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The de Havilland Aircraft
Association of South Africa
The de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk
ZS-BOA c/n CAN4 the first de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk in South Africa belonging to the Rand Flying Club based at Rand Airport. Chief Flight Instructer Skipper Gray stands proudly beside it. Squash court in the background. Photograph: Bill Teague
Pilots of the Chippie Six-ship formation in front of ZS-LJU 29 May 2011 at Petit Airfield.

Left to right:

Gavin Brown ZS-LJU, Steven Brown ZS-COX, Elton Bondi ZS-OWJ, Larry Beamish ZU-DXP, Jason Beamish ZU-DXO, Brain Gruar ZS-JPT
Six-ship formation of de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunks at Petit (FARA) 29 May 2011

ZS-COX, ZS-JPT, ZS-LJU, ZS-OWJ, ZU-DXO, ZU-DXP

Photograph: Bruce Perkins
Type c/n reg History
DHC.1 Chipmunk CAN4 ZS-BOA Canadian built. written off at Dunnottar 3/6/1950
DHC.1 Chipmunk CAN5 ZS-BOB Canadian built.
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0033/DHH.f32 ZS-LJU WB581 d/d 28/03/1950, sold 08/11/1973 to G-BBNB, to Brakpan, South Africa as ZS-LJU
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0169/DHH.f122 ZS-CCV WB717 d/d 27/07/1950, to South Africa ZS-CCV, to Rhodesia VP-WDV, w/o 08/10/1972
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0187/DHB.f74 ZS-JJR WB738 d/d 31/10/1950, to G-BCHS, to South Africa 02/1976 as ZS-JJR
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0202/DHB.f87 ZU-BJZ WB754 Sold 08/05/1997, to ZU-BJZ, Lanseria, South Africa
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0229/DHB.f114 ZU-BHI WD289 Sold 07/02/1997 at Newton, to ZU-BHI in Rand, South Africa
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0323/DHB.f220 ZS-DIL WD394 d/d 08/05/1951, sold No.394 MU Heany, Rhodesia, to ZS-DIL, w/o 03/09/1955 when the aircraft struck the ground during a slow roll over at Nelspruit, South Africa
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0332/DHB.f219 ZS-DIS WD393 d/d 25/04/1951, sold at No.394 MU Heany, Rhodesia, to ZS-DIS, South Africa
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0339/DHB.f229 ZS-DIR WG274 d/d 04/05/1951, sold 19/06/1953 to ZS-DIR 29/10/1953, w/o 17/01/1956
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0341/DHB.f232 ZS-DIX WG277 d/d 08/05/1951, sold 17/06/1953, S/Africa as ZS-DIX 29/10/1953, w/o 04/10/1956
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0358/DHB.f238 ZS-DIT WG282 d/d 17/05/1951, to South Africa as ZS-DIT 29/10/1953, w/o 02/06/1956
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0360/DHB.f259 ZS-BTO WG307 d/d 06/06/1951, to ZS-BTO, East London, South Africa. Damaged 24/04/2005. Engine stopped, probably due to carburettor icing, on approach to What’s Landing (FAWG) private airfield, near East London, Eastern Cape, resulting in a forced landing in thick bush. As at January 2012 the aircraft is stored and is repairable, finances permitting.
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0370/DHB.f275 ZS-VYU WG315 d/d 26/06/1951, to ZS-VYU, Rand, South Africa
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0374/DHB.f277 ZS-IZU WG317 d/d 02/07/1951, to ZS-IZU 08/1974 Scottburgh, South Africa
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0426/DHB.f293 ZS-IGA WG333 d/d 12/07/1951, to South Africa as ZS-IGA, to ZS-ULJ, Krugersdorp, South Africa
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0429 ZS-DJV WG334 1954 to Benoni Aero Club as ZS-DJV. To VP-YNT, 9Q-CNT
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0439/DHB.f302 WG352 10/53 to Johannesburg Light Plane Club (JLPC) as ZS-DIN. To VH-DIN, VH-RJV, N713W
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0441/DHB.f304 ZS-DIU WG354 d/d 09/08/1951. The South African Air Force Museum's Chipmunk was built in the United Kingdom and delivered to Southern Rhodesia in 1951 serving with the Rhodesian Air Training Group (RATG) at 4 Flying Training School, Heany, near Bulawayo. It crashed in 1952 and was stored. It was sold to Owenair in Cape Town in 1953 and registered ZS-DIU.

