All Topics  
De Havilland Vampire

 
De Havilland Vampire

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

De Havilland Vampire
 
 
  Topics De Havilland Vampire Topic Home

The de Havilland
De Havilland

The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a United Kingdom aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer and owner, was sold to Birmingham Small Arms Company....
 DH.100 Vampire was a British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 jet-engined fighter of the Second World War
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, the second jet-powered aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
 during the War (the first being the Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor

The Gloster Aircraft Company Meteor was the first United Kingdom jet aircraft Fighter aircraft and the Allies of World War II first operational jet aircraft....
), although it was not used in combat. The Vampire served with front line RAF squadrons until 1955 and continued in use as a trainer until 1966. It also served with many air forces worldwide, and set several aviation firsts and records.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'De Havilland Vampire'
Start a new discussion about 'De Havilland Vampire'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


The de Havilland
De Havilland

The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a United Kingdom aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer and owner, was sold to Birmingham Small Arms Company....
 DH.100 Vampire was a British
United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom , the UK or Britain,is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe....
 jet-engined fighter of the Second World War
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
, the second jet-powered aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
 during the War (the first being the Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor

The Gloster Aircraft Company Meteor was the first United Kingdom jet aircraft Fighter aircraft and the Allies of World War II first operational jet aircraft....
), although it was not used in combat. The Vampire served with front line RAF squadrons until 1955 and continued in use as a trainer until 1966. It also served with many air forces worldwide, and set several aviation firsts and records. Almost 3,300 Vampires were built, a quarter of them under licence in other countries. The Vampire design was also developed into the de Havilland Venom
De Havilland Venom

The de Havilland DH.112 Venom was a British postwar single-engined jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Vampire. It served with the Royal Air Force as a single-seat Strike fighter and two-seat night fighter....
 fighter-bomber as well as naval Sea Vampire variants.

Design and development

The Vampire was considered to be a largely experimental design due to its unorthodox arrangement and the use of a single engine, unlike the Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor

The Gloster Aircraft Company Meteor was the first United Kingdom jet aircraft Fighter aircraft and the Allies of World War II first operational jet aircraft....
 which was always specified for production. The low-powered early British jet engine types meant that only twin-engine aircraft designs were considered practical; but as more powerful engines were developed, particularly Frank Halford
Frank Halford

Major Frank Bernard Halford was an English aircraft engine designer....
's H.1 (later known as the Goblin
De Havilland Goblin

The de Havilland Goblin, originally the Halford H-1, was an early turbojet engine designed by Frank Halford and built by de Havilland. It was the second British engine to fly, and the first to pass tests and receive a "Gas Turbine" class type rating....
), a single-engined jet fighter became more viable. De Havilland
De Havilland

The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a United Kingdom aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer and owner, was sold to Birmingham Small Arms Company....
 were approached to produce an airframe for the H.1, and their first design, the DH.99, was an all-metal, twin-boom, tricycle undercarriage aircraft armed with four cannon. The use of a twin boom (similar to that of the Lockheed P-38), kept the jet pipe short which avoided the power loss of a long pipe that would have been needed in a conventional fuselage. The DH.99 was modified to a mixed wood and metal construction in light of Ministry of Aircraft Production comments, and the design was renumbered to DH.100 by November 1941.

Under specification E.6/41
List of Air Ministry Specifications

This is a partial list of the United Kingdom Air Ministry specifications for aircraft. A specification started from an Operational Requirement, abbreviated "OR", describing what the aircraft would be used for - this in turn led to a specification e.g....
 for two prototypes, design work on the DH.100 began at the de Havilland works at Hatfield
Hatfield, Hertfordshire

Hatfield, originally Bishop's Hatfield, is in the Welwyn Hatfield district of Hertfordshire, in the south of England. It forms part of the Welwyn Hatfield which also includes Welwyn Garden City and has been twinned with the The Netherlands port town of Zierikzee since 1953....
 in mid-1942, two years after the Meteor.

Originally named the "Spider Crab," the aircraft was entirely a de Havilland project, exploiting the company's extensive experience in building with moulded plywood
Plywood

Sorry, no overview for this topic
 for aircraft construction. Many of the basic design features were first used in their Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito

The de Havilland Mosquito was a United Kingdom combat aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during the World War II. Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, uses of the Mosquito included: low to medium altitude daytime tactical bomber, high altitude night bomber, Pathfinder , Day fighter or Night fighter fighter aircraft, fighte...
 bomber. It had conventional straight mid-wings and a single jet engine placed in an egg-shaped, aluminium
Aluminium

Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white and ductile member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al; its atomic number is 13....
-skinned fuselage, exhausting in a straight line.

