de Havilland Vampire

de Havilland Vampire
Name	de Havilland Vampire
Caption	A Royal Air Force Vampire F.3
Type	Fighter aircraft
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	de Havilland
Designer	Ronald Bishop
First flight	20 September 1943
Introduced	1945
Retired	1979 (Rhodesian Air Force)
Primary user	Royal Air Force
Number built	3,268
Developed into	de Havilland Venom

de Havilland Vampire. The de Havilland Vampire was a British jet fighter developed and manufactured by the de Havilland company during the Second World War. It was the second jet-powered aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force, following the Gloster Meteor, and notable for its distinctive twin-boom configuration and use of a de Havilland Goblin turbojet engine. The Vampire served with numerous air forces worldwide and was developed into more advanced types like the de Havilland Venom.

Development and design

The project, initially designated the DH.100, was led by chief designer Ronald Bishop and aimed to create a simple, lightweight fighter around the new Frank Halford-designed Halford H.1 jet engine, later named the de Havilland Goblin. Its most recognizable feature, the twin-boom tail, was chosen to keep the jet pipe short, thereby minimizing thrust loss, and was constructed primarily from plywood and balsa in a wood-and-metal hybrid airframe. The prototype, LZ548/G, first flew from Hatfield Aerodrome on 20 September 1943 with Geoffrey de Havilland Jr. at the controls, powered by a Halford H.1 engine. Early testing revealed excellent handling characteristics, leading to an order from the Ministry of Aircraft Production and subsequent refinement, including the adoption of a more powerful Rolls-Royce Nene engine in some naval variants like the de Havilland Sea Vampire.

Operational history

Entering service with the Royal Air Force in 1945, the Vampire first equipped No. 247 Squadron RAF and later saw extensive use as a frontline fighter with units like No. 54 Squadron RAF during the early Cold War. It became the first jet aircraft to operate from a Royal Navy aircraft carrier when a de Havilland Sea Vampire piloted by Eric "Winkle" Brown landed on HMS Ocean (R68) in 1945. The Vampire saw combat with the French Air Force in Algeria and with the Royal Australian Air Force during the Malayan Emergency. Its robust design and forgiving flight characteristics made it a successful export, serving in conflicts across the Middle East and with the Indian Air Force during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965.

Variants

The initial production model was the Vampire F.1 fighter, followed by the F.3 with increased fuel capacity. The FB.5 became a major ground-attack fighter-bomber variant with strengthened wings. For the Royal Navy, the Sea Vampire F.20 was a strengthened carrier-capable version, while the T.11 and Sea Vampire T.22 were tandem-seat trainers. The FB.6, powered by the de Havilland Goblin 3, was a major export fighter-bomber. Licensed production occurred in several countries, leading to variants like the French-built SNCASE Mistral and the Indian HAL-built Vampire. The design was further evolved into the swept-wing de Havilland Venom.

Operators

The Vampire was widely exported, serving with over thirty air forces. Primary operators included the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and the air forces of Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Sweden (as the J 28), and Finland. It also saw extensive service with nations across Europe like France, Italy, and Norway, in the Middle East with Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon, and with Dominions such as South Africa and New Zealand. Other significant operators were India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Burma, and several South American countries including Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.

Specifications (Vampire FB.6)

* Crew: 1 * Length: 30 ft 9 in (9.37 m) * Wingspan: 38 ft 0 in (11.58 m) * Height: 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m) * Wing area: 262 sq ft (24.34 m²) * Empty weight: 7,283 lb (3,304 kg) * Max takeoff weight: 12,390 lb (5,620 kg) * Powerplant: 1 × de Havilland Goblin 3 centrifugal-flow turbojet, 3,350 lbf (14.9 kN) thrust * Maximum speed: 548 mph (882 km/h, 476 kn) at 20,000 ft (6,100 m) * Range: 1,220 mi (1,960 km, 1,060 nmi) * Service ceiling: 42,800 ft (13,045 m) * Armament: 4 × 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannon; 2 × 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs or 8 × 3-inch "60 lb" RP-3 rockets

Survivors

Many Vampires are preserved in museums and some remain airworthy. Significant examples include an FB.9 at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford and a Sea Vampire T.22 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton. Airworthy aircraft operate with organizations like the Royal Navy Historic Flight and the Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron. Other preserved Vampires can be found at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, the South African Air Force Museum, and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, with additional examples in Switzerland, Australia, and New Zealand.

Category:Military aircraft of the United Kingdom Category:Jet aircraft