De Havilland Vampire

The de Havilland DH100 Vampire is a British jet fighter developed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was the second jet fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF), after the Gloster Meteor, and the first to be powered by a single jet engine.

Development of the Vampire as an experimental aircraft began in 1941 during the Second World War, to exploit the revolutionary innovation of jet propulsion. From the company's design studies, de Havilland decided to use a single-engined, twin-boom aircraft, powered by the Halford H.1 turbojet (later produced as the Goblin). Aside from its propulsion system and twin-boom configuration, it was a relatively conventional aircraft. In May 1944, de Havilland decided to produce the aircraft as an interceptor for the RAF. In 1946, the Vampire entered operational service with the RAF, only months after the war had ended.

The Vampire quickly proved to be effective and was adopted as a replacement of wartime piston-engined fighter aircraft. During its early service, it accomplished several aviation firsts and achieved various records, such as being the first jet aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean. The Vampire remained in front-line RAF service until 1953, when its transfer began to secondary roles such as ground attack and pilot training, for which specialist variants were produced. The RAF retired the Vampire in 1966, when its final role of advanced trainer was filled by the Folland Gnat. The Royal Navy had also adapted the type as the Sea Vampire, a navy-adapted variant suitable for operations from aircraft carriers. It was the service's first jet fighter.

The Vampire was exported to many nations and was operated worldwide in numerous theatres and climates. Several countries used the type in combat including the Suez Crisis, the Malayan Emergency, and the Rhodesian Bush War. By the end of production, almost 3,300 Vampires had been manufactured, a quarter of these having been manufactured under licence abroad. De Havilland pursued the further development of the type; major derivatives produced include the DH.115, a specialised, dual-seat trainer and the more advanced DH.112 Venom, a refined variant for ground-attack and night-fighter operations.

Development

Origins

In January 1941, Sir Henry Tizard made an informal approach to the de Havilland Aircraft Company, suggesting that the company proceed to design a fighter aircraft that would use the revolutionary new jet propulsion technology then under development, along with an appropriate engine to go with it. Although no official specification had been issued, de Havilland proceeded to design a single-engined aircraft that had air intakes set into the wing roots to feed a centrally mounted engine, which used a centrifugal compressor.

Aero-engine designer Major Frank Halford had been given access to Frank Whittle's pioneering work on gas turbines; for the projected jet-powered fighter, Halford decided to proceed with the design of a "straight through" centrifugal engine capable of generating 3,000 lb of thrust, which was considered to be high at the time. Halford's engine emerged as the Halford H.1. By April 1941, design work on the engine had been completed and a prototype H.1 engine performed its first test run one year later.

The low power output of the early jet engines had meant that only twin-engined aircraft designs were considered to be practical, and as more powerful jet engines were quickly developed, particularly Halford's H.1 (later known as the de Havilland Goblin), the practicalities of the single-engined jet fighter were soon realised. de Havilland was approached to produce an airframe for the H.1 as insurance against Germany using jet bombers against Britain; this was considered more important than de Havilland's suggestion of a high-speed jet bomber. Its first design, the DH.99, was set out in a brochure dated 6 June 1941; it was an all-metal, twin-boom, tricycle undercarriage aircraft armed with four cannon. The use of a twin boom enabled the jet pipe to be kept relatively short, which avoided the power loss that would have occurred if a long pipe were used, as would have been necessary in a conventional fuselage. It also put the tailplane clear of interference from the exhaust. Performance was estimated at at sea level and initial climb of on 2,700 lb of thrust. The Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP) representative expressed doubts regarding the lack of detail, estimations for the aircraft's performance and optimistic structure weight; the project received permission to proceed in July 1941.

