JUNE -  In preparation for the Oshkosh Airshow, a proficiency formation check was completed in WG430 by Jon Lawrence of the JLFC. Both WG430 and WP833 were used for this flight.  

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MAY -  A relatively quiet month for WG430, except an experience flight for Gerry Heath and James Lipman at Flabob Airport. James is an accomplished tailwheel pilot and so flew the Chipmunk from the front seat for a few circuits. 

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APRIL -  After flying the required 10 hours of break-in following the top overhaul,West Coast Air Creations checked all torque values, cleaned and checked oil screens, sent an oil analysis sample and changed out the mineral oil for more modern multigrade oil. A clean bill of health was issued, allowing WG430 to attend the 2023 Southern California Airshow at March Air Reserve Base. Crowds of up to 500,000 people were expected to attend, in part to see displays by the US Air Force Thunderbirds, Patriot Jet Team, F-18/Bearcat Historic Flight with Steve Hinton, Vicky Benzing, Anthony Oshinuga, PS Air Museum Mustang Mania, John Colliver, US Air Force C17/KC135/F35/A10/B1B/F16/KC46, Kent Pietsch, Sammy Mason, Ed Hamill, Planes of Fame display, and the Canadian Skyhawks Parachute Team. WG430 was placed on prominent static display and Saturday was an open cockpit day. Several dozen kids & adults experienced the thrill of sitting in the cockpit of this historic warbird. Hundreds of attendees to the airshow asked questions and took photographs during the weekend, allowing me the opportunity to inform and educate about the history of the RAF Chipmunk.

 

The USAF staff took great care of all performers (static and airborne), and the various dinners and social events proved to be great fun and another opportunity to share information about the aircraft displayed during the weekend. The next planned displays for WG430 are the 2023 EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh (Wisconsin) in July and the 2023 Wings Over Camarillo Air Show at Camarillo Airport (California) in August.

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MARCH -  Visiting Chipmunk pilot from the UK, Phil Hardisty, flew WG430 in formation with WP833 from a snow covered Big Bear. I was able to fly our Grumman Cheetah to meet up with the pair and enjoy a great breakfast at the restaurant. After departing, Phil and Richard flew to Victorville and then back to Flabob. I was very interested to hear how this experienced Chipmunk pilot considered the performance of WG430, and reports were good. An oil change, filter clean and oil analysis will be conducted as soon as the 10 hours of flight time are reached.  

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FEBRUARY -  The initial roughness experienced was traced to a misaligned mixture lever. In essence, the cockpit lever control was hitting the stops before the full rich stop was achieved on the carburetor. Once this was corrected, WG430 flew much smoother and with good power. The initial break-in was extended to 10 flight hours on recommendation of engineer Chris Harrison. As part of this process, WG430 attended the Cable Airport Invitational Fly-in at the beginning of February. The day was stunning and a formation arrival (with WP833) was well received by the attendees, which included many T6, Stearmans, Ryan's and a stunning PT19. A formation fly-by was performed on departure back to Flabob. A great photo of this pass was taken by Frank Morello (see Photographs tab). 

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JANUARY -  FINALLY! After almost 6 months of down-time, WG430 was fired back to life by Nando Mendoza on 17th January for a series of engine runs to check for leaks and smooth running. All went well, and in fact the engine started on the first attempt! On 19th January, I took WG430 up for the first hour of engine "break-in" flights. This flight was conducted at a constant high RPM and with mineral oil to seat the new pistons and cylinders. A record was taken each 10 minutes to show engine oil pressure, temperature and EGT for each of the 4 cylinders. There average oil pressure was 45psi, oil temperature was 70c given the OAT of approximately 8c at 2,000ft. EGT averages for cruise flight were - Number 1: 707c/1305f Number 2: 740c/1364f Number 3: 705c/1301f Number 4: 812c/1494f. Overall, the flight went well. The engine produced good power and WG430 handled fantastically well. There was some roughness observed between 10 and 20 minutes of flight, and then intermittently afterwards. After consultation, this was expected to be a little air seeping into the intake manifold as a result of the new nuts being heated and loosening a little during the flight. The nuts were re-torqued and a second flight will be made at normal cruise RPM to validate the findings. 

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Events confirmed for WG430 in 2023 are March Air Base Airshow (weekend of 22nd April) and EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh (week of 24th July). More events to be confirmed soon.

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2022

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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER -  The latest news from West Coast Air Creations is that the new pistons, rings, cylinders and cylinder heads are now installed. The propellor was also overhauled and painted, and so this has been fitted too. Some painting has been conducted on the undercarriage legs and the cowling due to paint deterioration. I have made the decision to install an EGT gauge and probes for all four cylinder heads so that I can keep an eye on the health of the engine in future. I will also have a volt/amp gauge installed, along with a rebuilt voltage regulator. I was not planning to do so much maintenance work to WG430 this year, but circumstances have forced my hand. However, I'm so thankful that we have had the opportunity to do a top overhaul, prop overhaul and the other work to ensure the safe future of my historic Chipmunk. I am hoping to be airborne before the end of this year and airshows/events have already been identified to try and make 2023 a great year to show off this great piece of RAF history to thousands of enthusiasts. 

 

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AUGUST/SEPT -  A repost from a Chipmunk Group website: "Here is a quick recap of a recent Chipmunk event - “Operation Stupid, but not so stupid”! After discovering that my Gipsy Major had been infiltrated by a certain notorious Mr Williams back in 2005, opinions were sought to try and explain the number 4 cylinder and piston scoring, and questions were asked regarding the possibility of overhaul. This led to me sending said piston and cylinder to Chris Harrison in Australia for assessment. A video/photo chat allowed a check of the other three cylinders. Unfortunately, the verdict was not good. To quote Chris, “you appear to have four flower pot cylinders and four ashtray pistons!” I was hopeful that the cylinder heads could be overhauled, and so shipped these to Chris too. Another quote, “…the worst I’ve seen and that pitted valve was really close to failing!” By this time, I had also discovered the immense cost of shipping engine parts across the oceans. Even with my generous airline employee discounts, the costs were significant. Luckily, Chris was able to offer four overhauled and assembled cylinders and heads with appropriate hardware (pistons were sourced through Connie Clark in California). However, I started to wonder how much it would cost to ship four complete top end (or bottom end for a GM) units back to me in America. Not cheap, me thinks!! But wait! I’m an airline pilot by trade, meaning I can fly for virtually free, and I have 3 days free between work trips. Hmmmm. And that’s how “Operation Stupid, but not so stupid” came about.

