The Royal Chipmunk

The Royal Chipmunk, WP903, was manufactured in 1952 by DeHavilland and was used to train His Majesty the King to fly.

The Chipmunk is a tandem, two-seat, single-engined primary trainer aircraft which was the standard primary trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force and nineteen other air forces through much of the post-Second World War years.

It was built in 1952 and served with the RAF Queen's Flight hence the unique Dayglo Red colour scheme and warning lamp (the 'Parrot'), which was a specific modification for its Royal service.

Reassigned back to the Queen's Flight in July 1969 it was used to teach Prince Charles, by his own instructor Sqn Ldr Philip Pinney, who flew a total of 101 flights. Starting training at RAF Tangmere, the then Prince of Wales went on to fly his first solo flight at RAF Bassingbourn on January 14, 1969, followed by the award of his Private Pilots Licence in March 1969 and his RAF Preliminary Flying Badge on 2nd August.

On leaving the RAF, WP903 was acquired by the Culdrose Gliding Club in March 1974 serving as a Glider Tug until December 1996.

The Chipmunk has been based at RAF Henlow since December 2001 and is operated by the Henlow Chipmunk Group.

In 2020 with RAF Henlow airfield closing, WP903 found a new home and moved the very short distance to Old Warden.

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