![]() Several countries deployed the type in combat during conflicts, including the Suez Crisis, the Malayan Emergency, and the Rhodesian Bush War. The Vampire was exported to a wide variety of nations and was operated worldwide in numerous theaters and climates. The Royal Navy had also adopted the type as the Sea Vampire, a navalized variant suitable for operations from its aircraft carriers. During 1966, the Vampire was officially retired by the RAF, having been withdrawn from its final role as an advanced trainer after having been replaced by the Folland Gnat. The Vampire remained in front-line service with the RAF up until 1953 after this date, it was progressively reassigned to various secondary roles, such as ground attack missions and pilot training operations, for which specialist variants of the type were produced. During its early service, it was recognized for accomplishing several aviation firsts and various records, such as being the first jet aircraft to traverse the Atlantic Ocean. The Vampire quickly proved to be an effective aircraft and was adopted as a replacement for many wartime piston-engined fighter aircraft. During 1946, the first production Vampire entered operational service with the RAF, only months after the Second World War had come to an end. Despite being originally ordered as an experimental aircraft only, during May 1944, it was decided to mass-produce the aircraft as an interceptor for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Aside from its propulsion system and twin-boom configuration, it was a relatively conventional aircraft. Out of the company’s design studies, it was quickly decided to settle on a single-engine, twin-boom aircraft, powered by the Halford H.1 turbojet engine (later produced as the “Goblin”). Work on the Vampire commenced during 1941 in the midst of the Second World War it was initially intended as an experimental aircraft, albeit one that was suitable for combat, that harnessed the ground breaking innovation of jet propulsion. It was the second jet fighter to be operated by the RAF, after the Gloster Meteor, and the first to be powered by a single jet engine. The de Havilland DH-100 Vampire is a British jet fighter developed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. Primary users: Royal Air Force, Royal Navy.Manufacturer: de Havilland, English Electric. ![]() Single-engine Single-sea Mid-wing Twin-boom Jet Fighter, U.K.ġ945 de Havilland DH-100 Vampire Mk.I (TG372 RAF) on display () at the Canada Aviation Museum, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Photo by John Shupek copyright © 2003 Skytamer Images)ĭe Havilland DH-100 Vampire F.Mk.III (VT812) on display (c.1994) at the Royal Air Force Museum London, Hendon Aerodrome, London, England (Photo by John Shupek copyright © 2002 Skytamer Images)ĭe Havilland DH-100 Vampire Mk.IV (s/n 658) on display () at the Planes of Fame Air Museum, Chino, California (Photo by John Shupek copyright © 2003 Skytamer Images) ![]()
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