Owners & Speakers: Nathan Hammond, Michael Kennedy and Richard Wilsher
2021 marks the 75th anniversary of the first flight of the De Havilland Chipmunk, regarded by many as the finest-handling production light aircraft of all time.
It is said that the De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk looks the way an aeroplane should look. The “Chippie”, as it is affectionately called by its devotees, was designed as a single-engined tandem two-seat primary trainer. The prototype Chipmunk first flew on 22nd May 1946 at Downsview, Toronto and was flown by De Havilland test pilot Pat Fillingham.
The De Havilland Chipmunk had a very long service life and now enjoys a long civilian flying life. As many have survived it has created the opportunity to sample the joys of flying a historic aircraft, one that is regarded as one of the great pilot’s aeroplanes. Currently there are approximately 350 airworthy Chipmunks in civilian hands, of which 100 are in the United States and 138 are in the United Kingdom. The remaining aircraft are scattered worldwide.
Revised edition of “Around The World at 90 Knots,” will be on sale in the Warbird store where Richard Wilsher will be available for book-signing immediately following the presentation.
