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                          Photo Album (3 photos) |
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Serial EEP42376, RCAF 17058, N6860D Manufactured: 1949 One 3,100 lb.s.t. deHavilland Goblin D.Gn.2 turbojet Maximum speed: 548 mph Empty weight: 7,283 lbs. Loaded weight: 10,550 lbs. Maximum weight: 12,390 lbs. Span: 38' 0" Length: 30' 9" Height 8' 10" Wing area: 262 sq. ft. This DH100 Vampire was used by the RCAF (421 and 400 sqns), then sold surplus to the U.S., where it was used as an "executive jet", then it was owned by a company with factories in Puerto Rico, Peru, and Indiana (it has not been verified that the aircraft was ever in South America), and finally to the Air Museum of Calgary some time in the late 1960s. Sold off when the museum failed, it ended up at Kapuskasing in Don Campbell's collection. Don donated the aircraft to the Canadian Museum of Flight in 1983. It was hauled to Vancouver by 4 volunteers using two loaned trucks and trailers in 7 days lapsed time, including driving 24 hours a day, loading and time out to repair flat tires, transmissions and tune-ups on the trucks. Restored to static display under a Canada Manpower grant in 1986, the Vampire Mk3 is a designated Cultural Property. General Information The second British designed and built jet fighter to go into service with the RAF and the RCAF's first jet type, it incorporated some of the wooden construction method of the mosquito. The RAF Vampire F.B.Mk3 fighter-bomber progressively developed into the F.B.Mk.5 with a strengthened wing of reduced span capable of carrying a 2,000 lb. ordinance load, and first flew on June 23, 1948. The F.B.Mk.5 retained the Goblin D.Gn2 engine, but the export F.B.Mk.50 had the 3,350 lb.s.t. Goblin D.Gn.3. Vampires served with the RCAF between 1949-1958. Airforces of Venezuela, Dominica, Switzerland, Jordan, Lebanon, Finland and Rhodesia; some until very recently. Photo: Dennis Cardy | |
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