Geoffrey de Havilland Jr
Geoffrey de Havilland Jr

Geoffrey Roald de Havilland Jr., Order of the British Empire was a United Kingdom test pilot and the son of the England aviation pioneer and aircraft designer of the same name, Geoffrey de Havilland....
, the de Havilland chief test pilot and son of the company's founder, test flew prototype LZ548/G
Serial number

A serial number is a unique number assigned for identification which varies from its successor or predecessor by a fixed discrete integer value....
 on its maiden flight 20 September 1943 from Hatfield. The flight took place only six months after the Meteor's maiden flight. The first Vampire flight had been delayed due to the need to send the sole remaining flight engine to Lockheed to replace one destroyed in ground engine runs in the prototype XP-80
P-80 Shooting Star

The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first operational jet engine fighter aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces, and saw extensive combat in Korea with the United States Air Force as the F-80....
. The production Vampire Mk I did not fly until April 1945, with most being built by English Electric Aircraft
English Electric

English Electric was a United Kingdom industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers....
 due to the pressures on de Havilland's production facilities which were busy with other types. Although eagerly taken into service by the RAF, it was still being developed at war's end, and consequently the Vampire never saw combat in the Second World War.

De Havilland initiated a private venture night fighter
Night fighter

A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility.Night fighters came into their own during World War II, made possible with the advent of airborne radar....
, the DH.113 intended for export. An order to supply the Egyptian Air Force
Egyptian Air Force

The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian armed forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed....
 was received, but this was blocked by the government as part of a general ban on supplying arms to Egypt
Egypt

Egypt is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia. Covering an area of about , Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west....
. Instead the RAF took over the order and put them into service as an interim between the retirement of the de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito

The de Havilland Mosquito was a United Kingdom combat aircraft that excelled in a number of roles during the World War II. Originally conceived as an unarmed fast bomber, uses of the Mosquito included: low to medium altitude daytime tactical bomber, high altitude night bomber, Pathfinder , Day fighter or Night fighter fighter aircraft, fighte...
 night fighter and the full introduction of the Meteor NF.

A total of 3,268 Vampires were built in 15 versions, including a twin-seat night fighter
Night fighter

A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility.Night fighters came into their own during World War II, made possible with the advent of airborne radar....
, trainer and carrier-based aircraft designated Sea Vampire.

It was used by some 31 air forces. Germany, Spain and the U.S. were the only major Western powers not to use the aircraft type.

Records and achievements


On 8 June 1946 the Vampire was officially introduced to the British public when Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command

Fighter Command was one of three functional Command that dominated the public perception of the Royal Air Force for much of the mid-20th century....
's 247 Squadron
No. 247 Squadron RAF

No. 247 Squadron was formerly a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was also known as No.247 Squadron in recognition of the donations made by the British colonies, which at the outbreak of the Second World War, were established on the Chinese coast....
 was given the honour of leading the flypast over London at the Victory Day Celebrations.

The Vampire was a versatile aircraft, setting many aviation firsts and records, being the first RAF fighter with a top speed exceeding . Piloted by Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown, a Sea Vampire was the first jet to take off from and land on an aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier

An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a navy force to project air power great distances without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations....
 and in 1948, John Cunningham
John Cunningham (RAF officer)

Group Captain John "Cat's Eyes" Cunningham Order of the British Empire, Distinguished Service Order Medal bar, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal bar, , was a United Kingdom Royal Air Force Flying ace during World War II and a test pilot, both before and after the war....
 set a new world altitude record of 59,446 feet (18,119 m). On 14 July 1948, Vampire F 3s of No. 54 Squadron RAF became the first jet aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions; with a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres . It covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface....
. They went via Stornoway
Stornoway Airport

Stornoway Airport is an airfield located 2 nautical miles east of the burgh of Stornoway, Outer Hebrides on the Isle of Lewis, in Scotland. The Royal Air Force maintained an RAF Stornoway at the site of the airport until 1998....
 in the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides

The Outer Hebrides, comprise an Archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. The local government area is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland....
 of Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
, Keflavik
Keflavík

Keflav?k is a city in the Reykjanes region in southwest Iceland.It has now merged with Njar?v?k and Hafnir to form a municipality called Reykjanesb?r with a population of 14,000 ....
 in Iceland
Iceland

Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland , is an island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean between mainland Europe and Greenland....
, and Goose Bay
CFB Goose Bay

Canadian Forces Base Goose Bay , is a Canadian Forces Base located in the town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Newfoundland and Labrador....
 at Labrador
Labrador

Labrador is a region of Atlantic Canada. Together with the island of Newfoundland from which it is separated by the Strait of Belle Isle, it constitutes the province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
, before going on to Montreal
Montreal

Montreal, or Montr?al, is the largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada of Quebec and the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country List of the 100 largest municipalities in Canada by population....
 (c. 3,000 miles) to start the RAF’s annual goodwill tour of Canada
Canada

Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
 and the U.S.
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 where they gave several formation aerobatic displays.