The plan: finish my 6 hour work flight from Costa Rica to Los Angeles Airport. Change out of my uniform and walk to the international terminal. Catch a 15 hour Qantas flight to Melbourne (hope to get an open business class seat to allow some sleep!) Get a hire car, remember to drive on the other side of the road, and drive 2 hours to meet Chris. Buy 2 large suitcases. Pick up the shiny cylinders and heads, have dinner, sleep, drive back to Melbourne Airport and catch the Qantas flight back to LAX the next afternoon.. to be back in time to put my uniform on and fly to Honolulu for work! Good game, good game!!! 

 

What actually happened: well, all of the above, quite successfully. Plus.. I was able to take the carburetor from WP833 down for minor repairs in a suitcase loaned to me by Richard Wilsher, meaning I only had to buy one suitcase in Australia. Also, Chris was so efficient, that we even had time for a quick local flight in his beautiful Auster before dinner!!

Thanks so much to Chris Harrison for making this crazy plan work and for the meticulous work to help put my Chipmunk back in the air, and to Ariana for helping to carefully pack the cases so that the precious cargo remained free of damage during its journey. 16,000 miles, 4 cylinders, 4 heads, 3 days, 3 flybys in the Auster, 2 suitcases, 2 trips across the dateline, 1 fixed carburetor, 1 sushi dinner, 1 still employed airline pilot, 1 happy Charlie deHavilland and a fun story too!

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JUNE/JULY - Before grounding WG430 for its annual inspection, I was able to allow another Chipmunk pilot the chance to fly. KLM pilot Piet Luijken was on a night stop in the LA area and so we flew together. After Piet flew a few fun rolls and loops we headed to Flabob Airport for a couple of touch & go’s before handing the aircraft over to West Coast Air Creations for inspections.

 

WG430 had flown 111 hours since the last inspection was completed. The thorough inspections showed very little issues with WG430, however the number 4 cylinder would not give a compression test in range and so further investigation was required. Unfortunately, after removing the cylinder, several scoring marks were found on the cylinder wall and on the piston. A full inspection of the bearings and valves was carried out before the damaged parts were sent to a specialist in Australia for repair. The propeller was also removed and overhauled, which revealed a small crack on the backplate, and so a replacement was located. It is hoped that WG430 will be back in the air in August. 

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MAY - This month saw WG430 accompany WP833 north from California towards Canada for the recreation of some legs flown as part of Operation Northern Venture 25 years ago. Here is the day by day blog of the journey.

 

DAY ONE

Leaving Flabob (KRIR) at sunrise for our first leg of formation flying towards Canada was spectacular. It was clear and the air smooth as we made our way towards our first planned fuel stop in Bakersfield, California. Unfortunately, as we approached the mountains northwest of Edwards Air Base, we could see morning fog stretching out into the valley ahead. Richard, as lead in WP833, made the decision to divert to General Fox Airfield (KWJF) to allow the fog to burn off before proceeding. A formation overhead break to landing in the 28kt gusting winds and 40 degree crosswind made for a challenging first stop. After fueling and checking the weather ahead, we got airborne again, this time with WG430 leading the two-ship. Some gusty winds across the mountains led to smooth conditions as we flew over the central California valley towards Reedley (O32) for a quick fuel stop before continuing on to the beautiful Columbia Airport (O22) in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. This presented an opportunity to land on the grass runway and make our way to the picnic grounds for lunch. Well nourished, we set off for our final leg and ultimate planned destination for day one, Lincoln Regional (KLHM), where we would meet up with another Chipmunk owner, Dan Flom and his wife Susanne.

 

On landing, these three former RAF Chipmunks were united for the first time in California. In order of age:

1950 WB684 - Formerly with the RAF display team the Skylarks.

1951 WG430 - AEF1, former BBMF and Royal Navy loan aircraft.

1952 WP833 - One of two RAF Chipmunks to fly around the world.

 

Day one stats: 316nm - 5hrs 21mins flying time.

 

DAY TWO

After some great hospitality from Dan and Susi (plus the dogs), we met at Lincoln Airport to fly a formation photoshoot with photographer Mark Loper. It was a gusty morning, making the formation with Bonanza N11WP challenging. Unfortunately, WB684 was unserviceable and so couldn’t join the formation. However, Dan flew in the back of WP833 with Richard and Susi flew in the Bonanza with the photographer. The photographs came out really well and might find their way into a magazine in the near future. Some sample photos are in the Photographs section of this website. Soon after, Richard and I departed in formation for our next leg. We had not flown more than 20 minutes when Richard reported he could not fully control the engine speed. He was unable to reduce power less than around 1500RPM, which would make landing a challenge. He reported that the throttle seemed stiff and so we returned to Lincoln for an emergency landing. On short final, Richard cut the magnetos and stopped the engine enabling him to make a controlled touchdown and exit the runway. An inspection of the rear cockpit showed the problem. A pizza box had slipped its rope and slid down onto the rear throttle! After that excitement, we decided to reposition both aircraft to Auburn Airport (KAUN) and spend another night with Dan and Susi. This time, Susi got to fly in the back of WP833.

 

Day two stats: 12nm - 1hr 19mins flying time!

 

DAY THREE

After a good breakfast, we departed Auburn and received clearance to transit through Beale airspace towards our first fuel stop at a gusty Red Bluff (KRBL). The next leg saw us fly in the rising terrain towards the active volcano Mount Shasta, which was absolutely spectacular as it rose over 14,000 feet from the valley floor. We cut our way through the mountains, following Interstate 5 before landing at Weed Airport (O46). With a name like that, we couldn’t pass up the chance of landing and adding the airport to our logbooks! The views from the ramp area in Weed were absolutely amazing. We were able to get some great shots of both Chipmunks with the snow covered top of Mount Shasta in the background. The airport manager recommended we fly and stay in Ashland, Oregon for the night, and so we were soon airborne again for our final leg of day three. Just to the south of Ashland and in line with the runway approach is a large solitary rock, named Pilot Rock, perhaps for obvious reasons. I was able to take a few good shots of WP833 as it passed Pilot Rock before we landed at the airport nestled in the green hills of Oregon.

