DH Vampire F.3 ‘Jet Fighter’

Description

The de Havilland Vampire was a British jet fighter developed during WWII. It was the second jet, after the Gloster Meteor, operated by the RAF. It replaced wartime piston-engine fighters and was in front-line service until 1953.

The Vampire Mk.3 fighter which first flew in November 1946 was based on the Vampire Mk.I but possessed redesigned tail surfaces. It was a single-seat monoplane aircraft, of a combined wood-and-metal construction, powered by a DH Goblin turbojet. It featured twin-boom tail configuration with two wing-root intakes, bubble canopy and was fitted with a non-ejection seat. It was equipped with four Hispano cannons mounted in the fuselage nose. Two external fuel tanks or 500lb bombs could be carried under the wings, while eight 3″ RPs could be attached inboard of the booms.

Almost 1,600 Vampires of Mk.I through to Mk.9 were manufactured (of which 204 were F.3s), and another thousand of other Marks were built under licence in other countries.

Operating a total of 85 aircraft, the Vampire F.3 became the first jet fighter to enter RCAF service in any significant numbers; their aircraft were taken on charge in 1948-49. Norway ordered 20 Vampire F.3s which were delivered in the period 1948-49 and the Mexican Air Force took delivery of 15 Vampire F.3s from RCAF stocks between 1960 and 1962.