Speaking of dismantling and moving Vamps… We are just completing the disassembly of T.22 XA167. No engine and centre tank long removed, so not much to it. I’ve included a photo of an RAAF Vamp fuse being loaded on to a Herc (sorry, poor quality from photocopy of print in a plastic sleave). Stuart Wilson’s book on the Dak, Herc and Caribou shows a Canberra fuselage being installed in the back of a Herc – looks pretty snug. I doubt very much that there is any chance that Vamp wings could go in a Herc. Puting the wing at its best angle, it has a width or height of 3.45m. (A re-hash of Bruce’s dimensions, but in our Australian terms: maximum load width on a truck without escort is 3.5m!!!). Also interesting to see the aircraft identity. In 1996 I spent 3 months in Seattle and met Bill Lamberton who at that time had four Vampires: the F.3 17031, two ex-RAAF T.35s (A79-654 & ‘639), and Kiwi machine NZ5774. At the time 17031 had been grounded for two years as there was cracking in the wheel-well.
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