The DH.99 design was soon modified to incorporate a combined wood-and-metal construction in light of recommendations from the MAP; the design was thus renumbered to DH.100 by November 1941. The aircraft was considered to be a largely experimental design due to its use of a single engine and some unorthodox features, unlike the Gloster Meteor, which had been specified for production early on. the aircraft was entirely a de Havilland project, being principally worked upon at the company's facility at Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

thumb|left|Comparison of the FB.5 single-seat (left) and T.11 dual-seat Vampire

De Havilland initiated a private venture night fighter, the DH.113, intended for export, fitting a two-seat cockpit closely based on that of the Mosquito night fighter and a lengthened nose that accommodated an AI Mk X radar. An order to supply the Egyptian Air Force was received, but this was blocked by the British government as part of an embargo on supplying arms to Egypt. The RAF took over the order and put them into service as an interim measure between the retirement of the de Havilland Mosquito night fighter and the full introduction of the Meteor night fighter. Removal of the radar from the night fighter and fitting of dual controls resulted in a jet trainer model of the aircraft, the DH.115 Vampire, which entered British service as the Vampire T.11. This trainer variant was built in large numbers for the RAF and for export.

An alternative powerplant to the de Havilland Goblin soon became available in the form of the Rolls-Royce Nene, another turbojet engine capable of generating similar levels of thrust. The name Vampire II was given to three experimental Nene-powered Vampires, which were used to assess their performance. One of these was evaluated by the RAF before the rival Goblin was selected for the RAF Vampires, instead; another contributed to development work for the Vampires for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Although the Nene had a higher thrust than the Goblin, its level flight speed was no greater. To reduce the intake losses caused by having to feed air to the rear face of the impeller of the Nene, two additional intakes were added behind the cockpit; these caused elevator reversal and buffeting, which in turn reduced the Vampire's Mach limit. The Vampires of the RAAF were powered by the Nene engine; these were initially outfitted with dorsal intakes, later moved underneath the fuselage.

The Vampire III was the first of several models that sought to address the demands for greater range from the type. Underwing fuel drop tanks of 100- and 200-gallon capacities were fitted; other modifications included lowering the tailplane and reshaping the vertical surfaces of the tail. The design changes to accommodate the hardpoint-mounted drop tanks had the benefit of enabling the carriage of various stores and readied the type for ground-attack operations. The wing was considerably modified to improve low-altitude performance, the span was reduced by 2 ft with the adoption of square-cut wing tips, and the wing skins were thickened and the undercarriage modified to withstand the increased weight. In total, 3,268 Vampires were built in 15 versions, including two-seat night fighters, trainers, and carrier-based Sea Vampires. The Vampire was used by 31 air forces. Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and the U.S. were the only major Western powers not to use the aircraft.

Records and achievements

thumb|The first [[Aircraft carrier|carrier landing and takeoff of a jet aircraft in 1945 – Eric "Winkle" Brown taking off from ]]

On 8 June 1946, the Vampire was introduced to the British public when Fighter Command's 247 Squadron was given the honour of leading the flypast over London at the Victory Day Celebrations. The Vampire was a versatile aircraft, setting many aviation firsts and records, being the first RAF fighter with a top speed in excess of . On 3 December 1945, a Sea Vampire piloted by Captain Eric "Winkle" Brown became the first pure-jet aircraft to land on and take off from an aircraft carrier.

Vampires and Sea Vampires were used in trials from 1947 to 1955 to develop recovery and deck-handling procedures and equipment for the operation of aircraft without an undercarriage from flexible rubber decks on aircraft carriers. Deletion of the undercarriage would reduce the aircraft weight and allow extra fuel to be carried. Despite demonstrating that the technique was feasible, with many landings being made with undercarriage retracted on flexible decks both at RAE Farnborough and on board the carrier , the proposal was not taken further. Aviation author Geoffrey Cooper quotes author Marriott stating that the rubber deck system "...would have required extensive facilities both aboard ship and at naval air stations to support it. Any gains in aircraft performance were more than cancelled by the complexity and cost of implementation."

