Built in 1952 C1-0608 began Royal Air Force service with the Edinburgh University Air Squadron (Turnhouse) as WK585. It was transferred to Glasgow UAS (Scone) in 1965 and was there until 1974 when it then became one of the aircraft operated by 12 Air Experience Flight, based again at Turnhouse. Here 585 stayed, flown by service pilots giving Air Cadets their first taste of flying in a military aircraft until the mid-1990s when it was dismantled and put into storage.
Along with a number of the last Chipmunks in service, WK585 was put up for auction at Phillips in March 2000 and acquired by Propshop at Duxford in the form of parts. It was civilianised during the rebuild by ARCo at Duxford and sporting a new engine, was finally flown again in April 2001 with the civilian registration G-BZGA. ARCo operated "GA" along with their two other Chipmunks as a basic trainer for pilots moving on to the tailwheel warbirds in their charge.
Propshop sold "GA" to the Real Flying Company in April 2003 who have operated it from Shoreham ever since. This Chipmunk is now used for training existing pilots on to tailwheel types, also allowing members of the public to experience a trial lesson in a classic and with its aerobatic qualities, "GA" is ideal for aerobatic tuition. |