractable landing gear, conversion to a single-seat layout, adding an autopilot and was fitted with a red, white and blue wingtip and tail smoke system. The control stick received a three-inch extension for greater control during extreme aerobatic maneuvers. For over 25 years, the Super Chipmunk in its distinctive bright color scheme of blue stars and sunburst effect, was legendary stunt pilot Art Scholl’s personal ride — used to perform a unique and breathtaking aerial routine that culminated in his signature move, the “Inverted Ribbon Pickup.” Three Super Chipmunk conversions were made, Scholl's N13A and N13Y and Harold Krier’s N6311V. Another more recent "Super Chipmunk" was converted by air show performer, Jim "Fang" Maroney who similarily modified an ex-RCAF example by strengthening the airframe, replacing the original 145 HP engine with a 260 HP version incorporating an inverted fuel and oil system, clipping three feet off the wings and adding 30% more rudder and 10% more elevator. A spatted landing gear was retained.

[edit] Legacy

Today over 500 DHC-1 Chipmunk (affectionally known as "Chippie") airframes remain airworthy with more being rebuilt every year, which is a testament to the strength and longevity of this Canadian design.

[edit] Variants

[edit] Canadian-built

[edit] British-built

  • Chipmunk T10 - de Havilland Gipsy Major 8 engined version for the Royal Air Force (735 built).
  • Chipmunk Mk 20 - military export version of T10 with de Havilland Gipsy Major 10 Series 2 engine (217 built).
  • Chipmunk Mk 21 - civil export version as Mk 20 but to civil standards (28 built)
  • Chipmunk Mk 22 - conversions of T10s for civilian use with engine as fitted to Mk 20.
  • Chipmunk Mk 22A - a Mk 22 with fuel tankage increased to 12-gallons.
  • Chipmunk Mk 23 - two converted T10s with engine as fitted to Mk 20 engine and agricultural spray equipment.

[edit] Operators

[edit] Military operators

[edit] Specifications (DHC-1 Chipmunk)

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2, student & instructor
  • Length: 25 ft 5 in (7.75 m)
  • Wingspan: 34 ft 4 in (10.47 m)
  • Height: 7 ft in (2.1 m)
  • Wing area: 172 ft² (16.0 m²)
  • Empty weight: 1,517 lb (646 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 2,014 lb (953 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 2,200 lb (998 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1× de Havilland Gipsy Major 1C , 145 hp (108 kW)

Performance

[edit] References

  1. ^ deHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk
  2. ^ Bain 1992, p. 141.
  • Bain, Gordon. De Havilland: A Pictorial Tribute. London: AirLife, 1992. ISBN 1-85648-243-X.
  • Hotson, Fred. The De Havilland Canada Story. Toronto: CANAV Books, 1983. ISBN 0-9690703-2-2.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing.
  • Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 Volume 2. London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10010-7.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
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[edit] Related content

 

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See also

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de Havilland Canada aircraft models

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