 

Day three stats: 214nm - 3hrs 04mins flying time.

 

DAY FOUR

Because of work commitments, I decided that Ashland was as far north as I could go with Richard. The next morning, we started early and did a final overhead break with Richard departing north for his adventure, and WG430 heading back towards Pilot Rock for the return journey to Southern California. Once again, the views around Mount Shasta and some of the older remains of former volcanoes was spectacular. With Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon as a backing track in my headphones, I thoroughly enjoyed this flight. A good tailwind pushed me on towards a lunch stop at Nancy’s Cafe, Willows Airport (KWLW). The next stop was to meet up with old friends at Tracy Airport (KTCY), where one of those friends, Julius Frank, met me in the air in his C172 for a short dogfight! Unfortunately, after fueling, my old problem of a flat battery returned, meaning a longer stay while I charged the batteries. The next leg was flown without radio to preserve some battery power, as I assumed the issue was a generator problem again. Landing at Bakersfield (L45), I was met by the friendly people at Aircraft Service & Parts, who offered a hangar and battery charge for the night. 

 

Day four stats: 463nm - 5hrs 17mins flying time.

 

DAY FIVE

A strong tailwind allowed a non-stop flight to Thermal Airport (KTRM) the next morning. The route took me back over the mountains that had been so gusty on day one of our journey but were smooth today. Crossing over Victorville Airport (KVCV) and the hundreds of airliners parked there awaiting their fate after the recent Covid-19 pandemic, reminded me what a privilege it is to be able to keep this historic aircraft flying.

 

Day five stats: 174nm - 2hrs 01mins flying time.

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April - Some currency landings were conducted and planning began for the next adventure for WG430. Richard (WP833) will be leaving for Canada in May to recreate the Canadian section of the RAF Northern Venture trip, flying the exact legs his aircraft flew 25 years ago. I am planning to join Richard in formation on his positioning flight from Riverside to the Canadian border at the beginning of May. Unfortunately, my work schedule does not allow me to do any more than this, but it will be a fun way to give Richard a proper send-off for this wonderful trip. Check out https://wp833-llc.aero/home/northern-venture-25/ for more details. I will plan to do a blog during the trip.

 

As a strange coincidence, I was made aware of a photo of the original participants of Operation Northern Venture, standing next to a Chipmunk somewhere in the UK. Which Chipmunk? WG430! See the photo posted in the Photographs section.

 

March - I was able to display WG430 at Flabob Airport alongside a 40's era Globe Swift and a 50's Cessna 170 taildragger. Of course, we parked up alongside the C47's, DC3, Beech 18 and SNJ to make a nice line up. I was privileged to take Alaska Airlines pilot Zach Allen up for his first experience in the Chipmunk.

 

February - The new (old!) oil pressure line and gauge has been fitted and is working great! It was fun to take another airline Captain flying in WG430 this month. Stefan Moeller is an A350 Training Captain, based in Munich. We flew the Chipmunk as part of a video series he has produced to help promote interest in this classic aircraft. I was also able to fly Gerry Heath, whose father was in the RAF.

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Near the end of February, Richard (WP833) and I spent a long day practicing formation flying, including joins, breaks, trail and some short routines. We began the day at Chiraco Summit in some very gusty conditions, which we used to ensure we were proficient flying formation in these conditions.

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January - This year will mark the 71st flying year of WG430! After searching many sources for an original RAF replacement oil pressure gauge and line, I managed to track one down in the UK. The gauge was removed from a former RAF Chipmunk that was having a Lycoming conversion completed. Peter Strorey kindly shipped the whole pressure system to me and this will be installed at the beginning of February in Flabob. I have a temporary fix to ensure WG430 is able to be run and flown, albeit close to the airport to be conservative. January saw a handful of maintenance flights, simply to keep systems warm and lubricated.

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2021

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December - Another British passenger got to relive their Air Experience Flight in WG430! James Lipman, a talented local car photographer, got to fly the Chipmunk and then allowed me to fly his wonderful RV6! I was also able to fly with 'Stork' Meyer during his road trip from Chicago. Stork would like to be a future Chipmunk owner and so he was able to fly WG430 and get some front seat experience as well as some technical operation information. Stork is currently flying his Sonex in the Chicago area.

 

The following day, Richard and I had planned to do some formation flying practice at Chiraco Summit Airport. Unfortunately, during an echelon turn over the airfield as number 2, I noticed the windscreen was covered in oil and the oil pressure had dropped to zero. We executed a 'knock it off' as trained by the people at Cable Airfield, and I assumed lead and immediately commenced an emergency landing at idle power. On landing, the whole right side of the aircraft was covered in oil. An inspection revealed that the oil pressure gauge tube from the capillary mounted on the firewall had broken. In 11 minutes of flying, I had lost around 7 quarts of oil. Luckily, the Gipsy Major is rumored to be able to run on a cup full of oil, and I seemed to be able to prove it today! After a flight back to Thermal in the back of WP833 to retrieve some tools and a cap for the leaking connection, I was able to safely fly back to Thermal. The temporary repair required some degree of 'McGyver', as the cap we installed was found to be slightly too long and leaked drops of oil when engine run tests were performed. However, thanks to a helpful truck driver, we used the cut end of a neoprene glove to make the seal tight. (See Photographs section for a couple of photos)

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After landing, a new compression connection was fitted. However, the copper tube that had failed was found to be an add-on from a previous owner. As a result, I was able to source a New Old Stock oil pressure gauge from a UK based pilot, who had removed the gauge from his Chipmunk when upgrading the engine to a Lycoming. The new gauge will be fitted in the new year by the experts at West Coast Air Creations. Happy New Year!

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Annual stats for WG430 are: 80 hours flying time, 22 different airfields visited, 16 different passengers, a trip to Oshkosh (almost!), a formation flying course, an EAA video, 40 quarts of oil, 565 gallons of fuel, 2 new piston rings, 2 new magnetos, i generator overhaul and 1 emergency landing!

