Chilton G-AFSV progress.

Read the forum code of contact

Member for

19 years

Posts: 2,895

Roy Nerou's Chilton DW1A (G-AFSV) has made a major step towards it's first post-restoration flight.

On the evening of Thursday 25th April outside it's workshop near Kenilworth and after months of component testing, re-wiring, re-plumbing a successful running of it's Train engine was achieved.

The rare Train 4-cylinder in-line engine (Roy believes he has the only two other survivors in the UK) started first 'swing'. A few more tests and tidying up and the aircraft can be transported to a suitable airfield for it's first post-restoration flight.

R.P.Smith

Original post

Member for

14 years

Posts: 1,788

Thanks for the update - love these little beauties.

PS: It's 'its' not 'it's'.

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 5,927

Will it, I wonder, fly to celebrate its 80th birthday this coming July?

Member for

19 years 7 months

Posts: 1,772

Good to hear this Roger.

Coincidentally, I recently interviewed Roy Nerou and we discussed the huge variety of aircraft he has owned during the last 50 years - some amazing types including Comper Swift, Dart Kitten, Pipistrelle, DingBat, Drone, Chiltons etc - thirteen in total. I have written an article about his restoration activities. This is published in the current issue of the Vintage Aircraft Club journal ‘Vintage & Classic’. His achievements in the vintage aircraft movement are significant.

Tim

Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 7,742

It’s good to see you back posting about these parts Roger!

Member for

7 years 2 months

Posts: 211

Roy Nerou's Chilton DW1A (G-AFSV) has made a major step towards it's first post-restoration flight.

On the evening of Thursday 25th April outside it's workshop near Kenilworth and after months of component testing, re-wiring, re-plumbing a successful running of it's Train engine was achieved.

The rare Train 4-cylinder in-line engine (Roy believes he has the only two other survivors in the UK) started first 'swing'. A few more tests and tidying up and the aircraft can be transported to a suitable airfield for it's first post-restoration flight.

R.P.Smith

I wonder if may be Wellesbourne for that first flight? Probably nearest suitable airfield.

Member for

19 years

Posts: 2,895

AA - I'm sure Roy must be aware - I'll ask him when I see him next week
TO - thanks Howard
Elmdon Boy - don't think a decision made yet but it may be that a grass 'field will be preferred.

Here (hopefully) a photo no can't do it :-(

Roger Smith.
​​​​​​​

Member for

19 years 2 months

Posts: 1,317

I though I had a photo of G-AFSV, but I see it is G-AFGH with a Lycoming, (not a Walter Mikron) taken at Newark, Notts in 1973. [ATTACH=JSON]{"alt":"Click image for larger version Name:\tAL370 (2).jpg Views:\t0 Size:\t833.3 KB ID:\t3861925","data-align":"none","data-attachmentid":"3861925","data-size":"full"}[/ATTACH]

Attachments

Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 7,742

Slightly off topic but that's a fascinating photo - looking at the parked cars in the background presumably that was taken on 14 April, during the official opening fly-in. Back then I was a 'newbie' and too young to be allowed 'air-side'!

Do you have any others from that day - I'd be happy to see them added to the NAM Briefing thread!! :angel:

I see 'FSV is the one owned by the late Manx Kelly in the early 70s...

Must get myself to a historic fly-in this year.

Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 101

11 pictures of G-AFSV can be found on Air-Britain's ABPIC website

G-APDK

Member for

20 years

Posts: 4,561

Lovely model!

Member for

7 years 2 months

Posts: 211

AA - I'm sure Roy must be aware - I'll ask him when I see him next week
TO - thanks Howard
Elmdon Boy - don't think a decision made yet but it may be that a grass 'field will be preferred.

Here (hopefully) a photo no can't do it :-(

Roger Smith.
​​​​​​​

Roger, 506 x 30 metre unlicensed grass strip available at Wellesbourne, 18-36 parallel to the main runway, plus all the facilities you would expect at a licenced airfield and were very friendly. You would need a radio though.
Ex Brat, what a lovely location that photo looks, were was it taken

Member for

19 years

Posts: 2,895

Zodiacchris
I showed your pictures to Roy ("Mr. Chilton") Nerou yesterday. He was suprised and unaware of a metal Chilton bing built!. Where is it being constructed and who by/ It looks like it's being built to fly - is that the case and what power unit is planned? Is the constructor using Roy's plans? (I don't think he's ever taken money for them),

Roger Smith.

PS there is a Chilton website - I'll look it up and post it here.

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 28

Hello Roger,

The metal Chilton is being built in Taree, New South Wales, and I’ve been working on it since December last year. It is indeed built to fly, the Chiltons are lovely looking classics and regrettably there are only a few around. Not being a wood person, building it in metal was an easy choice for me and my previous project was a 75% Spitfire which was good preparation. I’m currently working on the outer wing panels and hope to have the basic construction finished by July.

I downloaded a set of Roys plans, had a look at the website and have also sourced a number of good quality large scale model plans to get sufficient information to modify the structure of the aircraft, as building it according to the original wood plans is not feasible. While the fuselage was pretty straightforward and is generally similar to the wooden version, the wings and tail feathers needed some extensive redesign with the loads and required material thickness calculated by a static engineer. We had to change the spar arrangement as the wooden spars didn’t translate and also use a modified NACA12 profile to handle bending loads. That said, the outer mould line and dimensions are basically unchanged and should retain the character of the original Chiltons.

The engine is going to be a 80hp Rotax 912 in a close fitting cowl, empty weight will be about 100lbs more than than the original and cruise and VNE will be slightly higher. A friend is interested to also build one so I have made templates and his aircraft is in the early stages of construction, pending the static load testing (4g) of my airframe.

Please give my regards to Roy, his plans have been very helpful and have made this endeavour much more straightforward.

Kind regards,

Chris Weber

Member for

20 years

Posts: 3,902

Chris, that is such an amazing project I took the liberty of putting your pic on the Vintage and Classic Light Aircraft group on facebook.

Its has been much admired, of course. If you felt like logging on to the group, I am sure folk would love to hear more.

Member for

14 years 1 month

Posts: 194

I am very pleased that 'FSV is progressing & flight very near at hand, Roy was very helpful in sending me photos & data when I was creating my Flight Simulator versions of the Chiltons some years ago. Good luck Roy & many thanks for your help.
Keith Paine

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 5,927

Is there an update available?