Chip Shop

[Tony Bennett]

oh go on. put me down for this later in the year.

[Colin Leighfield]

Ok Chris. If it's possible, I guess it's a fairly big build. Perhaps we should start a production line.

Good one Tony!

[Andrew Price 2]

Forgot to tick the box!! I will pay attention in future.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Nice one Colin, and everyone else for that matter.

It does look a pretty straight forward build, especially if we use the laser cut parts.
The canopy and cowl are good, and construction looks very light..

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

I have this plan myself, a club mate is just finishing one off with it

whats your thinking so far gents ?

just the build or could it develop further

[kevin b]

I suppose it's just a coincidence, but having looked at a few decent photos of the scheme I have in mind, there do seem to be raher a lot of rivets on a Chipmunk.

kevinb.

[Danny Fenton]

Fabulous response chaps, should be good fun and a wonderful opportunity to share knowledge. You wont be put in the sin bin if you leave the rivets off
I want to start now, but my bench is full too....
Cheers
Danny

[Tony Bennett]

after the nats maybe for me. but we will have to see.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Posted by john stones 1 on 21/03/2014 22:27:56:

I have this plan myself, a club mate is just finishing one off with it

whats your thinking so far gents ?

just the build or could it develop further

Hi John, who knows how it could develop, this could take quite a while, but once a number of similar chippies exist, who knows what one or more groups could organise. Joining in and building can be an end in it's self. We'll start there and see what else happens

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

ok Chris thank you

[Danny Fenton]

By my reckoning that's nine that have tentatively said they are interested in joining in. I think that is tremendous I appreciate circumstances change but it is a very good start, especially when you think we only suggested it today!

Me

Chris Bott

Glenn Stratton

Kevin B

Terry Walters

Tony Bennet

Colin Leighfield

Andrew Price

John Stones

If you shouldn't be on the list let me or Chris know? We may have misinterpreted a post

After a chat with Chris we have set the start date as October 1st, that should give us all plenty of time to get sorted and a clear target to aim for. Please can we hold off starting before then as we think its important that we all at least start the journey together. There is no end date, and no event as a target. Its not a race. As Chris has said, if a few get finished and they want to get together then that is great.

Thanks again we are thrilled that so many have either said they will take part or posted their support for the idea.

Cheers

[Colin Leighfield]

When this was first suggested I'd got in my head that there was a finish deadline, such as Greenacres. However as Danny describes it in the last post, that clearly isn't the case, so I will definitely be in now.

I wish I had got a record of the serial nos. of the Chipmunks that I flew in with the ATC, but sadly I don't. However, the last was the one I mentioned at Waterbeach and I'm pretty sure that by then (1961) the colour scheme was that shown in Chris's post dated 21/03 and is probably what I'd go for. The other attractive option for me is the RCAF version with the blown canopy. That is as far as I think I want to go in variations on the basic theme, there have been some exotic re-interpretations of the Chipmunk, but for me the original basic military trainer concept is what it is all about.

Having been a long term admirer of Bryan Taylor's designs but never done one, this is clearly a good starting point and I can see why you've chosen it. In spite of the strong trend to electric these days, including with me, it could be a candidate for my first attempt with a petrol engine as well.

Edited By Colin Leighfield on 22/03/2014 07:03:22

[Terry Walters]

Danny - Oct 1st fine for me - phew!! That's just over 6 months for me to clear the decks and build an extension to house all the aeroplanes! I promise not to start before then!

I'm certainly looking forward to it and think that the experience of doing it together will ensure Terry does not stray from the task by starting too many other builds.

Looking back in my log book I see that as an ATC cadet I flew in a chippie WZ864 from Waddington for the first time on 20/8/64 - 30 mins. That was on my first ATC camp - some of the Vulcans were still in white and the others were in the new camouflage.

One month later - my next two flights in Chippies at Cambridge (Marshalls) - Air Experience Flight. Whilst exiting the parachute store into the hangar (doubled up by the sadistic zeal of the parachute fitters demonstrating their strength on the harness buckles) I looked up to find myself under the tail of a VC10! Wow!

Over the next four years I had a further 9 Chippie flights - one of which had an engine problem (oil pressure went) and an emergency landing at Cambridge followed. Being followed down the strip by the fire crew made it all the more exciting!

My last trip in a Chippie was about 12 years ago at Sywell when I was doing my tail-wheel conversion. I was flying the group's Auster but one afternoon the instructor and me found that the Auster was at the back of the hangar with three other aeroplanes in front of it. If any of you have moved an Auster you will know how heavy they feel. Obviously the Instructor didn't relish the idea of moving four aeroplanes and putting three back and nor did I. Thats' why he asked ' would I mind if we flew his friend's Chippie instead' I thought about it for a nano-second and said "Yes!" There followed a beautiful flight in a well balanced and restored Chippie in silver with roundels! I flew for 20 mins, we had 20 mins of aerobatics flown by the instructor and I flew back to the field and landed! Brilliant! Much easier to land than the Auster too but the hour didn't do much to help my qualification on the Auster but who cares!

So I think it will be a UAS scheme for me maybe WZ864 - if I recorded that correctly it was written off in 1966 when it collided with a privately owned Chippie on approach to Southampton!