On 23 March 1948, John Cunningham, flying a modified Vampire Mk I with extended wing tips and powered by the Ghost engine, achieved a new world altitude record of 59,446 ft (18,119 m).

On 14 July 1948, six Vampire F.3s of No. 54 Squadron RAF became the first jet aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean when they arrived in Goose Bay, Labrador. They went via Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland, Keflavík in Iceland and Bluie West 1, Greenland. From Goose Bay airfield they went on to Montreal (about 3,000 mi/4,830 km) to start the RAF's annual goodwill tour of Canada and the US, where they gave formation aerobatic displays. At the same time, USAF Colonel David C. Schilling led a group of F-80 Shooting Stars flying to Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base in Germany to relieve a unit based there. There were conflicting reports later regarding competition between the RAF and USAF to be the first to fly the Atlantic. One report said the USAF squadron delayed completion of its movement to allow the Vampires to be "the first jets across the Atlantic". Another said that the Vampire pilots celebrated "winning the race against the rival F-80s."

Design

Overview

thumb|Cockpit layout of the Vampire FB Mk2

The de Havilland Vampire was a jet-powered, twin-boom aircraft, typically employed in the fighter and fighter-bomber roles. Aviation author Francis K. Mason referred to it as being "the last unsophisticated single-engined, front-line aircraft to serve with Britain's Fighter Command"; the Vampire was a relatively straightforward aircraft, employing only manually operated flight controls, no radar, a simple airframe, and aside from the propulsion system, made use of mostly conventional practices and technologies. The distinctive twin-boom tail configuration of the Vampire was one of the only nontraditional airframe features when compared to its contemporaries.

In comparison to later aircraft, the Vampire had a relatively disorganised cockpit that in some aspects lacked ergonomic measures, such as the fuel gauges being difficult for the pilot to observe without pulling back the control column. A few controls, such as the low-pressure fuel cock, were known for being difficult to move or were otherwise obstructed by other controls. The pilot was provided with a fairly favourable external view, in part aided by the relatively small size of the Vampire.

Engine

thumb|The de Havilland Goblin II internals displayed in cutaway section

The Vampire was first powered by a single Halford H1 (produced as the de Havilland Goblin) turbojet engine, initially capable of producing 2,100 lbf (9.3 kN) of thrust, designed by Frank Halford and manufactured by de Havilland Engine Company. This engine was a centrifugal-flow type, a configuration superseded after 1949 by the slimmer axial-flow units. In 1947, Wing Commander Maurice Smith, assistant editor of Flight magazine, stated upon piloting his first jet-powered aircraft, a Vampire Mk III: "Piloting a jet aircraft has confirmed one opinion I had formed after flying as a passenger in the Lancastrian jet test beds, that few, if any, having flown in a jet-propelled transport, will wish to revert to the noise, vibration, and attendant fatigue of an airscrew-propelled, piston-engined aircraft".

Initially, the relatively high fuel consumption of the Goblin engine had limited the range of early models of the Vampire; this had been a common problem with all early jet aircraft. As a result, later marks featured considerably increased internal fuel capacity. The H.1 Goblin engine, conceived in 1941, remained unchanged in basic form for 13 years; Flight said, "The Goblin ... can fairly claim to be the world's most reliable turbojet". Later-built Vampire Mk Is were powered by the Goblin II; the F.3 onwards used the improved Goblin III; by the mid-1950s, the Goblin Mk. 35 export engine, capable of 3,500 lbf, had become available, as well. It was gradually replaced by the de Havilland Venom, a swept wing development of the Vampire.

thumb|left|An RAF Vampire NF.10 of [[No. 25 Squadron RAF|No. 25 Squadron, circa 1954]]

The Vampire NF.10 served from 1951 to 1954 with three squadrons (23, 25, and 151) but was often flown in daytime as well as night. After its replacement by the de Havilland Venom, these aircraft underwent conversion to the NF(T).10 standard, after which they were operated by the Central Navigation and Control School at RAF Shawbury. Other aircraft were sold on to the Indian Air Force for further use.

