jaw Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Advice please! Did the RAF operated D H Chipmunk have anti-stall strips in front of the tailplanes in the same way as some Tiger Moths did? If so how long were they? Thanks, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaw Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 Sorry - I should have said anti-spin strakes! John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Blievers Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) Technically they're spin recovery strakes - they improved recovery (marginally) but had nothing to do with spin entry, however DH themselves called them "anti-spin strakes"! These were retrofitted (rather quickly) to the RAF Chipmunk fleet in 1958 - the RAF's last non-straked Chipmunks were those that returned from 114 Squadron on Cyprus in very early 1959. They remained fitted from then on. So the only RAF Chipmunks without strakes were in the overall silver/yellow bands scheme. Edited February 21, 2019 by Rod Blievers text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 2 hours ago, Rod Blievers said: - the RAF's last non-straked Chipmunks were those that returned from 114 Squadron on Cyprus in very early 1959. Article about them here, with photos https://britainatwar.keypublishing.com/2018/09/28/chipmunks-over-olympus/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaw Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 3 hours ago, Rod Blievers said: Technically they're spin recovery strakes - they improved recovery (marginally) but had nothing to do with spin entry, however DH themselves called them "anti-spin strakes"! These were retrofitted (rather quickly) to the RAF Chipmunk fleet in 1958 - the RAF's last non-straked Chipmunks were those that returned from 114 Squadron on Cyprus in very early 1959. They remained fitted from then on. So the only RAF Chipmunks without strakes were in the overall silver/yellow bands scheme. Thanks Rod - that answers my question admirably. I shall add the strakes to my Chippie Cheers, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaw Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 46 minutes ago, Dave Fleming said: Article about them here, with photos https://britainatwar.keypublishing.com/2018/09/28/chipmunks-over-olympus/ Thanks Dave - quite fascinating reading. I had no idea that Chippies were being used in such a role. On another tack does the Britain at War series have anything on Operation Firedog - ie the RAF operations in Malaya in the early 50's? Cheers, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Chipmunk TMK10 we had to of them in Berlin for aerial photo duties. (AKA spying) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rod Blievers Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Tweeky - yep, and if you look at my photo there's one (WG478). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 (edited) On 2/24/2019 at 7:37 AM, tweeky said: Chipmunk TMK10 we had to of them in Berlin for aerial photo duties. (AKA spying) Former Group Captain Hans Neubroch, who passed away in 2015, was one of the Chipmunk pilots who flew surveillance flights in and around East Berlin under the auspices of BRIXMIS. I He was a true gentleman, had a wonderful sense of humor, and had an incredible flying career in the RAF, beginning as a Mosquito pathfinder navigator and later as a pilot, ending up flying Lightnings- with everything in between. I remember his sharing several anecdotes about the spy flights, with him flying the Chipmunk from the back seat and an observer with a 35mm camera in the front seat. On one of his flights, a SAM site was discovered and photographed, and the photos shared with the U.S. I have the entries from his logbook that list all the Lightning single and two-seaters he flew so that I can someday build examples of both types as a tribute to an unbelievable aviator and gentleman. If you are interested, I believe there is a collection of his experiences that has been put into print- titled Poppers and Gretsie, available on that book seller site that starts with an A. Mike Edited February 25, 2019 by 72modeler corrected spelling and grammar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhenderson Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 On 21/02/2019 at 21:03, Dave Fleming said: Article about them here, with photos https://britainatwar.keypublishing.com/2018/09/28/chipmunks-over-olympus/ Thanks for sharing that link - a fascinating little read! Al. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 I did it the other way Lightnings to Chippy's https://i1167.photobucket.com/albums/q623/tweeky687/Lightning/Berlin0001_zpspcgfnrgo.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweeky Posted February 26, 2019 Share Posted February 26, 2019 On 2/24/2019 at 6:27 PM, Rod Blievers said: Tweeky - yep, and if you look at my photo there's one (WG478). Tat was one of the replacements (new Radio fit) We had WZ862 and WD289 when I was stationed in Berlin. Had a good few flights whist working on them. Also flew on an Airtest in a Pembroke and a wall patrol in one of 7Flt AAC Gazelles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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