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November - Once again, I was able to join up with WP833 and head to Cable Airport to complete my training for a FAST (Formation and Safety) Card. Over two days, Richard and I spent time in the classroom and 6 hours in the air learning how to safely fly as formation pilots. The instructors (Jon Lawrence, Steve Watkins and Zack Rothe) patiently helped us to meet the standards required to take the flight test. Our flight examiner was Dan Wotring, an experienced warbird pilot and C-47 check pilot! Dan is also wonderful to fly with and made the whole experience very satisfying. I am glad to report that both Richard and myself successfully completed our FAST training and we will now continue to hone our skills and, perhaps, work on some basic formation routines for display.

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It was great to finally be able to take EAA Chapter 1116 Chairman and Citabria pilot Frank Brabec flying in WG430. Frank first got into flying to pursue a dream of flying warbirds, and so WG430 was his first! We celebrated with a couple of "victory rolls" over the Salton Sea! The occasion was an EAA meeting and presentation given by an inspirational young pilot, Elizabeth Witte. Elizabeth is recovering well from a plane crash she experienced as a 16 year-old while training for her pilots license. Elizabeth hopes to fly in WG430 in the very near future. Just a few days later, another Chapter member, Doug Hey, was able to fly with me in the Chipmunk as I checked for leaks following a routine oil change and filter cleaning. 

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October  - My Dad passed away this month, which required a trip to the UK. An opportunity presented itself to reacquaint myself with the Chipmunk that started it all for me, WD373. Exactly 35 years and 4 months after I first flew in the back of WD373 as an Air Cadet, I sat in the front and flew this wonderful machine again. Owner Sam Kidd had helped to make this flight a reality and in the back was Steve Morrell, who graciously allowed me to do all of the flying to ensure that this was a significant and enjoyable flight. 

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On 28th October, I was able to fly Scott Corley in WG430. Scott is a current airline pilot who first flew as a youngster in a de Havilland Tiger Moth with his father. Coincidentally and appropriately, today was the 90th anniversary of the first flight of the dH Tiger Moth.

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September - The guys at Poplar Grove have finished the magneto installation! Some engine runs demonstrated smooth running and starts were rapid. The electrical issue is suspected to be a loose generator wire. Both batteries have been charged and load tested, and both were found to be in good condition. An oil change will be completed before I collect the aircraft. The ferry flight back to California is expected to take place mid-September. 

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* RETURN FLIGHT TO CALIFORNIA *

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Day One: Poplar Grove (Illinois) - Fairfield Municipal (Iowa) - St Joseph (Missouri)

3 hrs 42 mins flying time, 316nm

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After flying to Chicago on a red-eye passenger flight and landing in the early hours, I made my way to a hotel half way between Chicago and Poplar Grove for some sleep before I collected WG430. The guys at Poplar Grove Airmotive did a fantastic job, had all of the paperer ready to go and had cleaned the Chipmunk too. I did a few engine runs before I set off, and then left just after 1pm local time. The flight to Iowa was smooth and clear, and was a good 2 hour test of the new magnetos. They ran like sewing machines! In Fairfield (KFFL), I had the option to land on their lovely grass strip and so took that. The winds had picked up after I fueled up and left for Missouri, and so I departed using the main runway instead of taking the crosswind. The flight to St Joseph (KSTJ) was bumpy but very picturesque. The approach saw me fly over the Missouri River and right up to the border of Kansas. The helpful people at the FBO washed my windscreen and helped me tie down for the evening. They loaned me a crew car to get into town, and a good sleep greeted me after dinner.

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Day Two: St Joseph (Missouri) - Hutchinson (Kansas) - Meade (Kansas) - Dalhart (Texas) - Tucumcari (New Mexico) - Santa Fe (New Mexico)

8 hrs 53 mins flying time, 627nm

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What an epic day of flying! I started very early to make sure I maximized the daylight available today. Just after 7am and as the sun was rising, I got airborne from St Joseph and turned into Kansas for a very smooth flight to Hutchinson (KHUT). After chatting to the Cirrus people at the FBO, I turned quickly and headed towards the runway. Unfortunately, the large amount of military training traffic kept me idling on the ground for a long while. In this time, the winds had started to rise in intensity again. My planned destination was Liberal, Kansas. However, surface winds were gusting to 38 knots and so I rapidly searched around for lighter winds using Foreflight. By total coincidence, off to my left was a small strip, Harold Krier Field (K58).. the same Harold Krier whose Super Chipmunk we had stopped to see at Antique Airfield Iowa on the way to Oshkosh. As good as this stop would have been for the story, the crosswinds were just too high to make a safe landing. Meade (KMEJ) looked to be the best option, with winds of 190/16kts gusting to 23kts. It was quite hard to taxi to the fuel pump in this winds and there was literally nobody at the airfield to help. I took some time to start replanning my day, expecting to push on until the winds got too high before stopping for the night.

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It appeared that if I routed further south, the surface winds reduced, and so I flew the next 2 hour leg to Dalhart (KDHT), which saw me enter the third state for today. Once again, the winds were very strong and gusty, albeit aligned quite well with the runway. I considered stopping for the night here, but after looking at Foreflight again, I found that if I routed much further south towards Tucumcari, the winds died down considerably. I decided to fly this extra leg before I found a hotel for the night. However, after landing at Tucumcari (KTCC), I once again found myself alone with nobody present at the FBO. My phone signal was poor and so researching hotels and transportation left me with another option. If I left immediately, I'd have enough daylight to make it to Santa Fe. When this fact arose, I didn't hesitate and got back into WG430 for one more leg of this already fatiguing day. The scenery around New Mexico is spectacular, and I picked quite a direct route to Santa Fe to ensure I landed before sunset. However, this meant that I needed to climb over some high terrain and so I picked 10,500ft for this leg. The winds picked up and gave me a rough ride as I made my way over the eastern Rockies, but a gorgeous sunset greeted me as I touched down in Santa Fe after my almost 9 hour flying day. This was a very satisfying day!

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Day Three: Santa Fe (New Mexico)

0 hrs 00 mins flying time, 0nm

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After such a good day yesterday, I decided to "rinse & repeat" with an early start. The Chipmunk was fueled, oiled and ready for another good day. Just as the sun began to appear over the horizon, I strapped myself into WG430 and pushed the starter button. Nothing! I tried again. Nothing!! The battery was flat. The generator problem had reappeared. It was obvious that the generator was not adequately charging the batteries, and that it was only the existing battery charge that was allowing me to keep flying. I borrowed a crew car from the FBO and went to get some supplies.. a battery charger and long extension cord. I decided to fully charge the batteries to enable me to make it home to California, where I would then have the people at West Coast Air Creations service the generator at a later date. After plugging in the charger, I went to explore Santa Fe and relax for the day.

