DHC. 1A CHIPMUNK

The Chipmunk was designed just after the Second World War in De Havilland Canada works by engineers Wsiewolod Jakimiuk and Wieslaw Stepniewski. The plane was conceived as a replacement for DH.82 Tiger Moth in the role of basic trainer. The prototype first took off from Dowsview airfield in Toronto on 22th May 1946. It was a single engine low-wing cantilever monoplane of all metal construction.

Production started in 1948 and by 1956 217 examples had been built. The Chipmunk remained Canada's primary military trainer until 1972. It was also manufactured by De Havilland works in Hatfield, Great Britain, which built around 1,000 planes. Apart from the Royal Air Force the plane was operated by air forces of a number of countries: Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Israel, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kenia and Malaysia. Portuguese OGMA factory produced another 66 examples.

The DHC-1 Chipmunk is no longer in military use, but there remain around 500 airworthy "chippies" in private hands. Interestingly, a highly modified Chipmunk was featured in the 1975 Hollywood movie "The Great Waldo Pepper".

Specifications (DHC. 1A)

wingspan: 34 ft 4 in (10.47 m)
length: 25 ft 5 in (7.75 m)
max. takeoff weight: 2,200 lb (998 kg)
max. speed: 120 kn, 138 mph (222 km/h)
ceiling: 15,800 ft (5,200 m)
range: 225 NM (445 km)
powerplant: four-cylinder, inline, de Havilland Gipsy Major 1C rated at 145 hp