By 1953, the Vampire FB.5 was being increasingly considered to be obsolete, having not kept up with the advancements made on the Meteor 8. The RAF eventually relegated the single-seat Vampire to advanced training roles in the mid-1950s, and the type had been generally phased out of RAF service by the end of the decade. A single aircraft continued to be flown and remained in official service with the RAF as part of the "Vintage Pair" display team (along with a Gloster Meteor); however, this aircraft was lost as a result of a crash in 1986. The Sea Vampire was initially delivered to 700 Naval Air Squadron and 702 Naval Air Squadron, soon replacing their piston-engine powered de Havilland Sea Hornets.

Australia

During 1946, government approval was given for the purchase of an initial 50 Vampire fighter aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The first three machines of this batch were British-built aircraft, an F1, F2 and FB.5, and were given serial numbers A78-1 to A78-3. The second aircraft, the F2 (A78-2), was significant in that it was powered by the more powerful Rolls-Royce Nene jet engine, rather than the standard Goblin unit.

thumb|left|The Vampire F1 A78-1 after crash landing at [[RAAF Base Point Cook in 1947]]

thumb|Vampire jet after record flight to Melbourne, Australia, 21 July 1949

All of the 80 F.30 fighters and FB.31 fighter-bomber Vampires that were subsequently built by de Havilland Australia were powered by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) versions of the Nene engine manufactured under licence at their facility in Melbourne. The Nene required a greater intake cross-section than the Goblin, and the initial solution was to mount auxiliary intakes on top of the fuselage behind the canopy. aircraft were completed as FB.31s, being fitted with strengthened and clipped wings along with underwing hardpoints. A single F.30 was also converted to the F.32 standard, which was almost identical to the Vampire FB.9. In 1954, all single seat Vampires were retired by the RAAF, but remained in service in Citizen Air Force squadrons until the early 1960s.

The Vampire T.33 was a two-seat training version, powered by the Goblin turbojet and built in Australia. T.34 and T.35 were used by the RAAF and the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

Canada

thumb|Royal Canadian Air Force Vampire

A single Vampire F.1 began operating in 1946 on an evaluation basis in Canada at the Winter Experimental Establishment in Edmonton. The Vampire F.3 was selected as one of two types of operational fighters for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and was first flown in Canada on 17 January 1948 where it went into service as a Central Flying School training aircraft at RCAF Station Trenton. Operating a total of 86 aircraft, the Vampire F.3 became the first jet fighter to enter RCAF service in any significant numbers.

The Vampire had the function of introducing Canadian fighter pilots not only to jet propulsion, but also to other amenities such as cockpit pressurisation and the tricycle landing gear arrangement. It proved to be a popular aircraft, being easy to fly and often considered a "hot rod." In Canadian service, the Vampire served in both operational and air reserve units (400, 401, 402, 411, 438 and 442 squadrons). For three years from 2 May 1949 to 22 August 1951 the RCAF aerobatic team "The Blue Devils" flew airshows throughout North America. In November 1956, the type was retired having been replaced in RCAF service by the Canadair Sabre.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Air Force purchased 25 of Sweden's Vampires in 1952. Some of these subsequently saw combat in 1959, preventing an attempted amphibious landing by Cuban revolutionaries. They later took part in the 1965 Dominican Civil War.

Egypt

The Egyptian Air Force received its first of a planned 66 Vampire FB.52s in December 1950, eventually receiving 50 from de Havilland production. An order for 12 Vampire NF.10 night fighters was cancelled owing to an arms embargo and the aircraft were acquired by the RAF. A factory was built at Helwan to build the Vampire under licence, but political disputes between Egypt and the United Kingdom over the presence of British troops in Egypt led to the project being delayed, before being abandoned following the Egyptian revolution of 1952. Instead, Egypt turned to Italy, and purchased 58 ex-Italian Air Force FB.52As, using Syria as an intermediary, with deliveries from 1955 to 1956.