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Day Four: Santa Fe (New Mexico) - Gallup (New Mexico) - Payson (Arizona) - Blythe (California) - Thermal (California)

6 hrs 18 mins flying time, 522nm

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With fully charged batteries, I tried another dawn start, and this time the engine turned and fired! To preserve battery life, I decided to fly the remainder of my flight using minimal radio, and so I picked a route that presented mostly free airspace. And what a route! As the sun rose behind me, the long shadows and orange glow of the mesas and rock formations below me presented a view that was one of the most stunning I have ever seen. For as far as I could see, I became surrounded by incredible views that reminded me of old Wild West movies. For almost 2 hours, I saw no sign of civilization, and instead listened to Creedence Clearwater Revival through my Bose bluetooth headphones. This was one of the most memorable experiences I have had in aviation, but the small town of Gallup (KGUP) soon came into view. As I fueled up, several small black clouds began to appear and so I carefully picked a route to avoid them towards Winslow, Arizona.

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The small storms made the flight a little bumpy, but I also picked up a good tailwind. Part way to Winslow (KINW), I realized that I could make it to Payson (KPJB) if I could keep the tailwind. I turned southwest, and kept my fingers crossed. Landing in Payson before 10am meant that I could make it home in good time, with just one more fuel stop. I decided to have breakfast, but the fuel pump and restaurant at Payson are far away from each other. As I taxied towards the restaurant after fueling, I saw more black storm clouds building and so made a quick decision to get airborne and keep going. The flight to Blythe (KBLH) was much smoother and finally saw me cross into my home state of California, bordering the snake like Colorado River that flows from the Hoover Dam. A quick fuel up and microwave pastry had me heading to my final destination of Thermal just after noon. I kept the canopy open and flew at 3,000ft to enjoy the scenery of the desert as I made my way to the banks of the Salton Sea in the Coachella Valley after my successful 6 hour flying day.

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Two days later, I flew to Flabob to leave WG430 with the mechanics and have the faulty generator repaired. My flying friend Richard loaned me his Chipmunk to make my return trip. WP833 is a historic aircraft, which was one of two that flew around the world as part of Operation Northern Venture in 1997. The aircraft was flown in part by Squadron Leader Bill Purchase during this trip. Bill sadly passed away this month, which made this solo flight quite memorable. 

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August - The new Slick magneto conversion harness has been made up by Moth Aircraft Company, and is on its way to Poplar Grove Airmotive in Illinois. I am hoping to collect WG430 sometime in September and fly back to California.

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I received some fantastic photos of WG430 at RAF Manston from David White. David was a former Air Training Corps cadet and got to fly in WG430 as part of an Air Experience Flight. Interestingly, the elephant emblem had yet to be painted onto the fuselage. David very kindly allowed me to post these photos here. Check out the "photographs" tab above.

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July (EAA OSHKOSH!) - Wow! What a month July turned out to be for WG430. My work schedule unexpectedly opened up enough to allow me to attend the EAA AirVenture Show at Oshkosh. Even better, I had the time to fly WG430 to the show and join other Chipmunks to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the DHC-1. Even better than this, Richard Wilsher in WP833 would be flying alongside me for the 1,600nm journey from California to Wisconsin. And, to top it off, I was offered the chance to fly in a formation of Chipmunks during the main airshow!

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I conducted an oil change, tightened manifold nuts, cleaned the plugs and checked tyre pressures before leaving. I also removed the control column in the back cockpit as a safety precaution because I would be carrying my travel bag, tools, pillow, camping gear and spare oil in the back seat. 

 

Our journey began at sunrise on 22nd July. Richard and I elected to meet up at Blythe (KBLH) as early as possible. Unfortunately, the carburetor flooding device cable had snapped, requiring a quick field repair in the hangar before I left. I finally got airborne at 6:36am and flew 1 hour to Blythe, waiting for a parachute drop before I landed. After a short stop for fuel, I led our formation of 2 RAF Chipmunks and set off across the California border into Arizona towards Payson (KPJB), 173nm away. The scenery was stunning, with many of the old canyon cracks visible in the brown desert as we flew. In the cockpit, the flight suit pockets came in handy as a store for breakfast, which consisted of granola bars and trail mix. I also took along a small day hike Camelbak backpack, which carries almost 3 liters of water. It fit snuggly next to me and allowed me to keep hydrated as we flew. The flight to Payson was just over 2 hours.

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Richard had brought pizza slices with him, and so we topped up our own fuel supply as we filled the Chipmunks with fuel. The local air ambulance helicopter crews were particularly interested in the two RAF trainers sitting on their ramp. Thirty minutes after landing, we were off again, this time towards Grants Milan, New Mexico (KGNT). We were receiving flight following as we flew, and the controller was the first to advise us of some storms that were developing near Grants Milan. As we got closer, we used Foreflight to check this out. A very large thunderstorm, with tops to FL500, had developed between us and our planned destination, and so we elected to divert to St Johns, Arizona (KSJN) to refuel and replan. The elevation of St Johns is 5,736ft above sea-level and so density altitude was very high. The winds were also quite strong for our landing, but the people at St Johns Airport took great care of us.

 

Our revised plan was to fly north towards Gallup (KGUP) and see if we could find a suitable gap in the weather to press on towards the east. If we couldn't get through, we decided that Gallup would be our final destination that evening. As we flew north towards Gallup, Richard spotted a bright area between the storm clouds, with sunlight reflecting behind it. The terrain around this area was generally around 9,000ft, and so we were cautious to have an out if this gap turned out to be a "suckers gap". It wasn't, and we were soon heading towards clear air, just to the north of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Richard and I chatted on the radio about stopping at Double Eagle (KAEG), but we decided we had enough safe fuel reserve to press on towards Santa Fe, New Mexico (KSAF). The amazing rock formations around this area were spectacular, and we couldn't resist leaving our track to explore some of the colorful peaks. We landed at Santa Fe after a 2 hour 10 minute flight, and tied down the two aircraft for the night at Signature Flight Support. A well earned celebratory beer was consumed by Richard and I in Santa Fe!

