New Zealand Vampire photos and friends

Vampires, Venom and Mosquito would be a dream formation for us to see in the UK. Maybe one day in the not too distant future? 😉

Dear boy did your mother never tell you to be carefull what you wish for :diablo::diablo::diablo::diablo:

Getting a high quality finish on a Vampire fuselage is easy – lots of dope, a spot of filler primer, rubbed down with 1200 grit wet and dry, and a carefully applied top coat, machine polished.

I suspect in the case of the ex Swiss machine, that the fabric is the same as was on it when it left service, and that it has a LOT of paint on it!

Bruce

Vampires, Venom and Mosquito would be a dream formation for us to see in the UK. Maybe one day in the not too distant future? 😉

And on ZK-VAM they haven’t even got the kiwi roundels right. The red kiwi should be facing forard. They should either have red roos on that aircraft or NZ57xx numbers. Not RAAF numbers with wrong RNZAF roundels.

On the DVD featuring the NZ aircraft the finish seems to imply that there has been no fabric re applied over the fuselage pod prior to paint.If I am wrong we would be interested to know how you managed to get such a high standard of finish .If you have not applied fabric over the wooden structure how have you managed to get a permit as the finish is none standard and not that originally designed ,I think if we did that in the UK our wonderfull CAA might do more than comment as they are very keen that an aircraft does not depart from its design without millions of forms,tests and documents to prove otherwise.
I am not 100% but understand that the fabric covering onto the ply/balsa pod structure formed part of the insulation and also as the pod surprisingly for a wooden fuselage is also pressurised it must form some part of this capability ?. If you know otherwise we would welcome any information that we may be able to use in any future submission process for our airframe.

Mike E
XG743
www.aircraftrestorationgroup.org

Both aircraft feature in the Classic cockpits DVD “Flying the De Havilland Vampire” well worth a watch if you are into vampires the detailed commentary and walk round preflight and then taking you through the cockpit then an actual air display and the extra section on the engine description is very good.

As the owners of T22 XG 743 we found it a very usefull item for background info and some briefing info for when we get our lady up and running,

There have recently in Australia and Newzealand I understand a number of tired vampire frames offered for sale but at very over inflated prices for very poor condition airframes.

The French Registered Vampire is currently up for sale and is in an auction in Paris on 17th February.

The ex Australian T22 that was at Bournemouth is now in South Africa to be returned to flight so it is understood.

A very nice bird in the air and easy to maintain if you keep on top of it but a sod if it has been neglected for any length of time and outside in wet weather for prolonged periods is a killer to the types wooden fuselage structure.

Mike E

XG743

www.aircraftrestorationgroup.org

“The RNZAF operated six T.55 Vampire trainers which were export versions of the RAF’s T.11 variant. The first two T.55s arrived by sea and were assembled at Hobsonville in August 1952. One crashed in 1957 (without loss of crew) and the remaining five were withdrawn from service in the 1960s. Two have been restored and fly as part of the local warbirds movement.“

Presumably James is aware that neither of the Vampire trainers currently airworthy in New Zealand are actually ex-RNZAF.

ZK-VAM is ex-RAAF (A79-649 and VH-ICP)
ZK-RVM is ex-Swiss AF (U-1225 and HB-RVM)