The de Haviland Chipmunk

 Image courtesy of Chris Cannon

The Chipmunk first flew on 22nd May 1946. The “Chippie” as it is affectionately known is a two-seat single engine training aircraft, which was used by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Air Force (RAF) and other air forces throughout the world.

Over a 1000 aircraft were built between 1947 and 1956. With over 500 hundred aircraft still in use throughout the world at the present time. The RAF flew Chipmunks in the training role until 1996, when the last examples were retired with The Air Experience Flight at RAF Woodvale.

Two aircraft were retained for use with The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in Coningsby in Lincolnshire. The Chipmunk is still a very popular aircraft and can be seen at air shows, and most airfields throughout the country. Over sixty years after the Chipmunk’s first flight the aircraft can still be seen at air displays carrying out precise aerobatic displays and in recent years formation teams of two & three aircraft are quite commonly seen, and sometimes even four aircraft who go under the team name of The Red Sparrows have been known to display together.

Image courtesy of Guillaume D’hoore

Image courtesy of Richard Brown

Image courtesy of Richard Thomas

Image courtesy of Rick Brewell

Chipmunks WZ 879 and WG 407

Image courtesy of Ken Kelso

WD 286

Image courtesy of Daren Eaton