At the same time, USAF Col. David C. Schilling
David C. Schilling

David Carl Schilling was a U.S. Air Force officer, fighter ace, and leading advocate of long-range jet fighter operations. Kansas' Schilling Air Force Base was named in his memory....
 led a group of F-80 Shooting Stars flying to Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base
Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base

F?rstenfeldbruck Air Base is a Germany Air Force airfield located near the town of F?rstenfeldbruck in Bavaria, near Munich Germany.F?rstenfeldbruck became famous first as the main training base for the German Luftwaffe during World War II, then as the site of the Munich massacre of nine Israeli athletes and coaches and one German police...
 in Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
 to relieve a unit based there. There were conflicting reports later regarding competition between the RAF and USAF to be the first to fly the Atlantic. One report said the USAF squadron delayed completion of its movement to allow the Vampires to be "the first jets across the Atlantic". Another said that the Vampire pilots celebrated “winning the race against the rival F-80s.”

Operational history


RAF and Royal Navy service

The Vampire was first powered by a Halford H1
De Havilland Goblin

The de Havilland Goblin, originally the Halford H-1, was an early turbojet engine designed by Frank Halford and built by de Havilland. It was the second British engine to fly, and the first to pass tests and receive a "Gas Turbine" class type rating....
 (later renamed the "Goblin") producing 2,100 pounds-force (9.3 kN) of thrust, designed by Frank B Halford and built by de Havilland. The engine was a centrifugal-flow type, a design soon superseded post-war by the slimmer axial-flow units. Initially, the Goblin gave the aircraft a disappointingly limited range. This was a common problem with all the early jets, and later marks were distinguished by greatly increased fuel capacities. As designs improved the engine was often upgraded. Later Mk Is used the Goblin II; the F 3 onwards used the Goblin III. Certain marks were test-beds for the Rolls-Royce Nene
Rolls-Royce Nene

The Rolls-Royce River Nene was a 1940s British centrifugal compressor turbojet engine....
 but did not enter production. An unusual characteristic of the low positioning of the engine meant that a Vampire could not remain on idle for longer than a certain time because it would melt the tarmac on which it stood.

In postwar service, the RAF employed the Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor

The Gloster Aircraft Company Meteor was the first United Kingdom jet aircraft Fighter aircraft and the Allies of World War II first operational jet aircraft....
 as an interceptor and the Vampire as a ground-attack fighter-bomber (although their roles probably should have been reversed). The first prototype of the "Vampire Fighter-Bomber Mk 5 (FB 5)," modified from a Vampire F 3, carried out its initial flight on 23 June 1948. The FB 5 retained the Goblin III engine of the F 3, but featured armour protection around engine systems, wings clipped back by one foot (30 cm), and longer-stroke main landing gear
Landing Gear

Landing Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7 2008. It will be his first studio album since signing with the music label Razor & Tie....
 to handle greater takeoff
Takeoff

Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aircraft goes through a transition from moving along the ground to flying in the air, usually starting on a runway....
 weights and provide clearance for stores/weapons load. An external tank or 500-pound (225 kg) bomb could be carried under each wing, and eight "3-inch" rocket projectiles
RP-3

The RP-3 , was a United Kingdom rocket used in the Second World War. Though primarily an air-to-ground weapon, it saw limited use in other roles....
 ("RPs") could be stacked in pairs on four attachments inboard of the booms. Although an ejection seat was considered, it was not fitted.

De Havilland Vampire 4
At its peak, 19 RAF squadrons flew the FB 5 in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East. The FB 5 undertook attack missions during the successful British campaign to suppress the insurgency in Malaya
Malayan Emergency

The Malayan Emergency refers to a guerrilla warfare for independence fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan Races Liberation Army, the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960; some have gone as far as to characterise it as a civil war....
 in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The FB 5 fighter-bomber became the most numerous variant with 473 aircraft produced.

The NF.10 served from 1951 to 1954 with three squadrons (23
No. 23 Squadron RAF

No. 23 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the E-3 Sentry from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. The RAF Airborne Warning And Control System fleet is made up of seven E-3Ds, with the UK designation Sentry AEW1 and the aircraft are pooled between 23 Sqn and No....
, 25 and 151
No. 151 Squadron RAF

151 Squadron was founded at Hainault Farm in Essex on June 12 1918, and was equipped with Sopwith Camel aircraft.During the five months in which 151 Squadron had taken part in hostilities overseas, the total number of hours flown by night was 1443 hrs 26 mins....
) but was often flown in daytime as well as night time.

The RAF eventually relegated the Vampire to advanced training roles in the mid-1950s and the type was generally out of RAF service by the end of the decade.

The Mk 5 was navalised as the Sea Vampire, the first Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
 jet aircraft. The navy had been very impressed with the aircraft since 3 December 1945, when a Vampire carried out the flying trials on the carrier HMS Ocean
HMS Ocean (R68)

The fifth HMS Ocean was a Royal Navy Colossus class aircraft carrier light fleet aircraft carrier of 13,190 tons built in Glasgow by Alexander Stephen and Sons....
.

The final Vampire was the T 11 trainer. First flown in 1950, over 600 were produced in both air force and naval models. The trainer remained in service with the RAF until 1966.

