First Flight of the De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk on
May 22, 1946 at Downsview, Ontario.
The Chipmunk was the first post World War Two aviation project by De Havilland Canada.
The design and construction, from inception to first flight took less than a year. It was designed as an all metal, two place, tandem primary trainer, powered with the 'in house' Gipsy Major engine.
De Havilland Canada built 217 aircraft, with De Havilland UK building 1000, and OGMA in Portugal a further 66 airframes.
The Chipmunk served with the Canadian Air Force, the Royal Air Force and at least twelve other military groups.
The UK built aircraft were for the military so it was the Canadian versions which joined the NZ civil register first with ZK-APN (c/n 021) being listed on 29-07-1947 to the De Havilland Aircraft Company at Wellington Airport and then to the Wellington Aero Club. Then followed ZK-ARL (c/n 061) also for the Wellington Aero Club.
Our first two "Chippies" - The Poor Mans Spitfire.
Five additional preloved Canadian airframes came from India in the 1990,s - three of then entering the NZ register as ZK-ARM, ZK-CVM2, and ZK-DHC2, with the two others in storage somewhere.
Sixteen ex UK military have been entered onto the NZ register, with ZK-BSS and ZK-BSV appearing in 1957. The others arriving post 1974.
.JPG)
ZK-CPY and ZK-XUK at Ashburton on 25-01-2014.
ZK-CVM with the Canadian blown canopy.
There is also one US registered Chipmunk flying regularly in NZ as N861WP with
Bevan Dewes.
Earlier Chipmunk posts can be found HERE.JPG)
As seen on ZK-CPY 40 years ago.
.JPG)
As seen on ZK-CPY 40 years ago.
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