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Day one stats:

Airports KTRM, KBLH, KPJB, KSJN, KSAF.

States: California, Arizona, New Mexico.

Distance 530nm.

Flight time: 6 hours 49 mins.

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We were up before sunrise the next morning (23rd July). The hotel shuttle took us to the airport, along with a Skywest crew, who were interested in our journey. It was a little chilly when we got to our two aircraft, which meant that climb performance would be slightly better given that the airport elevation was 6,348ft above sea level. Richard wanted to do a quick oil leak check as he had discovered he was using a little more oil than normal. All was well with WP833, and so we loaded up and headed east towards the last peaks of the Rockies. We climbed in formation to 10,500ft and aimed at a lower part of the mountains to pass through into the flatter lands east of this incredible mountain range. The air was smooth and the views were stunning. The terrain quickly turned from brown mountainous to flat and green. Once we crossed the last peak, we turned more north-easterly and set course for our first fuel stop of Raton, New Mexico (KRTN). We flew past a ridge of morning sunlit mountains, with peaks to almost 12,000ft. This was another opportunity for some video and photos. It was simply breathtaking.

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After a very quick fuel stop, and a chance to grab some cookies, we were off again towards our next stop at Scott Municipal, Kansas (KTQK). On the way, we flew over some huge flat green mesas and steep canyons. Neither of us could resist a few low passes over the barren tops.. although low still meant we were at 5,000ft as we enjoyed the view of the ground rushing past just below us. During this leg, Richard decided to do some aileron rolls for fun, and I managed to get a great photo of him upside down off of my left wing. See the photos section. It was particularly gusty at Scott Municipal. A Cirrus SR22 pilot and his passengers bound for Oshkosh stopped to take a look at our two aircraft as we fueled up. Pretty soon we were on our way to the next airport, at Concordia, Kansas (KCNK). We were looking forward to using Concordias grass runways, but they were showing as closed for construction. Up until this leg, the air had been relatively smooth, but things got a little choppy as we flew. The landing at Concordia was quick, and we were soon ready to set off for our final two stops for the day.

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During the run-up in Concordia, the magneto check produced some rough running from the right magneto. Suspecting a fouled spark plug, I tried a few lean run-ups to try and clear the issue. This didn't get the results I wanted, but the left magneto was running smooth. After some conversation with Richard, I decided to take-off and try to clear the problem over the airfield by getting cylinder temperatures up as high as possible. In the air, there was a bit of roughness, but not enough to concern me about the safety of a flight with so many diversion possibilities and an aircraft following right next to me. I elected to turn and head for our next fuel stop at Lamoni, Iowa (KLWD), with Richard following next to me. After about 1.5 hours of flight, the engine was producing good power and the roughness was intermittent. However, it was about this time that the radio showed a "Low Volts" message. Wondering if the radio would soon die, I let Richard know that I would yaw my rudder in the event of radio failure, so that he could take the lead and do the rest of the radio calls for the both of us. Shortly after this conversation, the radio quit.

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Luckily, Richard and I had recently attended a FAST Formation Training class, where we learned hand signals during formation. This proved to be incredibly useful during this radio failure, and meant we arrived at Lamoni in a tight formation. Thanks Dan, Jon and Steve at Aviator Flight Training, Cable Airport!! After landing, it became quite obvious that there were no maintenance facilities on the field, and there were not many options in regards to hotels. A check of the magneto plug wires didn't show any obvious issue and so we decided to make a short hop to Antique Air, Iowa (IA27), where we knew we could find accommodation and some maintenance expertise. Richard and I briefed our formation flight, with me being non-radio and him being lead and navigating to this small grass strip. Unfortunately, when I tried to start, my battery was flat. Ah ha! At least I know why the radio failed! A local pilot, who had come to see the unusual visiting aircraft, helped with a battery charge to enable us to proceed. Once again, our previous formation training was very useful during this flight, and we were soon safely at our final destination for today, at the amazing airfield, museum and headquarters or the Antique Airplane Association. 

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Day two stats:

Airports KSAF, KRTN, KTQK, KCNK, KLWD, IA27.

States: New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa.

Distance 722nm.

Flight time: 8 hours 37 mins.

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A wonderful evening at Bubba Q's BBQ, recommended by our host Brent Taylor, led to a good sleep and an early start at the airfield. The reason for visiting Brent and this airfield was to take photos of our two Chipmunks along with a very historic Super Chipmunk in the museum collection; N6311V of former National Aerobatic Champion (1965-1968) Harold Krier. After towing the aircraft onto the airfield, we were able to get some great photos of these three DHC-1 aircraft. We also got a great tour of the museum and Richard got to take Brent's grandson for a quick flight. Today was a 90 squared day! This is what the locals call a day that's 90 degrees F and 90% humidity. It was very draining and nobody seemed in a mood to do too much, except enjoy this wonderful airfield. However, I took the chance to check the spark plugs and leads. Two of the plugs were slightly oily, and so these were changed as a precaution. A recommendation from Brent led me to call Steve Thomas at Poplar Grove Airmotive, in Illinois. This maintenance shop came highly recommended and had the tools to help diagnose and fix the problem with WG430. I was comfortable flying close formation with Richard for the 2 hour flight, with him managing the radio and navigation for both of us and communicating with pre-briefed hand signals. We looked at some contingency options along the route and faced another problem. We didn't quite have enough fuel left in the tanks to make Poplar Grove without stopping.

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A plan! In true "Great Escape" fashion (maybe it was the influence of Steve McQueen who had been to the airfield in the past?), Richard strapped two 5-gallon fuel cans into his back seat and flew to a local airfield to get fuel. After returning, we topped off both aircraft and placed my battery on charge overnight. There was nothing left to do except head back to Bubba Q's!