Clifford Harris, a well-known construction engineer, acquired ZS-DIU and subsequently donated the aircraft to the SAAF Museum in 1979. It was collected by the Museum in July 1980.

Restoration to flying condition began in 1980 by 35 Squadron. After 18 months, WG354 took to the air again on the 11th of September 1981 wearing its original Rhodesian colours and piloted by Commandant Ralph Hayton, OC 35 Squadron.

On the 2nd of October 1981 WG354 was officially handed over by Mr Clifford Harris to the South African Air Force.

For many years the aircraft flew at air shows and events like Aviation Africa, the 1981 Lanseria Air Show, the SAAF Open Day at Ysterplaat in January 1982, the EAA Convention in Margate and many others. It was last flown at Swartkop on 12 May 2001 thereafter being stored.

During 2011 it was decided to return the aircraft to the skies once again. By November 2011 corrosion in the battery compartment area, in the rear of the fuselage, had been repaired and the aircraft was making steady progress toward flying again.

The aircraft is now part of the SAAF Museum Historic Flight fleet based at AFB Swartkop and carries the markings IO-H.

The aircraft was de-registered from the civil register some years ago and she is now part of the South African Air Force with tail number WG354.
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0447/DHB.f308 ZS-DJN WG358 d/d 10/08/1951, to South Africa as ZS-DJN, w/o 30/03/1959
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0465/DHB.f318 ZS-DIO WG392 d/d 06/09/1951, to South Africa as ZS-DIO, then to ZS-VIC
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0468/DHB.f330 ZS-DIP WG395 d/d 06/09/1951, sold 29/10/1953, to South Africa as ZS-DIP, w/o 27/02/1960
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0473/DHB.f337 ZS-MXD WG399 d/d 19/09/1951, sold 29/10/1953, to South Africa as ZS-MXD
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0487/DHB.f355 ZS-CSB WG413 d/d 02/10/1951, sold 29/10/1953 in Rhodesia, to Rhodesia as VP-YKZ, broken up for spares and produce during 1956, parts to ZS-CSB
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0488/DHB.f356 ZS-VGR WG414 d/d 02/10/1951, sold 29/10/1953 in Rhodesia, to South Africa as ZS-DIM, then ZS-VGR. Karyn Hill now owns ZS-VGR she is the daughter of the late Ken Hill. (Information established 20 January 2012)
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0494/DHB.f362 ZS-JVS WG420 d/d 10/10/1951, sold 29/04/1975 at No.5 MU Kemble, to G-BDBN, canx 18/05/1976, to South Africa as ZS-JVS, then ZS-URX, w/o 19/08/2000
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0518/DHB.f399 ZS-JJG WG468 d/d 20/11/1951

