alant Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Have just started on a little project for a customer. We are rebuilding a DHC-1 Chipmunk that has not flown since 1993. I will be inspecting the airframe over the next couple of days and if anyone is interested can do a few pics and updates as we progress. Alan http://www.aircraftservice.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Asking if we are intrested? Oh ye of little faith! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike65 Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Yes please. Quite like chipmunks, used to go flying in them back ing my younger days when in the ATC. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted September 22, 2010 Author Share Posted September 22, 2010 Pics of arrival and initial inspection. Rule 1 do not go down the fuselage when you can a grease monkey with a camera (she did volunteer).:cool2: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Any history on her, the Chipmunk? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berna2vm Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Yes please.Quite like chipmunks, used to go flying in them back ing my younger days when in the ATC. Mike Me too... Brings back happy memories... Felt like a Spitfire pilot when I was up in one :-). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Chipmunks are still the current introduction to the Spitfire at BBMF..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted September 22, 2010 Author Share Posted September 22, 2010 The history on the Chipmunk is built 1952 RAF until early 70s then RN at Yeovilton until 1993It was sold by the MOD and has never flown as a civilian registered aircraft. The history on the grease monkey is much more complicated, she is of Dutch origin and has lived in the UK for nearly twenty years (should have been sent back years ago) and has two daughters that go to the same school as my daughter and is one of those annoying people that you show them how to do something once and they can do it better than you. I have the full history of the chipmunk and will dig it out sometime. I am at the workshop tomorrow and will take more photos. They are the poor mans spitfire and great fun to fly, I have about 500 hours on them. What we do is much better than working for a living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin craig Posted September 22, 2010 Share Posted September 22, 2010 Begs the question did you marry her Alan? I see she has a wedding ring! Although I am a tread head rather than one of you bugsucker types I do admire and appreciate the work that goes on in the aviation world. It is of great interest and garners much admiration. R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted September 23, 2010 Author Share Posted September 23, 2010 No she is a family friend of many years and the best grease monkey I have known. The only problem is the workshop is 500 feet above sea level and being Dutch the air is a bit thin for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted September 24, 2010 Author Share Posted September 24, 2010 A few more photos taken while inspecting the airframe and counting the boxes of new and used parts. No 1 is obvious. 2 is under the front instrument panel looking forwards. 3 fuselage centre section tie bars, these hold the wings on. 4 port wing and big box with engine ready to go for rebuild. 5 rear fuselage looking from tail forwards. 6 rear cockpit flap lever, lots of cleaning to do. The airframe appears to be in very good condition with only a few little dents and cracks which is not bad for 41 years of military use and 17 years storage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eaglehurst Posted September 24, 2010 Share Posted September 24, 2010 Keep us posted as this progresses - really interesting! Makes my job look mind numbingly boring.....which, I guess, it is.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie370 Posted September 25, 2010 Share Posted September 25, 2010 (edited) Your customer is going to be well pleased. I'll be following this thread with interesst, as I've got 40-plus Chippy hours and some happy memories from the best part of my pilot's course at Middle Wallop. For fans of the aircraft, there's a thread running over at http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/385363-chipmunk-beautiful.html with some cracking photos. Edited September 25, 2010 by Yorkie370 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted September 28, 2010 Author Share Posted September 28, 2010 Another day of rivet counting and cleaning. So far we have only found two cracks in the fuselage skin under each end of the bottom tie bar and this is a known problem and a repair scheme is in the Maintenance & Repair Manual. The engine has gone to be rebuilt at CFS near Coventry so we now have more working space so I will start a more detailed inspection of the wings tomorrow. Time to do more paperwork now as the aircraft is not fit for flight until the weight of the paperwork exceeds the unladen weight of the aircraft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 Another week of cleaning and inspecting all real exciting stuff but if you miss anything! We are getting x-rays done on the wing undercarraige castings next week to look for cracks another £1000 +. All i have found in the fuselage was a crack in a stiffener under the floor of the front cockpit and have repaired this by following the Maintenance & Repair Manual and a lot of swearing ( not much space and I am not small ). And a couple of photos to show we take H&S very seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted November 28, 2010 Author Share Posted November 28, 2010 Lots of cleaning and paint stripping has been done over the last month (this is boring). The fabric has been removed from the wings and control surfaces and we are now cleaning and inspecting these and so far have not found anything too bad. I have moved the wings to my workshop at home and have the new fabric on order so hope to start the legal solvent abuse soon. Anyone who is interested is welcome to come and have a look at how things are progressing just pm me first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 You're making progress on the old bird. Guess you can't wait for it to fly once more.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topdog Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 Wow, That brings back very many happy memories. I guess the bill will make running armour look like small change though............ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnh Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 Wow bring on the two pack !:nut: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted January 4, 2011 Author Share Posted January 4, 2011 The Port wing is now covered in fabric and will be ready for painting later this week. Fabric work is very labour intensive (expensive) and involves the use of some very nasty solvents. I hope to have this wing finished before we start work on the owners other Chipmunk that needs an annual check and an engine change then yet another Chipmunk annual and two Piper Cubs to finish one waiting for new magnetos the other a rebuilt carb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fesm_ndt Posted January 4, 2011 Share Posted January 4, 2011 Pity I aint in the UK as could have helped you with the NDI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted February 16, 2011 Author Share Posted February 16, 2011 We finished the Annual inspection on Saturday 12th Feb and the Chipmunk is back home at Oxford. As the Chipmunk has been around for 60+ years there are a few mandatory inspections that have to be done some take a few minutes others half the day. For anyone interested the registration is G-BXDI. Now back to work on the rebuild of WK635 aka G-HFRH work that one out no prizes though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 You're hard at work. Allways a pleasure to see a restoration thread like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted February 18, 2011 Author Share Posted February 18, 2011 Thanks Enigma what I do is better than working for a living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpltomo Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Just seen this thread brings back happy times for me use to fly them out of raf woodvale ? up by southport when i was in the A.T.C. looks a credit to you lot of hard work done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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