 

Before the sun rose in Iowa, Richard and I were wiping the dew from our windscreens and packing the back cockpits with our bags and equipment. The grass was wet, and so we elected to use the downhill runway for departure considering the calm winds. I removed the battery charger, but elected not to use the battery to start the engine, to allow for the possibility of needing a fuel stop and one chance to start as we flew the 187nm to Poplar Grove. Chipmunk pilots are used to starting the engine by hand-swinging the propellor, and so Richard did this and my engine began to warm up while he started his Chipmunk. I checked the magneto drop, and it was the same as before. I had calculated an abort point on the runway and also had an option planned in the vent the engine stopped producing power. However, none of that was needed, and shortly after 7am, we lifted off and set course for Poplar Grove, Illinois (C77).

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To say that this was a picturesque flight would be an understatement. The sun was just rising, and the temperatures in the cockpit were cool, with a slight breeze blowing from the partly open canopy. Once again, I flew formation on Richard, who became the lead, radio and navigation pilot for the both of us. We crossed over the Mississippi River and across the town of Rockford, Illinois, before lining up for a formation arrival onto the excellent grass runways at Poplar Grove. This flight was the longest of our journey to this point, being 2.5 hours from start to stop for WG430. 

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Day three (flying) stats:

Airports IA27, C77.

States: Iowa, Illinois.

Distance 187nm.

Flight time: 2 hours 27 mins.

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The people at Poplar Grove Airmotive lived up to their high recommendations and were quickly woking on a diagnosis. It didn't take too long to find the problem. The right magneto had worked the points ring loose and had started to score the brass casing around it. The ring around the contact points brushes had also worn enough that the points were barely opening and closing. This meant that the spark was not being produced consistently to the spark plugs, hence the rough running. Unfortunately, the damage inside the magneto was enough that the journey to Oshkosh was over for WG430. After flying almost 1,500nm, the mechanics grounded the Chipmunk just 100nm short of Oshkosh! A bad cell in the battery is suspected as the problem with the electrical system.

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Replacement parts for these old warbirds are hard to come by. Most parts are expensive and are in used condition. It was because of this that I decided to follow many other Chipmunk owners and replace the old BTH magnetos with more modern Slick magnetos. This requires a conversion kit, made by Moth Aircraft Company in California and two new magnetos. Poplar Grove were willing to take on the job and so I left WG430 in their capable hands and set off by road to Oshkosh. I plan to return to C77 when the work is complete, and fly back to California. However, I will not be returning until WG430 has landed at Oshkosh, even though the thousands of aircraft, vendors and spectators will have left.

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Trip stats:

Distance 1,429nm.

Flight time: 14 hours 53 mins.

 

 

June -  June proved to be a busy month for WG430. Friend and recently hired airline pilot Jaimie Rousseau flew the Chipmunk around the Salton Sea and got to perform her first aileron roll to celebrate her new career. 

Several days of formation flying training were carried out at Cable Airport in WG430 with instructors from Aviator Flight Training in June. This was excellent training towards a FAST (Formation & Safety Team) certification for Steve and Richard (the owner of WP833). Nine training flights were conducted in both 2 ship, and 3 ship formations. The flying was extremely challenging but very fun and rewarding. During one flight, we were joined in formation by a T6, flown by the formation examiner Daniel, which made for some exciting photos and experiences. Unfortunately, work commitments and an annual inspection due for WP833 meant that the course was not completed. This will be on the agenda again soon. Instructors Jon Lawrence and Steve Watkins flew in WG430 for this training.

Longtime friend, airline Captain, safety manager and ex US Navy veteran Don Olsen also flew WG430 in June. We flew to Flabob Airport to use the grass runway for some circuit training and then flew back to the Thermal area for general handling, aileron rolls and pattern work.

Plans are being made to fly WG430 to the EAA AirVenture event at Oshkosh in July to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the de Havilland Chipmunk. 

May -  The new piston rings were installed and a test flight was made to seat the new rings by owner Steve Randall. The engine ran very strong and smooth, but more high power flights will be required to properly seat the rings in the cylinder. To this end, WG430 was able to join Chipmunk WP833 in a formation flight around the Riverside area, ending with a formation flypast during the Flabob Low & Slow Fly-In event on 15th May. WG430 was flown by Chipmunk mechanic Nando Mendoza, with Steve Randall in the back seat. After the flight, WG430 and WP833 formed part of the static display for a great crowd of aviation enthusiasts to photograph and enjoy these two historic aircraft.

22nd May - 75th Anniversary of the DHC-1. WG430 participated in the global celebration of the 75th anniversary of the deHavilland Chipmunk at Flabob Airport in Southern California. Gatherings took place in the UK, New Zealand, South Africa and other places. Photographers and videographers were present at Flabob, including representatives from the EAA. Three Chipmunk examples were on show, two British and one Canadian. Some close formation takeoffs, passes and landings were flown in WG430 with Richard Wilsher flying the lead Chipmunk WP833 with Jeff "Stork" Meyer in the rear seat. Sonex pilot Doug Smith was in the back seat of WG430 for these flights. This was a fun day of flying and a fitting tribute to this wonderful aircraft. See the 'Photographs" section for some great shots taken by Ian Glover (@charge_seven on Instagram). Following the celebrations, WG430 was flown back to Thermal by Doug Smith and Steve Randall.


Jan to April - A new year will hopefully allow some opportunities to display WG430, and to allow people the opportunity to fly. During maintenance, small cracks were found in the engine mount. This required the removal of the engine and repairs were made. Some corrosion was also found in a flap bracket, which required a fabricated repair. New tailplane brackets were sourced from another Chipmunk owner Karl Moore in Australia and were fitted to replace brackets that were close to fatigue life limits. Some improvements were made to the tailwheel assembly and the transponder was moved to an easier to reach area just below the forward instrument panel. A test flight was performed by Richard Wilsher and Nando Mendoza in April, which led to a compression check on all cylinders. Unfortunately, the number 4 cylinder compression was found be low, and so the cylinder was removed and new piston rings installed, sourced from Skytrade in the UK.


2020

Remainder of 2020 - 2020 was not quite the year that anyone expected! I have taken the opportunity to get the annual inspection going early, as an engine removal is required to comply with a manufacturer directive. For the next few months, work will be carried out by West Coast Air Creations at Flabob Airfield. WG430 should be airborne again in 2021, and hopefully with some opportunity to display.

