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S.W.A.G History Site Message Board

Welcome aboard to new additional editors Mike Freshney & Matthew Blunt

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WD293

WD293-3
WD293 on arrival at St.Athan on 12/07/10 - IanG

On 12 July 2010 three members of SWAG collected Chippax WD293 from Aberdare ATC. They had acquired it in the hope of turning it into a simulator but this didn't work out and they wanted to dispose of it, probably for scrap. We stepped in and gratefully took it off their hands. If you would like to see her, please contact me to arrange it. 

WD293 is a De Havilland Canada DHC.1 Chipmunk T Mk.10, construction Number C1/0233 and line number DHB.f118.

History: (any additions or corrections gratefully received)

21/12/50 Awaiting Collection from de Havilland, Broughton
28/12/50 1 Basic Flying Training School, RAF Booker coded "14"
19/05/53 10 Maintenance Unit, RAF Hullavington
05/01/54 School of Maritime Reconnaissance, RAF St.Mawgan coded "L".
WD293
Pic credit MAP
18/09/56 Maritime HQ, Chatham. Based at Rochester.
17/02/58 22 Maintenance Unit, RAF Silloth. For refurbishment
10/12/58 5 Maintenance Unit, RAF Kemble. Probably for repainting as the overall silver/yellow training bands scheme were being phased out for a more highly visible colour scheme.
01/06/59 St.Andrews UAS, RAF Leuchars. Issued for their summer camp at Tangmere (5 June-4 July)
06/07/59 (Perth UAS, Perth Scone) Note: entry as per RAF Record Card, no such Unit existed. Possibly it was issued to Glasgow UAS [then based at Perth] for their summer camp at Valley [15 July -19 August] and then returned to Perth for allocation to St Andrews UAS
02/09/59 St.Andrews UAS, RAF Leuchars
16/09/59 22 Maintenance Unit, RAF Silloth. For refurbishment
20/06/60 Queens University Belfast UAS, Sydenham. One of six issued to the UAS to supplement their four unit strength Chipmunks for Summer Camp at Lyneham. It was flown to Sydenham on 20/06/60 from Silloth for acceptance and air tests and departed Sydenham on 24/06 with the 9 other Chipmunks for Lyneham. Bad weather caused a diversion to Kemble.
04/07/60 Struck Off Charge as CAT.5C due to fatigued engine mounting bulkhead, discovered whilst the a/c was on Summer Camp at Lyneham
07/07/60 allocated 7645M
07/07/60 3 AEF, Bristol Filton
reduced to PAX trainer
31/07/74 2308 (Cwmbran) Sqn ATC
by 04/89 loaned to 1367 (Caerleon) Sqn ATC
by 10/98 210 (Newport) Sqn ATC
by 06/04 30F (Cardiff) Sqn ATC
c05/09 254 (Aberdare) Sqn ATC
12/07/10 South Wales Aviation Group

With thanks to the RAF Museum Archive Dept and Geoff Ambrose, Air Britain Chipmunk specialist

 Walk-round pics

WD293 Inst PanelInst Panel Rear
Front Instrument Panel

Front
Front

 Front Stbd
Front Starboard

Front Port
Front Port

Front Lower
Front Lower

Front Cockpit Stbd
Front Cockpit Stbd

Front Cockpit Port
Front Cockpit Port

Rear Cockpit Port
Rear Cockpit Port

Rear Cockpit Stbd
Rear Cockpit Stbd

Rear
Rear

With thanks to the RAF Museum we received a copy of the Movement Card, here it is
WD293 Form 78a

WD293 Form 78b

Throughout its service life WD293 would have worn the silver scheme with yellow training bands. This is how it would have looked.
WD293 as it was