Specifications:
| Crew: | 2 |
| Length: | 25 ft 5 in (7.75 m) |
| Wingspan: | 34 ft 4 in (10.46 m) |
| Engine: | 1 × de Havilland Gipsy Major 1C 4-cylinder air-cooled inverted in-line piston engine |
| Power: | 145 hp (108 kW) |
| Maximum speed: | 138 mph (222 km/h) |
| Cruise speed: | 103 mph (166 km/h) |
| Range: | 259 mi (417 km) |
| Service ceiling: | 15,800 ft (4,800 m) |
Aircraft Information
Replaced the legendary Tiger Moth in early 1950’s. The Chipmunk was designed and built in Canada. But the Royal Air Force discovered the Chipmunk and realized it was the ideal replacement for the Tiger Moth. Soon Chipmunks were being built under license for the Royal Air Force. A total of 1,283 Chipmunks were produced between 1946 and 1958.
Canada wanted the bubble canopy (that we see in the museum) because there was room for the jet pilot-style helmet that would be used in later jet aircraft training. The RAF used the “chicken coop” canopy style you see on the Harvard and the Cornell. RAF pilots retained the traditional leather helmet.
By 1950 the Chipmunk had replaced the Tiger Moth. The Chipmunk was carefully designed to over-come most of the problems of the Tiger Moth. The Chipmunk uses a very rugged monoplane wing, producing more lift and less drag than the biplane Tiger Moth. Also uses a gravity flow fuel system that feeds the carburetor in any aerobatic position. The engine was an–up graded version of the Gypsy Major used in the Tiger Moth.
The Chipmunk’s low wing monoplane design provided excellent visibility. Fabric covered wood panels provides a very strong wing design and has a metal-covered fuselage. A tail wheel pitch and lower height of engine and propeller above ground provided better forward visibility. The sliding canopy provided easier escape and less risk of parachute entanglement with upper wing and wires in an emergency.
