History of the Vampire
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The De Havilland Vampire was the first
single engine jet fighter to enter service in the RAF. The
prototype made its maiden flight on 20th September 1943; over
the next few years the Vampire claimed the following 'firsts':
- The first jet aircraft to land and
take-off from an aircraft carrier
- The first crossing of the Atlantic
by a jet
- The first jet trainer on which student
pilots could gain their 'wings'
In April 1946 the Vampire F1 entered
service with 247 Squadron at RAF Chilbolton, Hampshire. This
was replaced in 1948 by the Vampire F3, with re-designed tail
fins, a lower tailplane and upgraded engine. The clipped-wing
ground attack FB5 also started to arrive in 1948; but was
soon superseded by the FB9, which was basically the same aircraft,
but fitted with an air-conditioning unit to permit more comfortable
operation in warmer climates.
The next version was the two-seater
NF10, adapted from the basic design by grafting the Mosquito's
night-fighter 'bull' nose onto the smaller Vampire fuselage
pod. This design led into the Vampire T11, which first flew
in1950 and served in Britain until 1968.
 As
a two-seater trainer, the Vampire T11 excelled. The side by
side seating ensured both pilots had good visibility. The
aircraft's inherent stability and docility also made it a
relatively safe and effective platform for instruction. Later,
the Vampire provided advanced training and weapons instruction
with rockets and bombs fitted under the wing. This compared
favourably with the tandem cockpit and completely unarmed
Meteor T7.
The basic Vampire lent itself to the
inevitable mutations that so characterised the immediate post
war cash-strapped British aviation industry. With swept wings
bolted to the Vampire fuselage and no tail at all, the DH
108 was the UK's first, experimental, swept wing aircraft.
With new, thin wings and swept leading edges, the DH 112 Venom
was born - originally referred to as the Vampire FB8.
 The
engine itself was another major breakthrough, following years
of dedicated research by Frank Halford. The "Goblin"
engine produces an incredible and distinctive sound - one
of the many reasons this aircraft is a proven crowd pleaser
at air shows!
These aircraft are now so rare that
the National Aviation Heritage Register (NAHR) lists Vampires
as "Benchmark" aircraft; the highest category available
for preservation.
About Our Aircraft
- WZ507
WZ507 (c/n 15127) was built in 1952 by
the De Havilland Aircraft Company at Christchurch, Dorset. It
was delivered to the RAF in March 1953 and served with 229 OCU
Chivenor, 8 FTS Swinderby, 5 FTS Oakington, 3 CAACU Exeter and
finally CATCS (Central Air Traffic Control School) at Shawbury.
 WZ507
retired from RAF service in 1969 and was acquired from the
Ministry of Defence by the Solway
Aviation Society (SAS), based at Carlisle airport. The
airframe was originally put on static display for a number
of years, but in 1980 WZ507 became the first ex-military jet
to be put onto the UK civilian register, after being restored
to full flying condition by the SAS.
 If
you flew or maintained this aircraft in the RAF, or have any
photographs or other information about its history, please
contact us - we
are always pleased to hear from people who have worked with
WZ507 in the past.
WZ507 is privately funded by a small group of dedicated
enthusiasts and has displayed at air-shows all around the
UK; we anticipate another busy display season this year. Please
look at our Airshow
Bookings section for more information about the displays
we have attended, or contact
us if you would like to enquire about booking WZ507 for
either a static or flying display. We are always willing to
display this aircraft for the public and have a selection
of Display Authorised pilots available.
Facts and Figures
| Crew: |
2 |
| Engine: |
De
Havilland Goblin 3 |
| Span: |
38'
0" |
| Length: |
34'
5" |
| Height: |
6'
7" |
| Wing
Area: |
262
sq ft |
| Max
Weight: |
11000
lb |
| Max
Speed at Sea Level: |
350
kts |
| Ceiling: |
40000
ft |
| Range: |
730
nm |
Pilot Profiles
Brian Grant (Chief Instructor)
 Brian
is probably the most experienced fast-jet pilot in the world
with nearly 14,000 fast jet hours and over 9000 hours instructing!
We are extremely privileged to have someone of his considerable
experience looking after us.
Brian started his service career in
the RAF, earning his wings in 1960 on the Vampire T11. After
a work up on Hunters at Chivenor he was posted to the Javelin
OCU, flying these aircraft between 1961 and 1965.
In 1965 Brian transferred over to the
Royal Navy to fly the Sea Vixen. He was assigned to 890 Squadron
on Ark Royal, then 766 Squadron at Yeovilton. In 1967 he went
to Valley to become a QFI on the Gnat, staying there for three
years. In 1970 he officially left the services to join FRADU
(Fleet Requirements and Directions Unit) back at Yeovilton.
Here he once again flew the Vixen, Hunter and the Canberra
on a variety of Naval support tasks, before finally 'retiring'
in 1994.
Since then he has periodically flown
Hawks at Culdrose and acts as senior pilot on the Hunter fleet
at Exeter. Brian has amassed almost 14,000 hours on fast jets
of which 2,000 were on Sea Vixens and some 8,000 on the Hunter.
Matt Hampton (Chief Pilot)
 Matt
flies the Boeing 757 and 767 for a large British Airline and
helped form the Vampire Preservation Group in 2005.
Matt started flying in 1992, gaining
his PPL in Alderney. Over the next seven years he spent his
spare time gradually obtaining more experience and ratings.
In 2000 he joined Cityflyer at Gatwick, as a First Officer
on the ATR 42/72. After a year he moved onto the RJ100 fleet,
before returning to the ATR as a Captain.
Matt first flew the Vampire in 2002
- he had always been a fan of the aircraft and jumped at the
opportunity to fly in it! He will be displaying the Vampire
at various airshows during 2007.
Mark Hooton
 Mark
flies the 757 and has nearly 9000 hours experience. He first
flew the Vampire in 2003 and will also be displaying the aircraft
during 2007.
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