RAWTAG #31: CHIPMUNK FABRIC ROUNDEL.

Description

The much-loved de Havilland Chipmunk has a special place in the hearts of several generations of Air Cadets and military pilots alike. The ‘Chippie’ is a tandem, two-seat, single-engined primary trainer aircraft designed and developed by Canadian aircraft manufacturer de Havilland Canada. It was developed shortly after the Second World War and sold in large numbers during the immediate post-war years, being typically employed as a replacement for the de Havilland Tiger Moth biplane. Powered by a 145hp Gipsy Major engine, the type first flew in 1946 and was highly regarded from the start. In total 1284 were produced and served with military air arms around the World. In Britain they were well-known as the aircraft in which many cadets got their first taste of flight. The Royal Air Force finally retired them in 1996. Many still fly today in the hands of civilian owners as cherished vintage machines.
The tags on offer here were produced from wing fabric removed from a retired RAF ‘Chippie’.