de Havilland Vampire

The de Havilland Vampire is a British jet fighter aircraft that was developed and produced by the de Havilland Aircraft Company during the late 1940s.

It was the second jet fighter to enter service with the Royal Air Force (RAF), after the Gloster Meteor.

The Vampire was designed to be a lightweight and agile fighter, with a single engine and a twin-boom configuration.

It first flew in 1943 and was introduced into service with the RAF in 1946.

It served with numerous air forces around the world, and was used in a variety of roles, including fighter, trainer, and ground attack.

The Vampire was powered by a single de Havilland Goblin turbojet engine, which gave it a top speed of around 540 mph (870 km/h).

It was armed with four 20mm Hispano-Suiza cannons and could carry up to 1,000 lbs (454 kg) of bombs or rockets.

Overall, more than 3,300 Vampires were built, making it one of the most successful British aircraft designs of the post-war era.

It was eventually replaced in RAF service by the Hawker Hunter but continued to be used by other air forces until the 1980s.

Variants

There were many variants of the de Havilland Vampire, with various modifications and upgrades made throughout its production run.

Here are some of the main variants:

Vampire F.1

The initial production version, with a Goblin 2 engine and four 20mm cannon.

Vampire F.2

A variant with a Goblin 3 engine and increased fuel capacity.

Vampire FB.5

A fighter-bomber variant with improved armament and the ability to carry bombs or rockets.

Vampire T.11

A two-seat trainer variant with extended fuselage and dual controls.

Vampire NF.10

A night fighter variant with radar and upgraded engines.

Vampire Mk 6

A ground attack variant with additional hardpoints and increased bomb load capacity.

Vampire Mk 9

A fighter variant with improved engines and radar.

Vampire Mk 10

A Canadian-built variant with a longer nose and more powerful engine.

Vampire Mk 11

A Swiss-built variant with a larger wing and improved performance.

Full Specifications

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)

Empty weight

7,050 lb (3,200 kg)

Max take-off weight

12,500 lb (5,670 kg)

Powerplant

1 × de Havilland Goblin 3 turbojet engine, 3,350 lbf (14.90 kN) thrust.

Maximum speed

540 mph (870 km/h)

Range

730 mi (1,175 km)

Service ceiling

42,000 ft (12,800 m)

Rate of climb

4,800 ft/min (24.4 m/s)

Armament

4 × 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannons

Hardpoints

4 underwing hardpoints capable of carrying up to 1,000 lb (454 kg) of bombs or rockets.

Overall

The Vampire was a relatively small and lightweight aircraft with impressive performance for its time.

Its top speed and rate of climb were particularly notable, and it was well-armed for its size with four cannons.

Its range was somewhat limited, however, and it was primarily used as a short-range interceptor or ground attack aircraft.