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Built as WG410 by de Havilland, Broughton (Chester) as part of contract number 6/aircraft/5063 for 150 Chipmunk T. Mk. 10.
The front fuselage (serial number DHB/F/351) of WG410 was signed off by the AID Inspector.
The manufacturer advised the Air Ministry that the aircraft was ready for collection at the Broughton (Chester) factory.
Allotted to No 2 BFTS, Ansty. WG410 carried the code 43.
Allotted to No 22 MU, Silloth.
Declared non-effective stock.
Sold to W.S. Shackleton Ltd. and dismantled at Silloth by Helliwells Ltd.
Registered to Royal Victorian Aero Club, Cheltenham, Vic. as VH-RVV. CofR No 2363.
The following was contributed by John Laming: "During the period April 1961 to July 1963, I held the appointment of Command Aero Club Liaison Officer (CACLO) at RAAF Headquarters Support Command, Victoria Barracks, St Kilda Road, Melbourne. That post entailed the administration of the Australia-wide operation of 40 RAAF Air Training Corps flying scholarships awarded annually. Victoria had seven ATC cadets allotted each year and these were trained by the RVAC at Moorabbin. My rank at the time of appointment was Flight Lieutenant. Although most cadets flew during weekends from Moorabbin, flying camps were sometimes run in the school holidays at RAAF Base Laverton. As a qualified flying instructor (QFI) I was given a yearly allotment of flying hours in aero club aircraft as well as flying RAAF Dakota and Vampires from Laverton. I also tested ATC cadets in various training aircraft in Victoria and other States." The following flights in VH-RVV from 15MAR62 to 20MAY63 are extracted from John Laming's log book.
| 15MAR62 | Solo aerobatics, circuits, spins and practice forced landings. Flight time 1 hr. |
| 31MAR62 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Barnes Dual instruction 1 hr. |
| 22JAN63 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Green dual instruction 45 min (Laverton camp). |
| 22JAN63 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Williams dual instruction 35 min (Laverton camp). |
| 22JAN63 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Reardon dual instruction 55 min (Laverton camp). |
| 22JAN63 | Instructor with Flt. Lt. Anderson dual instruction 50 min (Laverton camp). |
| 29JAN63 | Instructor with Flt.Lt. Anderson dual instruction 25 min. |
| 01FEB63 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Leach PPL flight test 1 hr. |
| 31MAR63 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Bishop dual instruction 1 hr. |
| 01MAY63 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Griffith Dual 1 hr 15 min. |
| 20MAY63 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Matheson Dual 15 min (curtailed due weather) Laverton. (See 18JAN63) |
| 20MAY63 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Griffith Dual 15 min (curtailed due weather) Laverton. |
| 20MAY63 | Instructor with Air Traffic Controller (name unknown) 15 min weather survey. |
| 20MAY63 | Instructor with ATC Cadet Donovan Dual PPL test 1 hr 20 min. |
H.M. 'Tub' Matheson completed most of his pre-solo training in VH-RVV at Laverton. He subsequently joined Army Aviation and served in Vietnam, later retiring with the rank of Lt Col. In October 2009 he completed 10,000 hours as an instructor. Today he is one of Australia's most experienced and respected helicopter pilots and instructors. The following flights in VH-RVV from 11JAN63 to 20MAY63 are extracted from Tub Matheson's log book.
| 11JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 40 min. |
| 11JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 45 min. |
| 12JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 45 min. |
| 14JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 45 min. |
| 14JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 30 min. |
| 14JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 55 min. |
| 15JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 1 hr 5 min. |
| 15JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 50 min. |
| 15JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 25 min. |
| 15JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 30 min. |
| 16JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 1 hr. |
| 16JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 50 min. |
| 17JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 40 min. |
| 18JAN63 | Dual with instructor R. Clements 40 min. |
| 22JAN63 | Solo 1 hr. (First solo was in VH-RVL on 18JAN63). |
| 20MAY63 | Dual with Instructor John Laming 15 min (curtailed due weather). |
During a training flight from Moorabbin, the aircraft was force-landed in a paddock near Moorabbin Airport as a result of engine failure. The instructor, Doug Whitbourne, and pupil were not injured. The aircraft was damaged, although not extensively, but it was considered unlikely that it would be returned to service. On the same day, the RVAC Victa Airtourer VH-RVE crashed on take-off from Moorabbin resulting in the deaths of the instructor and pupil. (Source: AHSA Journal Feb 65)
"The Age" of 08FEB65 reported that the instructor was carrying out a simulated engine failure and force landed approximately 300 yards from the airfield.
The instructor had intended to simulate an engine failure after take-off but it became real when the student turned off the switches! The aircraft came down in a market garden to the immediate north of Moorabbin Airport.
Struck off Register.
The rear fuselage of VH-RVV was used in the rebuild of VH-RVE which had been damaged when it was taxied into a drainage ditch at Casey Field, Berwick, Vic. When the RVAC sold its Chipmunks, the remnants of three airframes were sold to Dick McLean. (Source: John J. Bruce, December 2013)
Fuselage/cockpit section sold to Tim Becroft at Tocumwal.
Sold to Brian Kelly, Tocumwal for use in the rebuild of VH-DHX (C1-0944). Subsequently the remnants of VH-RVV were sold to Gary Volkers.
Registered VH-MMR to Gary W. Volkers, South Camden, NSW.
The project is said to incorporate components from several Chipmunks:
| C/N | Component | Identities | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| C1-0484 | Forward fuselage/cockpit | WG410 VH-RVV VH-MMR |
Basis of project. |
| C1-0211 | Rear fuselage | WB761 VH-BSS (ntu) VH-RVE VH-RWI |
Crashed at Mundijong, WA on 25FEB97. This rear fuselage originally came from VH-RVV when VH-RVE was rebuilt following an accident. |
| C1-0063 | Left wing | WB622 VH-BSP |
Crashed near Tumby Bay, SA on 02FEB63. |
| C1-0091 | Right wing | WB651 VH-GAM VH-GIL VH-BAW |
Crashed at Coonamble, NSW on 27JAN64. |
Queensland Air Museum agreed to purchase the aircraft from Gary Volkers.
Restoration commenced. When received by QAM, the wings were not fully skinned. Although the Chipmunk wing is fabric covered aft of the main spar, the decision was taken to skin the wings with Alclad in the expectation that the aircraft would be displayed outdoors.
The aircraft featured in QAM's Open Cockpit Weekend fully restored in RVAC markings.