Chilton Aircraft

G-AESZ Constructors number No.DW1/1
Significant Dates:-
January 1937	Registered to Chilton Aircraft, Hungerford, Berkshire.
13th April 1937	Authorisation to fly issued.
16th April 1937	Test flown by Ranald Porteous from Witney Aerodrome. The aircraft flew well but the Carden engine over heated. The cowling aperture was enlarged to increase the volume of air to the radiator. Finished with roundel red fuselage and silver wings.
2nd May 1937	Tests at 650 lbs. auw, tested air speed indicator against Tiger Moth G-ACPS, flown by Ranald Porteous from Witney Aerodrome.
3rd May 1937	First cross country to Brooklands, flown by Ranald Porteous from Witney Aerodrome.
15th May 1937	To the Cardiff Air Rally flown by Ranald Porteous from Reading Aerodrome.
21st May 1937	To Heston for attention to engine as engine stalling in the glide, new carb fitted.
23rd May 1937	Reading local, flown by Andrew Dalrymple for attention to tick-over and ASI, ran out of petrol on the way to Heston and crashed into wire fence.
11th August 1937	First flight after repairs flown from the “100 acres” field at Chilton, by Andrew Dalrymple, running warm & lack of power.
1st October 1937	Spinning tests from 6,000 feet, recovery instantaneous both ways.
23rd October 1937	Further tests with new prop, 103 mph at 3700 rpm, 90 at 3300 rpm, Kronfeld prop gave 113 at 3450.
20th February 1938	Reggie Ward, High Trees - Brooklands where it as flown by ten different pilots.
15th May 1938	Gatwick - Hurst Park Race Course, flown by Ranald Porteous, whilst crossing London en route Luton. Engine failed due to cylinder head modification to increase compression for forthcoming race.
4th June 1938	Hatfield-Speke-Ronaldsway, Isle of Man Air Race flown by Ranald Porteous. Race propeller damaged in rain during sea crossing as there had been no time to fit metal leading edge sheathing before race.
7th June 1938	Tynwald Race, Isle of Man flown by Ranald Porteous - third place with standard "touring" propeller.
8th June 1938	Ranald Porteous whilst waving to friends at the family home at Alva Scotland, water pump drive pin sheared, engine over-heated resulting in a forced landing in the grounds of his home.
10th Sept. 1938	Cardiff Air Race, Heston to Cardiff via Porthcawl and Swansea flown into fifth place by Ranald Porteous.
11th November 1938	Ownership change – Mr. J. A. Talbot, delivered to Plymouth by Andrew Dalrymple with 188 hours in the log book and having been flown by 87 different pilots.
13th October 1939	Ownership change – Mr. P. W. Bayliss, Wolverhampton.
	Stored for the duration at the Earl of Cardigan's private airfield at High Trees near Marlborough
11th March 1949	Ownership change – Mr. L. W. Taylor, Cheshire.
4th May 1951	Ownership change - Dr. W. L. James, Essex. Interestingly Dr. James had previously been the Medical Officer for 617 squadron (The Dam Busters) during the war. The aircraft was re-painted pale blue, based at Southend Airport and carried the racing number 1.

24th May 1953	Dr. James had made some adjustments to the carburettor in anticipation of the forthcoming King Cup air race for which he would have been a competitor. Unfortunately these adjustments appeared to be instrumental in causing the engine to fail as he came up to Felixstowe to over-fly his daughters' school. Dr. James managed to glide over the town to Trimley and was lined up to make a landing in a field when people appeared walking across his intended line on a previously unseen foot path, he tried to stretch the glide to make the next field but hit the top of the far hedge.
24th June 1984	Restored to register – Roy Nerou, Coventry.
14th Sept. 2001	First post restoration flight, flown by Roger Bailey from Rendcomb private aerodrome. The Chilton flew beautifully with no problems and returned effectively brochure figures of 60 years earlier. This is the first time a Carden engined Chilton has flown in almost fifty years and confirmed the heavy Carden Ford engine of only 30hp is quite capable of giving a creditable performance in this lightly built airframe.
14th August 2002	Permit To Fly issued on completion of all required flight testing.
15th Sept. 2002	Desmond Penrose demonstration flight at Jan Cooper's informal fly-in at Rendcomb in memory of Ben Cooper.
16th Sept. 2002	First post restoration cross country flight flown by Rob Millinship, Rendcomb to Old Warden.
19th Sept. 2002	Old Warden - flown by Rob Millinship in formation with Chilton G-AFGI (Mikron II engine) flown by Kathy McDonald for air to air photographs taken from Peter Holloway's Miles Magister.
21st Sept. 2002	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Sunset Flying Display, first public outing flown by Rob Millinship.
6th October 2002	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Autumn Air Display, flown by Rob Millinship.
17th May 2003	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Evening Air Display, flown by Rob Millinship.
11th June 2003	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Schools Day, flown by Rob Millinship.
14th June 2003	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Evening Air Display flown by Rob Millinship, displayed with DH53 G-EBHX and Hawker Cygnet G-CAMM.
29th June 2003	Old Warden, Royal Aeronautical Society Centennial Garden Party and Flying Display, flown by Rob Millinship.
6th July 2003	Old Warden, 1930's Air Day displayed with Hawker Cygnet G-CAMM, flown by Frank Chapman.
27th July 2003	Breighton Airfield, Centenary Fly-In displayed with Mew Gull G-AEXF, flown by Rob Millinship.
14th Sept. 2003	Rendcomb, demonstration flights at Jan Cooper's informal fly-in in memory of Ben Cooper, flown by Nigel Reid.
16th June 2004	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Schools Day, flown by Rob Millinship.
19th June 2004	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Evening Air Display, flown by Rob Millinship.
27th June 2004	Old Warden, Royal Aeronautical Society & Rolls-Royce Air Display, flown by Keith Dennison.
4th July 2004	Old Warden, 1930's Air Day and Air Race which it won! Flown by Rob Millinship, the aircraft has now flown 30 trouble free hours since rebuild.

