DeHavilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk
DeHavilland’s division in Canada made as its first own design a primary training airplane, that obviously saw service in the Royal Canadian Air Force, but the Royal Air Force also operated it in large numbers. Nowadays, still quite a few are active with private owners. The DHC-1, with popular name Chipmunk, is a tail gear airplane with the single wheel fixed main gear attached to the wings leading edges. It has a tandem canopy with three bow frames and one horizontal frame on each side. Power is supplied by an inline piston engine (so narrow in size) with the pistons at the bottom. The vertical stabiliser is the half of an oval, and not swept. These characteristics apply to the original versions; there are conversions with different engines, tails and canopies.
Most Chipmunks have an inline piston engine, meaning all pistons are in line, in this case below the drive shaft. They create this typical narrow cowling shape, with a cooling intake left of the prop spinner.
The DHC-1 canopy’s original frame composition is one of its key recognition features, in particular the horizontal bars near the top.
Different versions
The versions of the DHC-1 can be distinguished from the outside by
- the shape of the nose and cowling
- the shape of the tail
- the shape of the canopy
Details will follow later.
Confusion possible with
HAL HT-2
The canopy, main gear and engine nacelle of the HAL HT-2 are very similar to that of the Chipmunk, although the canopy has one bow frame more. The tail is different though, with the vertical part being a low trapezium, of which the rear side with the rudder continues past the tailcone. Also the wing have less taper. (photo: Alec Wilson/WikiMedia)
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Zlin Trener family
Another basic trainer with the same configuration: inline piston engine, framed bubble canopy and low wings with a long fixed gear. The Zlin has a rounded but lower tail, that appears slightly swept forward. (photo: Alan Lebeda/WikiMedia)