Canada

An F Mk 1 version began operating on an evaluation basis in Canada at the Winter Experimental Establishment in Edmonton
Edmonton

Edmonton is the capital of the Canada Provinces and territories of Canada of Alberta. The city is located on the North Saskatchewan River in the central region of the province, an area with some of the most fertile farmland on the prairies....
 in 1946. The F 3 was chosen as one of two types of operational fighters for the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force

The Royal Canadian Air Force was the air force of Canada from 1924 until 1968 when the three branches of the Canadian military were merged into the Canadian Forces....
 and was first flown in Canada on 17 January 1948 where it went into service as a Central Flying School training aircraft at RCAF Station Trenton. With 86 in total, the F 3 was the first jet fighter to enter RCAF service in any significant numbers. It served to introduce fighter pilots not only to jet flying, but also to cockpit pressurisation and the tricycle landing gear. The "Vamp" was a popular aircraft, easy to fly and considered a bit of a "hot rod." It served in both operational and air reserve units until retirement in the late 1950s.

Finland

The Finnish Air Force received six FB 52 Vampires in 1953. The model was nicknamed "Vamppi" in Finnish service. An additional nine twin-seat T 55s were purchased in 1955. The aircraft were initially assigned to 2nd Wing at Pori, but were transferred to 1st Wing at Tikkakoski at the end of the 1950s. The last Finnish Vampire was decommissioned in 1965.

Norway

The Royal Norwegian Air Force
Royal Norwegian Air Force

The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November, 1944....
 purchased 20 Vampires F III and another 36 of type FB 52. The Vampire was in use in Norway from 1948 to 1957.

Sweden

The Swedish Air Force
Swedish Air Force

The Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces....
 purchased its first batch of 70 FB 1 Vampires in 1946, looking for a jet to replace the P-51D Mustangs and the outdated J 22
FFVS J 22

The FFVS J 22 was a single-engine fighter aircraft developed for the Swedish Air Force during World War II....
s of its fighter force. The aircraft was designated J 28A and was assigned to the F 13 air wing at Norrköping
Norrköping

'Norrk?ping' [n?r???p??] is a Urban areas in Sweden in the provinces of Sweden of ?sterg?tland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrk?ping Municipality, ?sterg?tland County....
. It provided such good service that it was selected as the backbone of the fighter force. A total of 310 of the more modern FB 50, designated J 28B, were purchased in 1949. The last one was delivered in 1952, after which all piston-engined fighters were decommissioned. In addition, a total of 57 two-seater DH 115 Vampire called J 28C were used for training.

The Swedish Vampire fighters were retired in 1956 and replaced with J 29 (SAAB Tunnan
Saab Tunnan

The Saab 29, popularly called Flygande tunnan , was a Sweden fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by Saab in the 1950s. It was Sweden's second turbojet-powered combat aircraft, the first being the Saab 21R....
) and J 34 (Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter

The Hawker Hunter was a jet fighter aircraft of the 1950s and 1960s. The Hunter served for many years with the Royal Air Force and was widely exported, serving with 19 air forces....
). The trainers remained in service well into the 1960s. The last Vampire was retired in 1968. (All Vampire warbirds being flown in Sweden
Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic countries on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, and it is connected to Denmark by the ?resund Bridge in the south....
 today originate from the Swiss Air Force
Swiss Air Force

The Swiss Air Force is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces. It was established on July 31, 1914 but did not become a separate service until 1936, and an independent service separate from the Army until 1 January 1996....
.)

Rhodesia

The Rhodesian Air Force acquired Vampire FB9 fighters and Vampire FB11 trainers in the early 1950s, its first jet aircraft. More were supplied by South Africa
South Africa

The Republic of South Africa, also known by Official names of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa....
 in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Rhodesia operated Vampires until the end of the bush war
Rhodesian Bush War

The Rhodesian Bush War also known as the Zimbabwe War of Liberation or the Second Chimurenga , was a civil war in what was then the country of Rhodesia, which lasted from July 1964 to 1979....
 in 1979. They were eventually replaced by the BAe Hawk 60
BAE Hawk

The BAE Systems Hawk is a United Kingdom single engine, advanced jet trainer aircraft. It first flew in 1974 as the Hawker Siddeley Hawk....
 in the early 1980s. After 30 years service they were the last Vampires used on operations anywhere in the world.

