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The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was the second jet-engined aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force during World War II (the first being the Gloster Meteor), although it did not see combat in that conflict. The Vampire served with front-line RAF squadrons until 1955. It also served with numerous other air forces worldwide (see Operators). Almost 4,400 Vampires were built, a quarter of them under licence.
Design and development The Vampire began as an experimental aircraft, unlike the Gloster Meteor which was always specified for production. Under specification E.6/41, design work on the DH-100 began at the de Havilland works at Hatfield 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 using moulded plywood for aircraft construction, as used in the Mosquito bomber. It was the last time composite wood and metal construction was used in high performance military aircraft. It had conventional straight mid-wings and a single jet engine placed in an egg-shaped, aluminium-surfaced fuselage exhausting in a straight line. To reduce the losses caused by a long jetpipe the designers used the distinctive tail with twin booms, similar to that of the Lockheed P-38. Production Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr piloted the first test flight of prototype LZ548/G on 20 September 1943 from Hatfield, only six months following the Meteor's maiden flight, the first flight having 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. The production Mk I did not fly until April 1945 and most were built by English Electric Aircraft due to the pressures on de Havilland's production facilities, busy with other types. Although eagerly taken into service by the RAF, it was still being developed as a fighter when the war ended, the reason it never saw combat in the Second World War. Records The Vampire was an exceptionally versatile aircraft, setting many aviation firsts and records, being the first RAF fighter with a top speed exceeding 500 mph. Piloted by Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown, a Sea Vampire was the first jet to take off from and land on an aircraft carrier and in 1948, John Cunningham set a new world altitude record of 59,446 ft (18,119 m). On 14 July 1948, Vampire F3s of No. 54 Squadron RAF became the first jet aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. They went via Stornoway, Iceland and Labrador to Montreal on the first leg of a goodwill tour of Canada and the US where they gave several formation aerobatic displays. (The USAF, which had assigned a squadron of P-80 Shooting Stars of the 56th Fighter Group to reinforce U.S. forces in Germany during the Berlin blockade, delayed the trans-Atlantic flight, known as Fox Able, so as not to steal the Vampires' thunder.) In service The Vampire was first powered by a Halford H1 producing 2,100 lbf (9.3 kN) of thrust, designed by Frank B Halford and built by de Havilland (later renamed the Goblin). 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, a common problem with all the early jets. 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 Mk.3 onwards used the Goblin III. Certain marks were test-beds for the Rolls-Royce Nene 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. The Mk.5 was navalised as the Sea Vampire, the first Royal Navy 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. The RAF Mk.5 was altered to extend the aircraft's role from a fighter to a ground-attack aircraft, the wings being clipped, strengthened and fitted with hard-points for bombs or rockets. The fighter-bomber Mk.5 (FB.5) became the most numerous combat variant with 473 aircraft produced. The final Vampire was the T11 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. Several Vampires are still airworthy, and many have been preserved. Some examples are on display at the Mosquito Aircraft Museum in Hertfordshire, the Museum of Transport and Technology in Auckland, the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum and the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. One specimen, a two seater, is presently hangared at Tatui, São Paulo, Brazil, after establishing the longest travel ever for a Vampire. Another two seater, FAA licensed and airworthy, is at Sullivan County Airport in southern New York State. The last airworthy Vampire T11 in the world is operated by the Vampire Preservation Group from North Weald in Essex, U.K. Variants Three prototypes. Single-seat fighter version for the RAF, 244 production aircraft being built. Three prototypes, with Rolls-Royce Nene turbojet engine. One built, and two conversions. Single-seat fighter for the RAF. Two prototypes were converted from the Mk 1 and 202 production aircraft were built. Nene engined project, not built. Single-seat fighter-bomber version. Powered by the Goblin 2 turbojet, 930 being built for the RAF and 88 for export. Single-seat fighter-bomber built in Switzerland for the Swiss Air Force. Powered by a Goblin 3 turbojet, 178 being built. Tropicalised fighter-bomber . Powered by Goblin 3 turbojet, 326 being built. Goblin powered two-seater prototype, two built. Two-seat night fighter version for the RAF, 95 built including 29 as the NF54. Prototype for deck trials. One conversion. Private venture, two-seat jet trainer prototype. Two-seat training version for the RAF. Powered by a Goblin 35 turbojet engine, 731 were built. Naval version of the FB 5, 18 were built. Three aircraft converted for trials. Two-seat training version for the Royal Navy, 73 were built. FB5 variants, 25 exported to New Zealand Single-seat fighter-bomber version for the RAAF. Powered by Roll-Royce Nene turbojet, 80 built in Australia. Two-seat training version. Powered by the Goblin turbojet, 36 were built in Australia. Two-seat training version of the Royal Australian Navy, five were built in Australia. Vampire T 34s fitted with ejector seats. Modified two-seat training version, 68 built in Australia. Single-seat fighter-bomber for the Italian Air Force, 80 built in Italy. Single-seat fighter-bomber for the Armee de l'Air, 250 built in France, as the Sud-Est SE 535 Mistral. Export version of Vampire NF 10 for the Italian Air Force, 29 being built. Export version of the DH.115 trainer, 216 built and six converted from the T 11. Specifications (Vampire FB 5) Operators Reference Related content | ||||||||
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