Mike Hannell has sent in a picture of his  Chipmunk together with some history. Thanks Mike, she is a beauty !

The aircraft was built in Chester, England, for the RAF and entered service in June 1952 with service number WP 791.

It saw military service in a number of RAF locations including Hornchurch and Castle Bromwich. In 1959 it was converted to civilian use and was initially based at Croydon Airport where it was the last aircraft to fly out of this famous airport before its closure. It then spent a number of years at the Surrey and Kent Flying Club, and in 1966 it won the Kings Cup air race.

The aircraft was shipped to Australia in 1993, and repainted in its original RAF colour scheme in 2007.

Mike Hannell

October 2007