By 1954, Egypt was operating a fleet of 49 Vampires, which had been acquired from both Italy and Britain, in the fighter-bomber role. In 1955, a further 12 Vampire trainers were ordered, deliveries of which started in July that year. On 1 September 1955, in a response to an Israeli commando raid on an Egyptian-held fort at Khan Yunis, four Egyptian Vampires crossed into Israeli airspace, but were intercepted by Israeli Meteor jets, with two Vampires being shot down. By 1956, Egyptian Vampires were in the process of being replaced in the front-line fighter role by the much more capable Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 and MiG-17 swept-wing fighters, and several Vampires were given to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. During the Suez Crisis, the Egyptians mainly used their Vampires for ground-attack missions against the advancing Israeli forces, particularly at the Mitla Pass, and are recorded as having lost a total of four Vampires in combat with Israeli jet aircraft. Several more were destroyed on the ground by Anglo-French air raids.

Finland

thumb|Finnish Air Force de Havilland Vampire Mk.52

The Finnish Air Force received six FB.52 Vampires in 1953. The model was nicknamed "Vamppi" in Finnish service. An additional nine twin-seat T.55s were purchased in 1955. The aircraft were assigned to 2nd Wing at Pori, but were transferred to 1st Wing at Tikkakoski at the end of the 1950s. The last Finnish Vampire was decommissioned in 1965.

France

thumb|A French Vampire, circa 1948

As part of a larger effort to build up the post-war French Air Force, a number of Goblin-powered Vampire FB.5s were delivered to France from 1949 onwards. This variant of the Vampire was subsequently manufactured under licence by Sud-Est at Marignane, the first 67 aircraft were assembled from British-produced components and were standard aircraft for the most part;

A total of 250 Mistrals were built, equipped with Hispano-Suiza built engines, French ejector seats and enlarged wing root ducts. French orders for the type were greatly expanded during the early 1950s as a reaction to the outbreak of the Korean War. The production line was converted for the license-production of the improved de Havilland Sea Venom by the end of 1952 as well. On 2 April 1951, the first Mistral made its maiden flight.

India

thumb|A preserved IAF Vampire at [[Indian Air Force Museum, Palam]]

On 6 November 1948, the Indian Air Force (IAF) took delivery of its first three de Havilland Vampires at Palam Air Force Station, Delhi; these were procured under a large-scale expansion and modernisation programme. As its introduction marked the IAF's transition into the jet age, the Vampire presented several challenges to the service, including maintenance difficulties and the need to adopt new operational doctrines. Despite these hurdles, the Vampire played a crucial role in modernizing the IAF and laid the foundation for its future jet operations.

The first unit to received the type was No. 7 Squadron IAF in January 1949. No. 37 Squadron IAF flew a number of Vampire NF54 night reconnaissance missions over Goa during the 1961 Annexation of Goa from Portuguese rule, sometimes coming under anti-aircraft fire. A flight of four IAF Vampires managed to sink a Portuguse patrol vessel off the coast of Diu, using cannon fire and rockets.

thumb|Wreckage of an IAF Vampire shot down in 1965

On 1 September 1965, during the Indo-Pakistani War, No. 45 Squadron IAF responded to a request for strikes against a counter-attack by the Pakistani Army (Operation Grand Slam), and twelve Vampire Mk 52 fighter-bombers were successful in slowing the Pakistani advance. However, the Vampires encountered two Pakistan Air Force (PAF) F-86 Sabres, armed with air-to-air missiles; in the ensuing dogfight, the outdated Vampires were outclassed. One was shot down by ground fire and another three were shot down by Sabres. The Vampires were withdrawn from front line service after these losses.

