168 was built as a Chipmunk T.MK.20 powered by a Gipsy Major 10 MK 2 engine by The De Havilland Aircraft Company Ltd, Broughton, Chester, UK, in 1952. It was delivered new to the Dept. of Defence, Dublin on 30th January 1952 as D.H. Chipmunk serial number C1-0464.

The Irish Air Corps registered the aircraft as 168. Primarily using the aircraft for pilot training, 168 accumulated 4,500 Flight Hours by 1978. The last recorded flight of 168 for the Irish Air Corps was piloted by Comdt. Ralph James in July 1993.

After 1993, the aircraft was put into storage. The wings were removed in 2004 and it remained untouched until it was donated to the Irish Historic Flight Foundation. 168 was then converted to a Civilian Mk 22 standard and registered with the Irish Aviation Authority as EI-HFA. Its first flight on the Irish civil register was in June 2015.