Chipfest 2012 – Wickenby 22nd September
After attending the 2011 Chipfest and being rather fond of the DHC-1 Chipmunk I have been looking forward to this years event, With the unkind weather yesterday a visit to-day looked the best bet, So with James my 4 year old shadow (Grandson)in hand and camera in the bag we set off for the ex WW2 Bomber base Wickenby for the afternoon.
It was good to see how well attended it was with Ten DHC-1 Chipmunks in lots of different schemes plus another Chipmunk parked by the Hangers, Also Three S.A Bulldogs one of which retained the marks it had wore while in service with the Hong Kong Defence Force and a few other DH types on the the grass near the tower.
It was good to see some new Chipmunks to the Wickenby event.
DH-2 & DH82A on a photo shoot
N-6720 (G-BYTN) / VX / DH82A Tiger Moth / Built 1939 / c/n 3993
5964(G-BFVH) / AirCo DH-2 Replica / Built 1978 / c/n WA4
G-AHAL / Auster J/1N Alpha / Built 1946 c/n 1870
VX927 (G-ASYG) / Beagle A61 Terrier 2 / Built 1964 / c/n B.637
Wickenby has a great mix of based aircraft with DH2 replica,Tiger Moth, Auster and Beagle Terrier all active as well as Gerald Coopers Xtreme Air Sbach 300 G-IIRI on this visit .
Visitors on the day of my visit included a Polish based 1939 built Tiger Moth in the Yellow RAF training scheme with the military serial T-7230 (G-AFVE) and ex Italian Air Force SF260AM MM54532(G-ITAF).
T-7230(G-AFVE) / DH82A Tiger Moth / Built 1939 / c/n 83720
MM54532(G-ITAF) / SF-260AM / Built 1983 / c/n 40-013
Once the Formation briefing was complete it was time for the participating aircraft to crew up and start engines.The Chipmunks were the first to take off ,followed by the Bulldogs and the Firefly. The mass flypast in arrow at RAF Waddington was to be the destination for the formation.
WD286 (G-BBND) / DHC-1 Chipmunk T10 / Built 1950 / c/n C1/0225 / “Photo 1”
G-APYG / DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 / Built 1950 / c/n C1/0060 / “Blue 1”
WP903(G-BCGC) / DHC-1 Chipmunk T10 / Built 1952 / c/n C1/0776 “Blue 2”
WZ879(G-BWUT)/ X / DHC-1 Chipmunk T10 / Built 1953 / c/n C1/0918 “Blue 3”
1367(G-UANO) / OGMA Chipmunk 22 / Built 1959 / c/n 57 “Black 1”
WP803(G-HAPY)/ G / DHC-1 Chipmunk T10 / Built 1952 / c/n C1/0697 “Black 2”
G-BBMZ / DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 / Built 1950 / c/n C1/0563 “Black 3”
G-ALWB / DHC-1 Chipmunk 22 / Built 1950 / c/n C1/0100 “Red 1”
WG407(G-BWMX) /67 / DHC-1 Chipmunk T10 / Built 1952 / c/n C1/0481 “Red 2”
WD390 (G-BWNK) / 68 / DHC-1 Chipmunk T10 / Built 1951 / c/n C1/0317 “Red 3”
The Bulldogs
HKG-5 (G-BULL) / Bulldog 120 / Built 1977 / BH120/392 “Yellow 1”
XX721 (G-CBEF) / Bulldog T1 / Built 1974 / c/n BH120/286 “Yellow 2”
G-GRRR / Bulldog 120 / Built 1973 / c/n BH120/229 “Yellow 3”
The Firefly
G-BONT / Slingsby T-67M mk II Firefly / Built 1988 / c/n 2054 “Yellow 4”
All the Formation Aircraft and Photo ship.
Some of the other based Aircraft and visitors noted on the day.
Gerald Coopers G-IIRI / Xtreme Air Sbach 300
Netherthorpe based G-XTRA / Extra EA 230
York based G-TWOO / Extra EA300/200 
Breighton based G-CBEI / PA-22 – 108 Colt
This is not an Air Show but is always worth a visit, Good food in the Cafe and an airfield you never know what visitors to expect.
Also noted on the day.
The Sleap based Beech F33A Bonanza G-HOSS
Elstree based Diamond DA.40 Star G-OCCU
Felthorpe based Avtech Jabiru UL G-OMER
Tollerton based Home Built Vans RV-6 G-RVVI
Netherthorpe based Home Built Vans RV-6 G-RVAW
East Midlands based PA-28-161 Warrior II G-CDON
Sherburn based Cessna F182Q Skylane II G-BHIB
Thwing based Socata TB-10 Tobago G-GOLF 
Takeley based Home built Rotorway Executive 162F G-WHOO 
A good day out and a nice change from grey Typhoon jets , I look forward to the next gathering in 2013.