Building on the immensely successful BCATP of WW2, Canada spent the ensuing decades continuing to serve as an important pilot training location for the RCAF and our NATO allies. But while license-built Tiger Moths and Cornells were suitable during wartime, a modern trainer was needed for the influx of new students.

De Havilland Canada, which had been license building Tiger Moths, Mosquitos and Ansons during the war was tasked with designing a Tiger moth replacement for service with the Royal Air Force. Their proposal, called for a two-seat, tandem, low wing monoplane, with a completely enclosed canopy. It featured a long wing, small fuselage and a staple of de Havilland airplanes – the inline, inverted Gypsy engine. It was all metal, fully aerobatic and promised to be far more economical than the allies’ standard trainer – the Harvard.

The prototype appeared in 1946, and production started in England on the RAF and RN’s examples. It would take until 1952 before the first Canadian-built Chipmunks entered service with the RCAF. Up until 1971 the DHC-1 Chipmunk served as Canada’s primary flight training tool. New pilots, many of which had never been in a plane before were given 25 hours of instruction before graduating onto the larger, faster, more complex Harvard.

Following their disposal from CAF service, the surviving Chipmunks entered the civilian market, where they were welcomed for their easy flying characteristics, simplicity and aerobatic abilities.

The Kit:

This model, like almost everything done by Airfix is several decades old. In fact, it dates back to 1970.

This release, which was sold in a clear plastic bag with the instructions doubling as the identification label, was molded in silver plastic. The whole model is covered in oversized rivets, although the flight controls aren’t movable like other Airfix models. The basic parts are included to build an RAF or RN example. The original releases had the blown canopy for an RCAF machine (but not the different landing gear legs). Two figures, or more accurately, their torsos are also included.

Construction:

Building this model started by removing all of those horrible rivets. After investing all that time, a little primer helped to confirm that I’d succeeded in removing them.

Construction really was simple. The wing, fuselage and tails only equal 8 parts. The extra details (propeller, wheels, etc), only add another 9 parts.

Filler was needed all around the wing to fuselage joint, the horizontal tails, and to fill in the grossly oversized exhaust ports on the cowling. More sanding and priming ensured this was completely smooth.

Although Airfix included the blown canopy featured on RCAF machines, the landing gear retained the British style legs with fairings. I opted to make my own landing gear legs from brass wire, which I cut, bent to shape and super glued into small holes drilled in the wings.

Painting and Markings:

Being Canadian, there’s really only one paint scheme for my Chipmunk model – that of the RCAF. With my attraction to day-glo orange, the natural choice was one of the later schemes of overall yellow with day-glo patches.

The first step was to prime the whole model with white paint. I then followed with the day-glo orange, using Model Masters’ fluorescent orange enamel. This paint is quite transparent, so the white also serves as an undercoat. The last colour was Tamiya’s bright yellow.

Several good coats of Future floor wax were airbrushed onto the model, followed by decals cobbled together from various Leading Edge and Canforce decal sets. My attempt to make the code numbers failed, and the day before the 2007 WCR contest, Mike Grant came to the rescue with ALPs decals. Did I ever tell you how great this guy is? The decal placement sheet included with the instructions is laughable, so Patrick Martin’s RCAF/CAF markings books helped immensely.

More Future sealed the decals.

Final Construction:

All that was left was to glue the wheels in place.

Because I wanted to show my Chipmunk flying, I drilled a small hole in the rear fuselage, and super glued a brass wire in place. This was then gently bent and inserted into a small wooden base. Now my little model has some life to it, as if twisting its way through an aerobatic maneuver.

Conclusions:

This is definitely a simple model to build – there’s only about 20 parts in total. It’s quick and easy to build, although sanding off the disco-vintage rivet detail will take some time. Anyone, from first timer, to experienced veteran can enjoy this build.