Variants

  • DH 100 : Three prototypes.
  • Vampire Mk I : Single-seat fighter version for the RAF, 244 production aircraft being built.
  • Mk II : Three prototypes, with Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet engine. One built and two conversions.
  • F 3 : Single-seat fighter for the RAF. Two prototypes were converted from the Mk 1 and 202 production aircraft were built. 20 were exported to Norway
  • Mk IV : Nene-engined project, not built.
  • FB 5 : Single-seat fighter-bomber version. Powered by the Goblin 2 turbojet. 930 built for the RAF and 88 for export.
  • FB 6 : Single-seat fighter-bomber. Powered by a Goblin 3 turbojet. 178 built; 100 built in Switzerland
    Switzerland

    Switzerland is a landlocked Swiss Alps country of roughly 7.7 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km?. Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called Cantons of Switzerland....
     for the Swiss Air Force
    Swiss Air Force

    The Swiss Air Force is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces. It was established on July 31, 1914 but did not become a separate service until 1936, and an independent service separate from the Army until 1 January 1996....
    .
  • Mk 8: Ghost-engined, one conversion from Mk 1.
  • FB 9 : Tropicalised fighter-bomber through addition of air conditioning to Mark 5. Powered by Goblin 3 turbojet. 326 built, mostly by de Havilland.
  • Mk 10 or DH 113 Vampire: Goblin-powered two-seater prototype, two built.
  • NF 10 : Two-seat night fighter version for the RAF, 95 built including 29 as the NF54.
  • Sea Vampire Mk10 : Prototype for deck trials. One conversion.
  • Mk 11 or DH 115 Vampire Trainer : Private venture, two-seat jet trainer prototype.
  • T 11 : Two-seat training version for the RAF. Powered by a Goblin 35 turbojet engine, 731 were built.
  • Sea Vampire F 20 : Naval version of the FB 5, 18 built by English Electric.
  • Sea Vampire Mk 21 : Three aircraft converted for trials.
  • Sea Vampire T 22 : Two-seat training version for the Royal Navy, 73 built by De Havilland.
  • FB 25 : FB 5 variants, 25 exported to New Zealand
  • F 30 : Single-seat fighter-bomber version for the RAAF. Powered by Roll-Royce Nene turbojet, 80 built in Australia.
  • FB 31 : Nene-engined, 29 built in Australia.
  • F 32 : One Australian conversion with air conditioning.
  • T 33 : Two-seat training version. Powered by the Goblin turbojet, 36 were built in Australia.
  • T 34 : Two-seat training version for the Royal Australian Navy, five were built in Australia.
  • T 34A : Vampire T 34s fitted with ejector seats.
  • T 35 : Modified two-seat training version, 68 built in Australia.
  • T 35A : T33 conversions to T35 configuration.
  • FB 50 : Exported to Sweden as the J 28B, 310 built, 12 of which were eventually rebuilt to T 55 standard.
  • FB 51 : Export prototype (one conversion) to France.
  • FB 52 : Export version of Mk 6, 101 built. 36 exported to Norway and in use from 1949 to 1957
  • FB 52A : Single-seat fighter-bomber for the Italian Air Force
    Italian Air Force

    The Italian Air Force has gone under different names in different periods:*Regia Aeronautica , from 1923 until World War II*Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of Italian Social Republic during World War II...
    , 80 built in Italy. .
  • FB 53 : Single-seat fighter-bomber for the Armee de l'Air, 250 built in France, as the Sud-Est SE 535 Mistral.
  • NF 54 : Export version of Vampire NF 10 for the Italian Air Force, 29 being built.
  • T 55 : Export version of the DH 115 trainer, 216 built and six converted from the T 11.


Operators

Whoa 026
  • Austrian Air Force
    Austrian Air Force

    History The Austrian Air Force was formed in May 1955 by the victorious Allied powers, it was formed as part of the now fully independent Austrian armed forces ....
  • Royal Australian Air Force
    Royal Australian Air Force

    The Royal Australian Air Force is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF began in March 1912 as the Australian Flying Corps and became a fully independent Air Force in March 1921....
    • No. 21 Squadron RAAF
      No. 21 Squadron RAAF

      No. 21 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force general reserve squadron. It saw action as a fighter plane, dive bomber and heavy bomber unit during World War II....
    • No. 22 Squadron RAAF
      No. 22 Squadron RAAF

      No. 22 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force Reserve squadron that provides support for the Permanent Air Force in the Sydney region.The squadron served in Papua New Guinea, and later followed the Pacific war as far as the Philippines....
    • No. 23 Squadron RAAF
      No. 23 Squadron RAAF

      No. 23 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force is a non-flying reserve squadron headquartered near Brisbane, Queensland. The Squadron was formed in 1937 and saw action during World War II as a bomber squadron....
    • No. 25 Squadron RAAF
      No. 25 Squadron RAAF

      No. 25 Squadron is a general reserve squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force. The squadron is based at RAAF Base Pearce in Perth, Western Australia and forms part of the Combat Reserve Wing RAAF....
    • No. 75 Squadron RAAF
      No. 75 Squadron RAAF

      No. 75 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force Fighter aircraft unit based at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and saw extensive action in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II....
    • No. 76 Squadron RAAF
      No. 76 Squadron RAAF

      No. 76 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force pilot training squadron and operates Hawker-Siddeley Hawk aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown. It was formed as a fighter aircraft unit in 1942....
    • No. 1 Advanced Flying Training School RAAF
    • No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
      No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF

      No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a Royal Australian Air Force training unit located at RAAF Base Williamtown. 2OCU's main role is to train pilots to operate the F/A-18 Hornet....
    • No. 5 Operational Training Unit RAAF
      No. 5 Operational Training Unit RAAF

