TonyT:

Looks the same scheme bar the 8 AEF badge

Not quite – WD353 is in a short-lived Birmingham UAS scheme (of identical vintage to 8 AEF’s scheme).

What I’ve never noticed before is that while both WD353 and WG417 are in the overall Light Aircraft Grey scheme, both have white canopy frames!

I’m intrigued by the timing of the LAG scheme. Polyurethane LAG paint effectively replaced the cellulose High Speed Silver paint in 1966, yet the “take up” rate on the Chipmunk was very slow, with only a handful appearing in this scheme around 1969. The first documentation I’ve located thus far regarding this scheme is DH’s Mod H.293 dated June 1970, yet by then the first variant of the Red/White/LAG was already appearing at 2 FTS, Church Fenton!

Thoughts anyone please?

Cheers,

Rod.

wk165 – next time you’re looking at the remains of C1-0039, VH-UEK (ex WB587) could you do me a favour please? Does the data plate (either on the front cockpt seat pan or rear cockpit bulkhead) read DHH.f.42 or DHB.f.42? There is some suggestion that it was not a Hatfield built (a DHH plate) aircraft.

Thanks,

Rod.