Terry

[Terry Walters]

Posted by Colin Leighfield on 22/03/2014 07:02:03:

Having been a long term admirer of Bryan Taylor's designs but never done one, this is clearly a good starting point and I can see why you've chosen it. In spite of the strong trend to electric these days, including with me, it could be a candidate for my first attempt with a petrol engine as well.

Edited By Colin Leighfield on 22/03/2014 07:03:22

Yes - it's early in the morning Colin but I think for Brian Taylor maybe you meant Dennis Bryant?

Terry

[Andrew Price 2]

Hi Danny,

Sorry to disappoint, but, I cannot sign up for the Chippy build. As things stand, although I'm all kitted out, I haven't even flown a model a/c and certainly not built one. I doubt if this project with be good as a first build. So, sadly, that's me signed up but only as an very interested observer!

I rather envy Terry & Colin as my log book long ago disappeared during a house move organised by my sisters!! Mutter mutter. Some really good memories were contained in that little book.

Terry, the last time I was at Marshalls we were weather grounded and spent the day exploring various a/c, notably Canberras. Where was 5(f) based? I was 220 at St. Albans.

Andy

[Terry Walters]

Andy - 5(f) is Northampton - still going strong. For the non ATC forumite the suffix (f) was granted to the first 50 squadrons formed during WW11.

Terry

[Colin Leighfield]

Well done Terry, I always mix up these two! I tend to be a very early riser, but perhaps it isn't always a good idea!„.

[Danny Fenton]

I think we all must have memories of the Chipmunk, keep them coming its all fascinating stuff. I have never managed a flight in one. I did get an aerobatic lesson bought for me in one for my 50th but what with confusion and a mixup, a weather window that co incided with my availabilty never happened. Then the aeroplane went unserviceable and that was that but I was around them when I was a teenager, manning the fuel pump at Sherburn-in-Elmet.
I will be basing mine on the silver with yellow banded example at Cosford. Though some of the civi schemes look nice too

Cheers
Danny

[Andrew Price 2]

Terry. Please don't show me up again. I've just moved away after 30 years living in Northampton. . Only got as far as Wellingborough. Used to work at Sywell - Wellington hanger?? Founder squadron!! Something else I've learnt.

Terry. You must have been very disappointed to miss your chippy flight. see above, I know the feeling. Much worse though was TWICE missing out on the Bovingdon Meteor, The first time I was actually standing beside it, chute strapped on ( yes. Doubled up Terry) when it was declared us.

Would gladly pay for that flight now. Think they used to have one at North Weald but believe the owning syndicate stopped doing it.

Andy.

Andy.

[Peter Miller]

We used to get the ATC coming to fly in Chipmunks on Master Diversion (Station) Flight at St Mawgan. The Cadets used to get upset when they puked in the cockpit and found that they had to clean it up.

One evening a pilot complained of tailwheel shimmy. I changed the wheel and then he took me up on air test. 20 minutes of aerobatics which was great. And the tailwheel never shimmied once!!!

One of our dimmer mechs was sent round the airfield to get the jacks so we could do a retraction test on a Chipmunk. He never lived that one down.

Then, when he was detailed to change a wheel on a Chipmunk he wanted to know where the jacks were. He didn't believe that a couple of blokes would put their backs under the wing and lift while another stuck a tool box under the bottom of the oleo leg.

[Peter Miller]

Posted by Andrew Price 2 on 22/03/2014 09:05:53:

 

Terry. You must have been very disappointed to miss your chippy flight. see above, I know the feeling. Much worse though was TWICE missing out on the Bovingdon Meteor, The first time I was actually standing beside it, chute strapped on ( yes. Doubled up Terry) when it was declared us.

Would gladly pay for that flight now. Think they used to have one at North Weald but believe the owning syndicate stopped doing it.

 

Again on Master Diversion flight in Cornwall. I got a lift home one weekend in a T7 Meteor to Bovingdon. The most memorable flights that I ever had . I still talk about it.

I clearly remember the instructions I got from the pilot.

"If we get into trouble I will slow the aircraft down to 100 knots and jettison the canopy. You will climb over the side and slide off the wing.

IF you miss the tailplane, count to 10 and pull the rip cord.

Edited By Peter Miller on 22/03/2014 09:17:26

[Andrew Price 2]

Peter. I love the instructions - but hate you for telling me about that flight.

I will fly in a jet. Mark my words!!

Talking punctures. I flew from Bovingdon in the CinC Coastal Command Valetta which I thought was very posh after the more normal Ansons. After tracking East down the South coast for a while we came inland to land at Northolt were we promptly got a flat on the runway. Us cadets were crammed into the smallest space in the rear of the a/c to help balance it. 'Twas a scorcher of a day and life was not good, especially if you were desperate for a pee!!

Andy.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

I do remember being doubled up by the parachute making it difficult to climb aboard.

I also remember what was probably a very old joke, the parachute fitters telling me that if the chute failed, I should take it back for another one..

[Terry Walters]

Just got my box of Chippie bits out of the 'eaves'. It all looks very good quality and when I went to check the price of the cuts parts at 'that other place' I was quite surprised. You get a lot wood for your money compared with other laser cut part packs I have bought in the past. We'll have to work out a strip/sheet wood list and where to source the necessary hardware etc. All other nice scale details will be welcome from Danny/Chris or anyone else who can produce them.

Roll on October! Clear the decks! !

Terry

[Dylan Reynolds LaserCraft Services]

Signing up to follow along, I may even be tempted later in the year