De Havilland Canada DHC - 1 Chipmunk The de Havilland Canada DHC - 1 Chipmunk is a tandem , two - seat , single - engined primary trainer aircraft which was the standard primary trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force , Royal Air Force and several other air forces through much of the post - Second World War years . The de Havilland Chipmunk was the first postwar aviation project of de Havilland Canada . Today , over 500 DHC - 1 Chipmunk ( affectionately known as " Chippie " ) airframes remain airworthy with more being rebuilt every year . Design and development . The Chipmunk was designed to succeed the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane trainer that was widely used during the Second World War . Wsiewołod Jakimiuk , a Polish prewar engineer , created the first indigenous design of the aircraft at de Havilland Aircraft of Canada Ltd . It is an all - metal , low wing , tandem two - place , single - engined aircraft with a conventional tailwheel landing gear and fabric - covered control surfaces . The wing is also fabric - covered aft of the spar . A clear perspex canopy covers the pilot / student ( front ) and instructor / passenger ( rear ) positions . " CF - DIO - X " , the Chipmunk prototype , flew for the first time at Downsview , Toronto on 22 May 1946 with Pat Fillingham , test pilot from the parent de Havilland company , at the controls . The production version of the Chipmunk was powered by a inline de Havilland Gipsy Major 8 engine while the prototype was powered by a 145 hp ( 108 kW ) de Havilland Gipsy Major 1C . Two Chipmunk aircraft were evaluated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment ( A & AEE ) at RAF Boscombe Down . As a result , the fully aerobatic Chipmunk was ordered as an " ab initio " trainer for the Royal Air Force ( Prince Philip took his first flying lesson in one in 1952 ) . The Royal Canadian Air Force also adopted the Chipmunk as their primary trainer . British - built and early Canadian - built Chipmunks are notably different from the later Canadian - built RCAF / Lebanese versions . The later Canadian - built aircraft have a bubble canopy , while early Canadian , and all Portuguese and British examples have the multi - panelled sliding canopy , the rearmost panels of which are bulged for better instructor visibility . From the 1950s onward , the Chipmunk also became a popular civilian aircraft , being used for training , aerobatics and crop spraying . Most civilian aircraft are ex - military . Operational history . United Kingdom . The RAF received 735 Chipmunks , designated de Havilland Chipmunk T . 10 , manufactured in the UK by the de Havilland parent company to specification 8 / 48 as a Tiger Moth replacement . Production began at the DH Hatfield factory but soon transferred to their plant at Hawarden Airport at Broughton near Chester . They initially served with Reserve Flying Squadrons ( RFS ) of the RAF Volunteer Reserve ( VR ) as well as the University Air Squadrons . A few Chipmunks were pressed into service in Cyprus on internal security flights during the conflict in 1958 . From 1956 to 1990 the Chipmunks of the RAF Gatow Station Flight were used for covert reconnaissance by BRIXMIS over the Berlin area . Chipmunk T . 10s were also used by the Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm for primary training . Chipmunks remained service with ATC Air Experience Flight s until 1996 ( the final AEF to use the Chipmunk was No . 10 Air Experience Flight , RAF Woodvale ) when they were replaced by the Bulldog . The last Chipmunks in military service are still operated by the British historic flights - the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight ( including one of the Gatow aircraft ) , the Royal Navy and Army historic flights , to keep their pilots current on tailwheel aircraft . The cockpit sections of some former RAF Chipmunks have been used as ground training aids . These are colloquially known as " Chippax " trainers . Canada . The RCAF accepted its first DHC - 1 Chipmunks in 1948 , as the first of a long production run of the 217 Chipmunks made in Canada . The Chipmunk was the first Canadian - designed aircraft to be made abroad under licence , with the majority of the home - grown production destined for the RCAF , but Canadian Chipmunks were also sent to Egypt , Lebanon and Thailand . Of the 113 in RCAF service , 79 Chipmunks were assigned as ab initio trainers with 34 assigned to flying clubs for use in refresher training for RCAF Reserve pilots . The last example remained in service as a CF trainer until 1972 , three years after unification in 1968 . The Chipmunk ' s long service was due , in part , to its fully aerobatic capabilities and superb flying characteristics , which made it a delight to fly . It is also a mechanically sound aircraft and , consequently , many ex - RCAF Chipmunks are still operational around the world . Production . Downsview built 217 Chipmunks , the last in 1956 . A total of 1 , 000 were built in Britain initially at Hatfield Aerodrome and then later at Hawarden Aerodrome . A further 66 Chipmunks were licence - manufactured by OGMA ( Oficinas Gerais de Material Aeronáutico , at Alverca ) from 1955 to 1961 in Portugal for the Portuguese Air Force . Variants . Portuguese - built . Military version powered by de Havilland Gipsy Major 10 Series 2 ( 145 hp ) engine , 10 built in UK followed by 66 built by OGMA . From 1989 onward , seven aircraft where updated and modified at OGMA ( 5 ) and Indústrias Aeronáuticas de Coimbra ( 2 ) to be used by the 802 Sqn . " " Águias " " ( Eagles ) — Air Force Academy squadron . The main modification was the installation of a more powerful 180 hp Continental engine . Their main tasks are related to supporting the Air Force cadets aerial activities , mainly initial aptitude screening , glider tow and initial flight proficiency . Scholl Super Chipmunk . A number of Chipmunks were modified as aerobatic aircraft in the United States as the " Super Chipmunk " . Along with an uprated engine , the aircraft underwent an extensive makeover including clipping its wings , adding retractable landing gear , conversion to a single - seat layout , adding an autopilot and being fitted with a red , white and blue wingtip and tail smoke system . The control stick received a three - inch ( 76 mm ) extension for greater control during extreme aerobatic maneuvers . For over 25 years the Super Chipmunk in its distinctive bright colour scheme of blue stars and sunburst effect was displayed by the aerobatic pilot Art Scholl . Four Super Chipmunk conversions were modified , Scholl ' s " N13A " and " N13Y " , Harold Krier ’ s " N6311V " and Skip Volk ' s " N1114V " . Another more recent " Super Chipmunk " was converted by air show performer , Jim " Fang " Maroney who similarly modified an ex - RCAF example by strengthening the airframe , replacing the original engine with a version incorporating an inverted fuel and oil system , clipping three feet off the wings and adding 30 % more rudder and 10 % more elevator . A spatted landing gear was retained . Another similarly modified " Super Chipmunk " , " N1804Q " , is owned and flown by air show pilot Greg Aldridge . " N13Y " is now on display at the National Air and Space Museum , Smithsonian Institution , Udvar - Hazy Center at Washington - Dulles International Airport . , while " N1114V " is preserved at the EAA AirVenture Museum at Oshkosh , Wisconsin , USA . Operators . Civilian operators . Today , the Chipmunk remains popular with specialized flying clubs and is also operated by private individuals located in many countries worldwide .