Ireland

The Vampire entered service with the Irish Air Corps in 1955, and was the first ever jet powered fighter aircraft in Ireland. A total of six Vampire T.55s were acquired and served under No.1 Fighter Squadron, stationed at Casement Air Base. The Vampires replaced the Supermarine Spitfire and Seafire as Ireland's main combat aircraft. The Vampire brought the jet age to Ireland and introduced heavier armaments through the Vampire's cannons, as well as new technology such as ejection seats. The Vampires served until 1975 and were replaced with six Fouga CM.170 Magisters.

Italy

thumb|de Havilland Vampire at the [[Volandia Museum of Malpensa Airport]]

During the late 1940s, Italy became interested in procuring the Vampire as part of its re-equipment programme following the Second World War. The Meteor had also been considered, but was discarded on grounds of cost.

On 11 March 1950, the first five Vampire FB.5s arrived at the Jet Flight Training School at Foggia. British-built Vampires were delivered in advance of their Italian counterparts as the latter needed more time to establish their production line. During the early 1950s, Italian Vampires were flown by the Cavallino Rampante, the Italian Air Force's first post-war aerial display team. Following Britain's embargo on the sale of military aircraft to Egypt, 58 ex-Italian Air Force Vampires were refurbished and transferred to Egypt during early 1956; Macchi built 45 additional Vampires to replace these in Italian service.

Japan

In 1956, the Japan Air Self-Defence Force received a single Vampire T.55 jet trainer for evaluation. Although the type was not chosen for further orders, the aircraft remained in Japan after the completion of its evaluation by the JASDF, and was placed on display at Hamamatsu Air Base in Shizuoka Prefecture.thumb|A de Havilland Vampire MK-III from Mexican Air Force exhibited at el Colegio del Aire in [[Zapopan, Jalisco]]

Mexico

In 1961, the Mexican Air Force purchased 15 Vampire MK.IIIs, which had previously served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Six years later, all aircraft were decommissioned following six aircraft losses in accidents related to mechanical failure. Currently, there are four complete aircraft that have been preserved for exhibition only.

Norway

thumb|Vampire T55 & FB6 in Norwegian livery

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) purchased a total of 20 Vampire F.3s, 36 FB.52s and six T.55 trainers. The Vampire was in Norwegian use as a fighter from 1948 to 1957, equipping a three-squadron Vampire wing stationed at Gardermoen. In 1957, the type was withdrawn when the RNoAF decided to re-equip with the Republic F-84G Thunderjet. In 1955, the Vampire trainers were replaced by the Lockheed T-33, these aircraft were returned to the United Kingdom and saw later use by the Royal Air Force.

thumb|A RNoAF Vampire F.3 displayed at the [[Norwegian Armed Forces Aircraft Collection]]

Rhodesia/Zimbabwe

thumb|ex-[[Rhodesian Air Force De Havilland Vampire T.11 (DH.115)]]

The Rhodesian Air Force acquired 16 Vampire FB.9 fighters and a further 16 Vampire T.11 trainers in the early 1950s, its first jet aircraft, equipping two squadrons. These were regularly deployed to Aden between 1957 and 1961, supporting British counter-insurgency operations. 21 more two-seaters and 13 single-seaters were supplied by South Africa in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1977, six were pressed into service for Operation Dingo. Rhodesia operated Vampires until the end of the bush war in 1979; afterwards they remained in service with the Air Force of Zimbabwe. They were eventually replaced by the BAE Hawk 60 in the early 1980s. After 30 years service, they were the last Vampires used on operations anywhere.

South Africa

A total of 50 DH.100 and a total of 27 DH.115 Vampire aircraft were delivered to the South African Air Force.

