Celebrating the 80th anniversary of the first flight of the de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk on 22nd May 1946, Chipfest 80 was held exactly 80 years later to the day at Halfpenny Green airfield in Staffordshire.
Blessed with very hot, dry weather and favourable surface winds, the event delivered near-perfect flying conditions and almost 60 Chipmunks assembled at the airfield, creating the largest gathering of the type seen in many years. The BBMF sent its two T10 Chipmunks, WG486 and WK518, to join in this exceptional event.
The oldest Chippie at the gathering was de Havilland Canada DHC-1A-1 Chipmunk G-AKDN. Built in 1946 it was one of three Canadian-built airframes shipped to the UK to help launch the British Chipmunk production line. Another special Chipmunk at the event was red-painted WP903 (G-BCGC), with its unique anti-collision beacon mounted on top of the windscreen arch, in which HM King Charles III learned to fly in 1968-9. Some Chipmunks flew in from as far afield as France and Belgium, while Scandinavian representation came in the form of Chipmunk Mk 20 SE-XKU from Denmark, which was originally purchased by the Royal Danish Air Force in 1953.
The BBMF Chipmunks, both 1952 examples, flew to the event from their Coningsby base, arriving in neat close formation, and providing a rare opportunity to see both aircraft together in public.
BBMF Chipmunk WG486 has since been flown to Duxford for a scheduled Major Maintenance by the Aircraft Restoration Company (ARCo) which is likely to last for the rest of 2026. (The aircraft will be retaining its current markings and will not be repainted as part of the Major.)
Eighty years after the Chipmunk first flew, Chipfest 80 demonstrated the widespread affection that still exists for this most enduring and charismatic of training aircraft, whose attributes as a tailwheel trainer are still essential to the BBMF.