17th July 2004	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Evening Air Display, flown by Rob Millinship.
14th August 2004	Old Warden, The Flying Proms, flown by Rob Millinship.
5th Sept. 2004	Old Warden, The Shuttleworth Pageant, flown by Rob Millinship.
19th Sept. 2004	Rendcomb, demonstration flights at Jan Cooper's informal fly-in in memory of Ben Cooper, flown by Nigel Reid & Roger Bailey.
14th January 2005	Jamie Dalrymple, the 14th Earl of Stair came to Rendcomb to see the Chilton, the Hon. Andrew Dalrymple was his uncle and of course co-designer of the Chilton. Jamie owns Castle Kennedy Airfield that pre-dates WW1, this is operated by Stair Estates for General Aviation use in the South West of Scotland.
15th June 2005	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Schools Day, flown by Rob Millinship.
3rd July 2005	Old Warden, Summer Air Day and Air Race, the Chilton was in the lead but was over taken in the last second by the Martlet, we were robbed!! Well raced by Rob Millinship.

30th July 2005	Leicester - Rendcomb, did a very accurate fuel consumption check, it works out that the Carden is doing 9.2 Lts/Hr. at 3,100 rpm, Rob flying.
5th June 2006	All the previous 47 hours flying has been carried out using a 50.5”x 26” propeller, having received authorisation from the PFA, the aircraft was fitted with a 48”x 30” prop, this being a copy of a broken original Chilton prop. Comparative tests carried out give the following results:- 50.5”x 26” propeller – time to climb 1000’ – 2000’ 1 mins 30 secs. New 48”x 30” prop, time to climb 1000’– 2000’ 1 min 59 sec, both tests carried out within 45mins of each other at +24°C. Top speed with new prop is increased by approximately 10mph to 110mph @ 3,500 rpm.
16th June 2006	The Chilton was demonstrated for The Hon. Colin Dalrymple and Hon. Mrs. C.J. Dalrymple, John Dodd doing the flying. Colin last saw his elder brother Andrew fly the Chilton before the war.
2nd July 2006	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Summer Air Display with 1930’s style air race, it was very very hot, it was so hot that the water temp gauge was reading 40 deg. before we started the engine. A potential problem due to the prolonged taxiing and waiting to start, as the first man off was the Hawker Cygnet that I think had to do a complete lap before we went off but the temp went up to 70 deg on the ground then stabilised. If I had used the original old brass rad she would have boiled for sure. We were handicapped second from last with the Comper Swift as scratch man, but the Chilton was handicapped out of contention as the Swift went off only about 20 secs later and of course it's much faster aircraft, so passed 'ESZ on the last lap even though Rob didn't hold back!
15th July 2006	Old Warden, Shuttleworth Evening Air Display. Rob displayed it in company with the Comper Swift, Turbi & Martlet
16th July 2006	Breighton Summer Air Display, (Old Warden to Breighton 120 miles used 12 Ltrs fuel) Rob displayed it in company with Aeronca 100 G-AEVS (I used to own), Arrow Active, Miles Magister & DH Chipmunk. Total flight time since rebuild 56 hours with 80 separate flights.
20th August 2006	Popular Flying Association Rally at Kemble, flown in by John Dodd.
27th August 2006	Wing and Wheels Display at Dunsfold the old Hawker airfield about 25 miles south of London, sadly soon to disappear under houses, flown via White Waltham by John Dodd.
10th Sept. 2006	Rendcomb, demonstration flights at Jan Cooper's informal fly-in held in memory of Ben Cooper, flown by Roger Bailey and by Nigel Reid whilst I took some air to air shots from Jan's Fox Moth G-ACEJ.
1st July 2007	Flown to Old Warden for the Summer Air Day, sadly the show was cancelled due to a water logged runway, the Chilton was got out on the day but very high winds prevented it flying.
14th July 2007	Old Warden, Evening Air Display, Rob Millinship put up a sprited display on a perfect evening.
10th Sept. 2007	Leicester, air to air photos from Taylorcraft G-BRPX. First communication using old RAF flying helmet with modern ear pieces and oxygen mask with mic and ICOM hand held radio, not perfect, but useable even with background magneto noise because of unscreened ignition.

4th May 2008	Rendcomb, first flight with her reinstated 1938 racing number, flown by Roy Nerou, strangely she didn't go any faster with her racing number on!

Items changed on subsequent models:-
Spoked wheels as fitted on ‘ESZ, changed to Dunlop pressed steel hubs with 8.0 x 4.0 tyres.
Compass moved from top decking to front spar.
Flap lever moved from right-hand side to left-hand side of cockpit.
Elevator trimmer added to later models.
Elevator and rudder trailing edges changed from alum tube to ply.
Instrument panel mounted push/pull throttle, replaced with conventional lever type on cockpit side.

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