Hi all, particularly those of a de Havilland, twin boom bent. I am trying to find the colours inside the cockpit for 2 seat Sea Vampires. My research so far has led me to believe that Vampires, indeed, most British service aircraft of this era, had their cockpits painted matt black or very dark grey. Can anyone confirm if this is the case for Sea Vampires and T22s in particular? I’d be particularly grateful if anyone could tell me the colours of the Martin Baker Mk1/3 that seems to have been used in this aircraft.
Finally, were the wheel wells painted the same colour as the exterior? The interiors of the doors seem to be but I haven’t been able to find a pic that gets up inside the wheel well!
Thanks in advance…
By: Malcolm Payne - 29th November 2005 at 20:07
Vampire T22
Sorry, but it is more than 40 years, and a whole lot of other aircraft, since I last flew a T11. My memory fails me in this respect.
By: Bruce - 29th November 2005 at 09:26
No, predictably, thats Black as well!
Not sure re the seats; will see what I can find
Bruce
By: XN923 - 29th November 2005 at 09:24
I heard somewhere that the emergency hydraulic hand pump between the seats was red – is this the case?
Presumably the Mk4 bang seats had the ‘B’ type handle rather than the ‘D’?
By: Malcolm Payne - 28th November 2005 at 19:31
Vampire T22
I don’t know if the Mk4 seat was any better than the earlier model fitted to the T11, but I always remember it as the most uncomfortable aircraft I have flown.Because of space limitations the bang seats were very upright when they were fitted. My introduction to the T11 was on early models with no bang seat and they were much roomier.
By: MarkG - 28th November 2005 at 16:50
Almost…
Vampire T-22 had a Mk 4 seat, similar to Sea Venom.
See, I knew I’d get it wrong! :p
Thanks Bruce, I hadn’t realised that. Would that be the Mk.4A then?
By: Bruce - 28th November 2005 at 16:44
Almost…
Vampire T-22 had a Mk 4 seat, similar to Sea Venom. The instrument fit is also quite different to the RAF version. I have a pilots notes somewhere and will dig it out.
Just about everything in the cockpit is black. You dont want to lose anything in there!
Bruce
By: MarkG - 28th November 2005 at 16:22
Interior colour was indeed matt black, although you often see a white ‘blooming’ with age which can give it more of a charcoal appearance.
The ejection seats were the Mk.3B and were a satin black in colour. The parachute pack was khaki in colour (similar to Dark Earth) as were the parachute straps. The seat straps were usually a mid blue colour although sometimes very much darker blue portions were fitted. The PSP would be yellow canvas but sometimes with a dark brown or khaki cushion section – at least they were on the T.11, I’ve seen Naval Hunter seats fitted with a special Naval version of the standard PSP with a waterproof dark green coloured cushion section though so maybe the T.22 was the same? The only other colour on the seat is the face screen handle which is yellow/black stripes, the face screen itself being a cream coloured canvas. See here for some photos of a modern restoration.
I believe the wheel wells were painted with an aluminium paint so would be, er, aluminium in colour!
Most of all that is based on my exerience of Vampire T.11s mind, so I stand to be corrected.
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November 28, 2005 at 4:02 pm