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Vampire DH-100

SwissMilSim

SWITZERLANDARMYMILITARY

3.3/5 (88)


The de Havilland Vampire, also known as the DH.100, is the second military jet built by the United Kingdom, with the de Havilland company. It entered service just after the Second World War, and has the particularity of being equipped with a double-braced rear fuselage. It was the first jet to cross the Atlantic Ocean, and the first jet capable of operating from an aircraft carrier. More than 4,500 examples were built, some under license, and used by about 25 different countries. Switzerland tested it as early as 1946, followed by an order for 75 aircraft in 1949 and the manufacture under license of 100 aircraft. Originally acquired as a fighter, it was used until 1970 as a fighter and ground attack aircraft. It was then used as a training aircraft and target aircraft for the DCA. The last military flights took place at the end of 1990, many of them were then sold at auction and some still fly in various countries. The Vampire DH-100 underwent two important modernizations: the first one in 1960 with the installation of an ejection seat and modernized instrumentation (artificial horizon and gyrocompass). The second one in 1980 by the addition of a UHF radio equipment and a transponder (IFF), which required the lengthening of the nose which became pointed similar to that of the DH-112 Venom of that time. The 1960's were also the beginning of blind flight (IFR) for the Swiss Air Force. The existing direction-finding stations were supplemented by approach radar installations (GCA) and a very original omnidirectional talking radio system (NAFU). We tried to reproduce the operation of this system and thus to provide our Vampire with means of flight and landing without visibility.

The DH-100 Vampire is a single-engine multi-role military jet aircraft by British aerospace firm de Havilland. The Vampire is one of aviation’s most historically important aircraft as it was one of the first functional jet-powered aircraft. It took its maiden flight on September 20, 1943 during the height of World War II, but wasn’t introduced into service until 1946. It was the Royal Air Force’s first jet fighter, and it set a series of other important firsts, including being the first jet to cross the Atlantic Ocean, the first RAF jet to exceed 500 miles per hour, and the first recorded jet to operate off of an aircraft carrier (both launch and recovery). A total of 4,336 Vampires were built, including 1,067 constructed under foreign license, and all variants. Over the course of its production lifespan, the Vampire received a number of upgrades, including an ejection seat, inertial navigation aids, upgraded radios and transponders, and radio direction finding equipment.

The Vampire performed a number of military roles, including interceptor, air superiority, close air support, attack, and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) collections, among others. It also functioned as a trainer and a target aircraft. It remained operational for decades and served over a dozen countries, including the United Kingdom, France, India, Egypt, and Switzerland.

The Vampire is one of aviation’s most distinctive aircraft. It features a forward fuselage section housing a bulbous cockpit that tapers to its engine housing. A trapezoidal wing blends into the forward fuselage at the engine housing. Two booms extend from the rear of the main wing to an empennage composed of twin vertical stabilizers interconnected by a horizontal stabilizer.

The Vampire measures 30 feet, 9 inches in length, stands 8 feet, 10 inches tall, and has a wingspan of 38 feet. It is powered by a single de Havilland Goblin turbojet engine that produces up to 3,350 pounds of thrust. The jet has a range of 1,220 miles, a service ceiling of 42,800 feet above sea level, a climb rate of 4,800 feet per minute, and a top speed of 548 miles per hour.

One of military aviation’s first jet aircraft remains one of the most coveted to fly, the de Havilland Vampire. Its speed and maneuverability, not to mention its looks, make this standout jet an enduring legend.