The historic aircraft made its first arrival at a Hampshire base, RAF Odiham, on November 22 1980.
To mark the milestone the RAF is running its 40 Faces Campaign to show off the significant contribution the Chinook has made to UK defence.
People with stories of their time with the Chinook Force have been asked to share their memories covering its full 40 years of service.
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The Chinook has been involved in every major conflict since the Falklands War, including seeing action in Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Afghanistan.
Here are a selection of great photos showing the life of the Chinook.
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People with stories of their time with the Chinook Force have been asked to share their memories covering its full 40 years of service.