      No. 5 Operational Training Unit was an operational training unit of the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II....
    • Central Flying School RAAF
      Central Flying School RAAF

      The Central Flying School RAAF is a Royal Australian Air Force training establishment, based at RAAF Base East Sale. It was formed in March 1913, and during the First World War it trained over 150 pilots, who fought in Europe and the Middle East....
  • Royal Australian Navy
    Royal Australian Navy

    The Royal Australian Navy is the navy of the Australian Defence Force. Established in 1901, the RAN was formed out of the Commonwealth Naval Forces to become the small navy of Australia after federation, consisting of the former colonial navies of the new Australian states....
     Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
    Fleet Air Arm (RAN)

    The Fleet Air Arm , more formally known as the Australian Navy Aviation Group is the operational part of the Royal Australian Navy responsible for the operation of aircraft aboard ship....
    • 723 Squadron RAN
      723 Squadron RAN

      723 Squadron is a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm training squadron....
    • 724 Squadron RAN
      724 Squadron RAN

      724 Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm and Fleet Air Arm flying squadron. The squadron was formed for the first time in 1945 and was last disbanded in 1984....


  • Burmese Air Force
  • Royal Ceylon Air Force


  • Royal Canadian Air Force
    Royal Canadian Air Force

    The Royal Canadian Air Force was the air force of Canada from 1924 until 1968 when the three branches of the Canadian military were merged into the Canadian Forces....
  • Chilean Air Force
    Chilean Air Force

    The Chilean Air Force is the air force of Chile, a branch of the Military of Chile....


  • Dominican Air Force - (F.1: 25 (ex Swedish); FB.50: 17 (ex Swedish))
  • Egyptian Air Force
    Egyptian Air Force

    The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian armed forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed....
  • Finnish Air Force
    Finnish Air Force

    The Finnish Air Force is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of Finnish Rapid Deployment Force for wartime conditions....
  • Armee de l'Air
  • Indian Air Force
    Indian Air Force

    The Indian Air Force is the airforce of the Armed Forces of India of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting aerial warfare and securing the Indian airspace....
  • Indonesian Air Force
    Indonesian Air Force

    The Indonesian Air Force is the air force branch of the Military of Indonesia.The Indonesian Air Force has 27,850 personnel equipped with 346 aircraft including Su-27 and Su-30....
     - (T.11: 6)


  • Iraqi Air Force
    Iraqi Air Force

    The Iraqi Air Force or IQAF is the Military of Iraq in Iraq responsible for the policing of international borders, surveillance of national assets and aerial warfare....
  • Irish Air Corps
    Irish Air Corps

    The Irish Air Corps provides the air defence function of Oglaigh na h?ireann , in support of the Irish Army and Irish Naval Service, together with such other roles as may be assigned by the Government ....
  • Italian Air Force
    Italian Air Force

    The Italian Air Force has gone under different names in different periods:*Regia Aeronautica , from 1923 until World War II*Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana, the air force of Italian Social Republic during World War II...
  • Japan Air Self Defence Force
  • Royal Jordanian Air Force
    Royal Jordanian Air Force

    The Royal Jordanian Air Force is the aircraft branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces....
  • (T.11: 2 (ex Portuguese))
  • Lebanese Air Force
    Lebanese Air Force

    The Lebanese Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Lebanese Armed Forces. The seal of the air force is constituted of a Roundel with two wings and a Lebanon Cedar tree, surrounded by two Bay Laurel leaves on a blue background....
  • Mexican Air Force
    Mexican Air Force

    The Mexican Air Force is the aviation branch of the Mexican Army and depends on the National Defense Secretariat . According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, it has 11,770 men, 107 combat aircraft and 71 armed helicopters, nevertheless, the global fleet is composed of more than 390 aircraft....
     (retired 1970)


  • Royal New Zealand Air Force
    Royal New Zealand Air Force

    The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air force of the Military of New Zealand. It was formed from New Zealand components of the United Kingdom Royal Air Force, becoming an independent force in 1923, although many RNZAF aircrew continued to serve in the Royal Air Force until the end of the 1940s....
    • No. 14 Squadron RNZAF
      No. 14 Squadron RNZAF

      14 Squadron RNZAF was a squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force....
    • No. 75 Squadron RNZAF
      No. 75 Squadron RNZAF

      No. 75 Squadron RNZAF was formed from the Royal Air Force's World War II bomber squadron, No. 75 Squadron RAF, which had been initially equipped by the New Zealand government and was largely manned by New Zealanders....
  • Royal Norwegian Air Force
    Royal Norwegian Air Force

    The Royal Norwegian Air Force is the air force of Norway. It was established as a separate arm of the Norwegian armed forces on 10 November, 1944....
  • Portuguese Air Force
    Portuguese Air Force

    The Portuguese Air Force is the air force of Portugal. Formed on July 1, 1952, with the Aeron?utica Militar and Portuguese Naval Aviation united in a single independent Air Force, it is one of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces and its origins dates back to 1912, when the military aviation began to be used in Portugal,...