Sweden

thumb|Two Swedish Air Force de Havilland Vampires

In 1946, the Swedish Air Force purchased its first batch of 70 FB 1 Vampires, having looked for a jet-powered fighter to replace the outdated J 22 and SAAB 21 aircraft of its fighter force. In Swedish service, the Vampire received the designation J 28A, with the first aircraft assigned to the Bråvalla Wing (F 13). The type provided such good service that the Vampire was soon selected to serve as the backbone of the fighter force. In 1949, a total of 310 of the more modern FB.50s, based on the Vampire FB.5, were procured and designated J 28B. The last of these was delivered in 1952, after which all piston-engined fighters were decommissioned. In addition, a total of 57 two-seater DH.115 Vampires, designated J 28C, were also acquired for training purposes.

In 1956, the Swedish Vampires were retired from the fighter role, replaced in service with the J 29 (SAAB Tunnan) and J 34 (Hawker Hunter). In 1968, the final Vampire trainer was retired, all having been replaced by the SK 60 (SAAB 105).

Switzerland

thumb|Swiss Air Force de Havilland Vampire T55

In 1946, the Swiss Air Force purchased an initial four Vampire F.1s, one of which crashed on 2 August 1946 while the other three remained in service until 1961. In 1949, the Swiss government signed a contract to locally manufacture the Vampire FB.6 in Switzerland using British-built Goblin engines; accordingly, a batch of 85 Vampire FB.6s were produced. In 1952, the first production Vampire NF.10 was delivered to Switzerland for evaluation purposes.

In 1949, the first batch of 75 Vampire Mk.6 (J-1005 to J-1079) was purchased. Most of these were phased out of service in 1968/1969, the last aircraft being withdrawn in 1973. A second batch of 100 Vampire Mk.6 (J-1101 to J-1200) were built under licence by a consortium of Swiss aviation companies, including Eidgenössische Flugzeugwerke Emmen, Pilatus Aircraft and Flug- und Fahrzeugwerke Altenrhein. Aircraft from this batch were in use from 1951 to 1974, of which some were used for pilot training and as target aircraft until 1990. A further three DH-100 Mk.6 (serials J-1080 to J-1082) were subsequently built from remaining spare parts. A force of 39 DH.115 Mk 55 Vampire two-seat trainers (U-1201 to U-1239) were also in service from 1953 to 1990. During the late 1950s, Switzerland started procuring Hawker Hunters to replace their Vampire fleet in the fighter role.

Variants

DH.100 Vampire single seat day fighter/fighter-bomber

;F.1 (alternatively F.Mk 1 or Mk.1) : single-seat fighter version for the RAF; Three prototypes (named Spider Crab) built for specification E.6/41. 30 ex-RAF F.1s were transferred to the Armee de l'Air in 1948 for familiarization. TG431 was supplied to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as A78-1 in May 1947 for familiarization. TG278 was modified with extended wings and powered with a Ghost 2.

;F.2: Nene-powered prototypes. Two built and three conversions.

;T.22: two-seat trainer for Royal Navy; 73 built by de Havilland.

;J 28B: Swedish FB.6, 310 built.

A few have been modified for air racing, with four examples making a total of eight appearances at the Reno Air Races so far, winning once.

Specifications (Vampire FB.6)

thumb|de Havilland Vampire FB.5

thumb|Cockpit layout of the Vampire FB.6

Notable appearances in media

<!-- Please READ Wikipedia:WikiProject Aircraft/page content#Popular culture and Wikipedia:WikiProject Military history/Style guide#Popular culture before adding any "Popular culture" items.

Please do not add the many minor appearances of the aircraft. This section is only for major cultural appearances where the aircraft plays a MAJOR part in the story line, or has an "especially notable" role in what is listed. A verifiable source proving the appearance's notability may be required. Random cruft, including ALL Ace Combat, Battlefield, and Metal Gear Solid appearances, and ALL anime/fiction lookalike speculation, WILL BE removed.

If your item has been removed, please discuss it on the talk page FIRST. A verifiable source proving the appearance's notability may be required. If a consensus is reached to include your item, a regular editor of this page will add it back. Thank you for your cooperation. -->