16.11.51 Notified to Air Ministry as Awaiting Collection at DH Chester factory
20.11.51 Allotted to No 16 Reserve Flying School for 3 Basic Flying Training School, Burnaston, Derby -coded ‘44’
27.07.53 Transferred to Leeds University Air Squadron upon closure of 3 BFTS
??.11.54 Flying accident - initially assessed as Cat 3 repairable but re-cat 2r on 01.12.54
12.01.59 Leeds UAS within Flying Training Command
09.03.62 Transferred to No 9 Air Experience Flight within Leeds UAS
13.01.66 Cat 3 repairable accident
03.03.66 Returned to Leeds UAS
28.08.67 Cat 3 repairable accident - repair on site by No. 60 Maintenance Unit
15.09.67 Returned to Leeds UAS
15.03.69 Leeds & Hull UAS merged to form Yorkshire Universities Air Sqdn
08.10.69 Yorks UAS - coded ‘B’
21.03.73 Transferred to No 9 Air Experience Flight - coded ‘Y’
21.02.74 Transferred to Yorkshire UAS - coded ‘C’
07.08.74 Into storage with 5 MU Kemble
10.09.74 Bids invited by 30.09.74 -a/f 8312 hrs, engine 889hrs. with mods 288 & 289 embodied
07.10.74 Struck off charge as Sold to M.D.N. Fisher (F & H Aircraft Ltd) for Skytrade (Components) Ltd. Flown to Rush Green Herts for storage
10.10.74 Registered as G-BCAI to Skytrade (Components) Ltd
28.04.75 Cancelled as Sold to South Africa
27.01.76 Registered as ZS-JJG - West Rand Flying Club, Springs, SA
26.07.82 A.C. Howell & Sons, Benoryn, SA. (Shown on some registers as A.C. Howett & Sons)
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0566 ZS-IZW WK551 to G-BBWJ, to ZS-IZW in 08/74, to ZS-USM
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0571/DHB.f.456 ZU-DHC WK554 d/d 20/02/1954, to South Africa as ZU-DHC 24/06/1997
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0592/DHB.f.474 ZS-OWJ WK572 d/d 27/03/1952, sold 27/02/1997 to South Africa, and based at Rand Airport as ZU-BHL. Incident 14 October 2001 whilst taxiing, propeller of the Chipmunk impacted a Cessna 210’s right-hand horizontal stabilizer and elevator. To ZS-OWJ. Seen at Springs Airfield for propeller overhaul, November 2011. Registered 2017/05/31to LK Rhind, Cluster Box 269, 41 Deerhurst Way, Cotswold Downs, Hillcrest, Durban, 3610.
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0593/DHB.f.475 ZS-JPT WK573 d/d 25/02/1952, to Rand, South Africa as ZS-JPT. Update 11 March 2013, ZS-JPT is now owned by Andrew & Charles Pratley and based at Krugersdorp.  Date of ownership unknown.
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0640 ZS-JIT WK627 d/d 16/05/1952, sold 05/12/1974 at No.5 MU Kemble, to G-BCSU 02/12/1974, to South Africa as ZS-JIT 21/04/1975
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0643 ZS-JJM WK629 d/d 13/05/1952, sold 20/03/1975 at No.5 MU Kemble, to G-BCYG 10/03/1975, to South Africa as ZS-JJM 30/06/1975, then to ZS-VTL. Update 11 March 2013, ZS-VTL is owned by Pratley Mfg & Eng Co (pty) Ltd (on NTC category register) and based at Krugersdorp. Date of ownership unknown.
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0688/DHB.f.579 ZS-CHP WP796 d/d 01/07/1952, free transfer to Nigeria 24/02/1960 from No.22 MU Silloth, to 5N-AAG, Nigeria. To South Africa. At Stellenbosch with C. Hopkins and John Froneman and undergoing restoration. ZS-CHP reserved but not yet taken up. (Information correct as at 10 January 2012)
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0706 ZS-IZV WP810 d/d 25/07/1952, sold 17/01/1974 at No.5 MU Kemble, to ZS-IZV East London, South Africa. To ZS-URC. Current, as at January 2012, and operated out of East London Airport (FAEL) and Wings Park, East London.
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0727 ZS-COX WP843 d/d 06/09/1952, sold 29/04/1975 at No.5 MU Kemble, to G-BDBP 23/04/1975, canx 16/06/2000, then to ZS-COX Rand, South Africa
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0760 ZU-DXP WP871 Sold, to ZU-DXP, Rand, South Africa
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0796 ZS-OMA WP920 To G-BXCR 03/03/1997, sold 27/02/1997 to South Africa as ZS-OMA
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0826 ZU-DXO WP964 to Rand, South Africa as ZU-DXO
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0890 ZS-OIS WZ862
DHC.1 Chipmunk C1-0922 ZS-OME WZ881 to VR-NBJ, 5N-AAF, ZS-OME 09/99
DHC-1 Chipmunk aircraft that have been on the South African register.

Note: within the c/n are letters denoting the factory:

DHH = Hatfield built and DHB = Broughton (Chester) built

Click on c/n for photographs where available.
The majority of the information below has been generously contributed by:

Mick Boulanger UK Serials Resource Centre
Geoff Ambrose Air-Britain