August & September - WG430 visited Flabob Airport for some back-seat currency training, with thanks to safety pilot Richard Wilsher. No other organized events are planned for the remainder of 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

As COVID conditions slowly eased, I had the privilege of flying Gerry Heath in WG430 during September. Gerry is a fellow Brit and resident in the Palm Springs area. He flew a Chipmunk at age 14 at Cambridge Airport while with the Air Training Corps. Gerry's father are up in my home town of Southampton, and worked at the Supermarine plant there during WW2 working on Spitfires! Gerry did most of the flying and it was very cool to be a part of this nostalgic flight. 

July - The majority of July has been spent researching the history of WG430, with help from Rod Brown, who was one of the authors of "DHC-1 Chipmunk, The Poor Man's Spitfire". Rod had some great photos of my Chipmunk from the 1950's and 1960's, and also a data sheet that the late Geoff Ambrose (Air Britain) compiled. Using these resources, the history page was completely updated. A subscription e-mail bar was also added to the homepage to allow updates to be communicated. WG430 featured in the July 2020 edition of EAA Sport Aviation magazine, as part of an article written about Nando & Hualdo Mendoza at West Coast Air Creations.

June - WG430 has been flying a fair amount of local currency flights in June. These flights also allowed a check of the work carried out to the cylinder head and exhaust repairs. Daisy Garcia, a local student and Ninety-Nines member, used WG430 for her graduation photos. One of these is posted in the "photographs" section. I also celebrated 34 years since my first flight in Chipmunk WD373, and so decided to take a GoPro along and "victory roll" WG430 over the Salton Sea. I also received some photos of WG430 from Rod Brown in the UK. He had flown my Chipmunk back in 2005 with then owner Mike Williams. They did a photoshoot around Missouri, with Rod flying WG430 and Mike flying a Tiger Moth. I have posted a photo on this site with Rod's permission. 


April & May - **UPDATE** Unfortunately, the El Centro and March AFB airshows have both been canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Hopefully, I'll be able to display WG430 at future airshows once this health issue has stabilized. In the meantime, I am continuing to maintain my currency by regularly flying WG430, which has also helped to keep the engine and systems well lubricated and the battery healthy.
 
 
March - During a routine daily check, a small crack was discovered in one of the cylinders. On further inspection, the crack is in an area that cannot be repaired and so a replacement Gipsy Major Series 8 cylinder has been sourced from a parts supplier in the UK. This will be installed as soon as possible but this unexpected issue may prevent me from flying WG430 to the El Centro Airshow on 13/14 March. My Chipmunk will stay grounded until repairs have been made.

The replacement cylinder head has turned up from the UK! The guys from West Coast Air Creations came by and removed the old cylinder head and fitted the new one. After a conversation with the mechanic and after review of the existing hardware, I decided to source all new washers, nuts and gaskets for the intake & exhaust manifold. I flew our Grumman over to Santa Paula to collect the new hardware, in an attempt to try and have repairs made in time for the El Centro airshow. All was going well, but unfortunately we found a small crack in the exhaust, which was probably caused by the vibration after the crack developed and the exhaust manifold stud came loose. The exhaust was taken to Flabob for welding and repair. At the same time, I elected to have another small crack repaired, one that originally appeared on the spinner during last years ferry flight but had not previously warranted removal and repair. WG430 should be ready to fly before the end of March, but the exhaust and intake nuts will be monitored closely for the first 10 hours of flight. I'm sad that, despite a great effort by all involved, I will be unable to attend the El Centro airshow, but I do plan to attend the March AFB airshow later this month.

 
February - Much of this month was spent practicing formation flying with a second Chipmunk (WP833) to allow safe arrivals and departures at some upcoming airshows. The runways at San Bernadino and Thermal were utilized for formation take-off and landing practice. These flights proved to be very valuable and will allow the airshow public to safely see two Chipmunks in formation, just as they would have been flown during their RAF days. WG430 should be available for static viewing at both the El Centro Air Display, which will be celebrating the home-based Blue Angels, and the March Air Base Airshow. Public displays are also planned at some local EAA Chapter meetings in March. Photos will be posted on this site.


January - Welcome to the new 20's, and what a great start! After almost 6 months of hard work, WG430 was finally ready for test flying and collection today. It was a gorgeous day in Riverside, California, and after a good engine run up, I took to the sky again in this wonderful Chipmunk. It was as if I never left! WG430 flew beautifully, and the radios, ADS-B and transponder worked great. About 20 minutes into my flight, the engine began running a little rough, and basic airborne troubleshooting would not clear it, so I decided to head back in to Flabob. I landed on the grass runway as there was traffic on the hard runway. The reason for the roughness was obvious, and something I should've expected. The number 4 cylinder had been honed to clear some surface scratches from a ring that had some carbon deposits on it. This resulted in the rings not quite seating correctly and some oil making its way into the cylinder and fouling the plugs. After a clean up, I departed for the new hangar I have for WG430 at Thermal, California. I will expect the rough running at the end of every flight during the next few hours as the rings find their place in the slightly wider cylinder. The solution is a quick clean of the two spark plugs and more flying!

During the extensive maintenance check, the following Technical News Sheet items were checked and complied with. This work required a large amount of labor and care from the experts at West Coast Air Creations. This was the most extensive and thorough check of WG430 since leaving the RAF in 1996, and the mechanics found this Chipmunk is excellent condition, with no fatigue or corrosion issues. TNS 3, 71, 72, 80, 106, 110, 111, 116, 117, 121, 122, 123, 131, 132, 138, 139, 141, 42, 145, 150, 151, 152, 154, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 170, 171, 175, 176, 177, 178, 180, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 189, 190, 193, 194, 197, 198, 199, 200, 201, 205, 208 & 209.

WG430 was displayed at the monthly EAA Chapter 1116 meeting at Thermal Airfield at the beginning of the month, and joined almost sixty visiting aircraft for the second annual EAA fly-in at Bermuda Dunes Airport near the end of the month. The weather was perfect at Bermuda Dunes, and the event was very enjoyable. WG430 was parked in a classic aircraft line alongside a Yak 52, Navion, Ercoupe, and a Stearman. Many people were interested to learn the history of WG430, and Dan Stiel took some great photographs (one is shown in the gallery on this site). Graham Kehily sent a copy of his Air Cadet logbook, showing a flight in WG430 back in November 1980 at RAF Manston. I was able to find the aircraft log page from that day and send a copy back to Graham.