DeHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk

By the end of WW2, there was a need for a replacement for the RAF’s open-cockpit, biplane Tiger Moth as a primary trainer. DeHavilland had their hands full courtesy of the Comet and so handed development over to their Canadian subsidiary. At that time he Royal Canadian Airforce was doing elementary training on Harvards, and it was quite apparent that a simpler aircraft would be more adeqate and more economical for that mission. This led to the design of the De Havilland Aircraft of Canada "Chipmunk" T10 trainer by W.Jakimiuk. Jakimuik, escaping from the Nazi’s, left his native Poland where he was chief designer at PZL, and emigrated to Canada.

The Chipmunk design, a tandem-seat stressed-skin monoplane, affectionately known as the Chippie, was very successful and inspired many other designs, from the nearly carbon copy Hindustan HT-10 to the parallel - although posterior by about 6 years approach of the French company Farman with the Monitor, evolved from the Belgian designed Stampe SV-4, a continental counterpart of the Tiger Moth. The Farman monitor made its first flight at the time production of the Chipmunk was ceasing in Canada. This demonstrates the advance the Chipmunk represented at the time of its maiden flight.

DHC1
The DHC1 Chipmunk flew for the first time at Downsview, Toronto on May 22, 1946 powered by a 108-kW (145hp) de Havilland Gipsy Major 1C. This type was known as the DHC1B1. Those Chippies fitted with a Gipsy Major 10-3 were designated DHC1B2 in RCAF service and as the T.30 by the RAF. Around 200 units were manufactured in Canada, most of them fitted with a bubble canopy.

T.10
About a thousand Chipmunks were also built in the UK, these were the initial T.10 and T.20 for the RAF, and the civilian T.21 version, all of them fitted with the original frame cockpit.

Mk.22
The RAF sold many of it’s T.10’s in the 1950’s and this civilianised version was given the designation Mk.22. Some units being equipped with a larger fuel tank and designated Mk.22A. Some Chippies have also been refitted with a higher power Lycoming or Continental engine.

Mk.23
The Chipmunk was modified by Farm Aviation Services in the UK in limited numbers as a single-seat agricultural version, with a hopper tank in place of the forward cockpit for spraying duties. A small number of similar conversions were performed in Australia by Sasin/Aerostructures.

Under an agreement concluded between de Havilland and the General Aeronautical Material Workshops (OGMA) of Portugal, 60 Chipmunks were licence-manufactured from 1955 for the Portuguese air force, and the type was still being operated by this service until replaced in 1989.

The Chipmunk was in use in the RCAF, the RAF, the Portugese Army; some were delivered to Lebanon, Egypt, India and Thailand. Chipmunks are popular as pilot trainers and for private or sport’s use, however the numbers still in service now is declining.

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