  • Rhodesian Air Force
  • South African Air Force
    South African Air Force

    The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra ....
  • Royal Swedish Air Force : (F.1 (J 28A): 70; FB.50 (J 28B): 310; T.55 (J 28C): 57)
  • Swiss Air Force
    Swiss Air Force

    The Swiss Air Force is the air component of the Swiss Armed Forces. It was established on July 31, 1914 but did not become a separate service until 1936, and an independent service separate from the Army until 1 January 1996....
  • Syrian Air Force
    Syrian Air Force

    The Syrian Air Force is the aircraft branch of the Military of Syria....


  • Royal Air Force
    Royal Air Force

    The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
  • Fleet Air Arm
    Fleet Air Arm

    The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. The Fleet Air Arm operates the AgustaWestland EH101, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters, as well as the BAE Harrier II....
  • Venezuelan Air Force


Survivors


Although 80+ Vampires are still airworthy, only a small number are presently flying including two, ex-Swiss aircraft (T11 and FB 6) in Sweden. One of the last airworthy Vampire T 11s is operated by the from North Weald in Essex, UK. Several ex-Swiss and ex-Australian Vampires operate as collectors' aircraft in the U.S. One ex-Australian two-seat Mk 35W Vampire, S/N A79-617 was restored by Red Star Aviation of Hackettstown, New Jersey
Hackettstown, New Jersey

Hackettstown is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 10,403....
 and then repatriated to Australia, where it is displayed in air shows regularly, thus undoubtedly setting the record for most miles travelled by a civil Vampire. Several other U.S.-based Vampires are abandoned and in disrepair, as is an ex-airworthy example presently stored at Sullivan County Airport, in New York
New York

The State of New York is a U.S. state in the Mid-Atlantic States and Northeastern United States regions of the United States and is the nation's List of U.S....
. An ex-RNZAF T 11 is currently being restored at the New Zealand Fighter Pilot Museum in Wanaka.

Numerous examples have been preserved and on display, including:
  • Alberta Aviation Museum
    Alberta Aviation Museum

    The Alberta Aviation Museum is a museum in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is located on-site at the Edmonton City Centre Airport CYXD on the southwest corner of the field ....
     (de Havilland Australia Vampire T 35 (1964))
  • Aviation Museum of Central Finland
    Aviation Museum of Central Finland

    The Aviation Museum of Central Finland is an aviation museum in Tikkakoski, Jyv?skyl?n maalaiskunta, Finland. The museum exhibits the aviation history of Finland, from the early 1900s until today....
     (three examples of Vampire Mk 52 and two examples of Mk 55 in storage)
  • Canada Aviation Museum
    Canada Aviation Museum

    The Canada Aviation Museum is the national aviation museum, located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, at the Ottawa/Rockcliffe Airport....
     (de Havilland DH 100 Vampire 3)
  • Austrian Airforce Museum Zeltweg/Styria (De Havilland Vampire Two Seat Trainer)
  • Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum
    Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

    The Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum is a major Canada aviation museum. It is located at the Hamilton/John C. Munro International Airport on the outskirts of Hamilton, Ontario, Ontario....
  • Canadian Museum of Flight
    Canadian Museum of Flight

    The Canadian Museum of Flight is an aviation museum at the Langley Regional Airport in Langley, British Columbia , Canada. The museum has over 25 civilian and military jets, piston driven engine aircraft, gliders, and helicopters on display, six of which have been restored to flying condition....
  • Indian Air Force
    Indian Air Force

    The Indian Air Force is the airforce of the Armed Forces of India of India and has the prime responsibility of conducting aerial warfare and securing the Indian airspace....
     Museum, Palam, New Delhi
  • Indonesian Air Force
    Indonesian Air Force

    The Indonesian Air Force is the air force branch of the Military of Indonesia.The Indonesian Air Force has 27,850 personnel equipped with 346 aircraft including Su-27 and Su-30....
     Dirgantara Mandala Museum, Adisutjipto Air Force Base, Yogyakarta
  • de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre
    De Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre

    The de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre, formerly the Mosquito Aircraft Museum, is a volunteer run aviation museum in the England county of Hertfordshire, just north of Greater London London....
     in Hertfordshire
  • Museum of Transport and Technology
    Museum of Transport and Technology

    The Museum of Transport and Technology is a museum located in Western Springs, Auckland, New Zealand. It is located close to the Western Springs Stadium, Auckland Zoo and the Western Springs Park....
     in Auckland
    Auckland

    The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban areas of New Zealand with over 1.3 million residents, percent of the country's population....
  • Reynolds-Alberta Museum
    Reynolds-Alberta Museum

    The Reynolds-Alberta Museum, in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada, one of 18 provincially owned and operated historic sites and museums, honours the "spirit of the machine"....
  • Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum
    Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum

    The Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum is primarily a museum of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, its predecessor, the New Zealand Permanent Air Force and New Zealand squadrons of the Royal Air Force....
  • South African Air Force Museum
    South African Air Force Museum

    The South African Air Force Museum houses, exhibits and restores material related to the history of the South African Air Force. The Museum is divided into three location, AFB Waterkloof outside Pretoria, AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town and at the Port Elizabeth airport....
    , Port Elizabeth, SAAF 205, FB5, static display
  • Forbes, New South Wales
    Forbes, New South Wales

    Forbes is a town and Local Government Areas of Australia in the Central West, New South Wales of New South Wales, Australia, located on the Newell Highway between Parkes, New South Wales and West Wyalong, New South Wales....
    . Monument next to Lake Forbes
  • Evergreen Aviation Museum
    Evergreen Aviation Museum

    The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is an aviation museum which displays a number of military and civilian aircraft and spacecraft, most notably, the Hughes H-4 Hercules "Spruce Goose"....
     in McMinnville, Oregon
    McMinnville, Oregon

    McMinnville is the county seat and largest city of Yamhill County, Oregon, Oregon, United States. According to Oregon Geographic Names, it was named by its founder, William T....
  • FB5 WA346
    United Kingdom military aircraft serials

    In the United Kingdom to identify individual aircraft, all military aircraft are allocated and display a serial number. A unified serial number system, maintained by the Air Ministry, and its successor the Ministry of Defence, is used for aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and Army Air Corps ....
     under restoration at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, England.
  • T11 WZ590 on display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford
    Imperial War Museum Duxford

    The Imperial War Museum Duxford is a museum in Cambridgeshire, England, and commonly referred to simply as 'Duxford' . It is a branch of the Imperial War Museum and houses its large exhibits, including the aircraft and military and naval vehicles collection....
    , England.
  • T11 XD593 on display at the Newark Air Museum
    Newark Air Museum

    Newark Air Museum is an air museum located at Winthorpe, near Newark on Trent in Nottinghamshire, England. The museum contains a variety of aircraft....
    , England.
  • T11 XD626 on display at the Midland Air Museum
    Midland Air Museum

    The Midland Air Museum is situated just outside the village of Baginton in Warwickshire, England, and is adjacent to Coventry Airport. The museum includes the Sir Frank Whittle Jet Heritage Centre , where many exhibits are on display in a large hangar....
    , Coventry, England.
An ex-Swiss example is displayed at the Quonset Air Museum, North Kningstown RI, USA, and is owned and flown by the Red Star Aviation Museum, who contract with QAM for storage while the aircraft is not being flown.

Specifications (Vampire FB6)



Popular culture

The Vampire was central to the plot of the novella, The Shepherd
The Shepherd

The Shepherd is a 1976 novel by Frederick Forsyth. Forsyth created as an original work as a Christmas gift to his wife after she request a ghost story be written for her....
 by British novelist Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth

Frederick Forsyth, Order of the British Empire is an England author and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Dogs of War , The Fist of God, Icon , The Veteran , Avenger and recently The Afghan....
, the story of an RAF pilot attempting to fly home for Christmas
Christmas

Christmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts Twelve Days of Christmas....
 from RAF Celle
RAF Celle

The former Royal Air Force Station Celle , more commonly known as RAF Celle , was a Royal Air Force Royal Air Force station in Germany, situated in the south-western suburbs of Celle, Lower Saxony....
, Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
 to RAF Lakenheath
RAF Lakenheath

RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force airfield located near Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. Although technically an RAF station, it primarily hosts United States Air Force units and personnel....
 on Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve, December 24, is the night before Christmas Day, which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ ....
 1957. The fact that the DH.100 was not fitted with ejection seats until about 10 years later, and hence was a major challenge to bail out of, is an important element of the story.

Vampire jets also feature in the 1966 novel Shooting Script by former RAF pilot and thriller writer Gavin Lyall
Gavin Lyall

Gavin Tudor Lyall was a England author of Spy fictions....
.

See also


Bibliography

  • Bain, Gordon. De Havilland: A Pictorial Tribute. London: AirLife Publishing Ltd., 1992. ISBN 1-85648-243-X.
  • Buttler, Tony. British Secret Projects: Jet Fighters Since 1950. Leicester, UK: Midland Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-85780-095-8.
  • Dorr, Robert F. "Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star, Variant Briefing." Wings of Fame: The Journal of Class Combat Aircraft, Vol. 11. London: AIRTime Publishing Ltd., 1998. ISBN 1-86184-017-9.
  • Gunston, Bill et al. ""Vampire Fighters Lead Victory Day fly-by". The Chronicle of Aviation. Liberty, Missouri: JL International Publishing, 1992. ISBN 1-87203-130-7.
  • Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-463-4.
  • Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.
  • Watkins, David. de Havilland Vampire: The Complete History. Thrupp, Stroud, Great Britain: Budding Books, 1996. ISBN 1-84015-023-8.


External links