Vampire cockpit pods

That early Vampire is quite different to production aircraft – with lots of detail differences on the fuselage pod. Worth noting that Bill Baird, of de Havilland didn’t only save the Mosquito prototype, he also saved the Vampire..

Bruce

I like that story. An interesting and highly personal anecdote.

I think that we’d all be surprised at what is non-original with many so-called complete and original exhibits which are held in high esteem.

Anon.

Great bit of background info- thanks for that NEEMA.

With Winkle’s recent departure, may I add a bit of thread drift on Vampire nacelles?
Those who visited the FAAM at Yeovilton in the 60’s might remember that Winkle’s “first jet deck landing” Vampire was sitting , propped up behind its tail booms with no nose leg. Conversations with “Harpy” Cox (the FAAM then curator) disclosed that it had gone missing at some stage.This situation was not aided by the fact that the Vampire actually belonged to the Science Museum.
By happy chance I found myself seconded to Farnborough in the late 60’s and spent many hours crawling around the scrap area out by Western Squadron. Under a bush I hit upon some silver doped plywood, which on further examination revealed the stenciling ” Vampire Jet Fighter” on a wooden nacelle . Getting a Land Rover and some chain we rolled it over and there, tucked up inside, was a nose wheel leg ,wheel and tyre. NEEMA senior supplied the AP manual bit ,so the leg and linked components were retrieved and spirited away to the Farnborough apprentices as an unofficial project for restoration .This was duly done , in fact so well done that the assembly was put in a Locked V&A cage in one of the Black Sheds. Thence we were at a deadlock ,until I got a phone-call one lunch time. ” I’m off for lunch for half an hour and seem to have inadvertently left the cage unlocked.”
A quick dash in a Hillman Imp retrieved the goods. Then transferred to the back of an RN Medic Lt Cdr’s Nash Rambler estate. “No bloody plod will check MY Car” Thence off down the A303 to Yeovilton. After a bit of a whinge from South Kensington’s fun police:
“But its not original” ( What is FFS on most museum artifacts ? ). It was installed and, as far as I know ,is still in place, properly helping to illustrate Winkle’s achievement.
Oh, and yes,the tyre still held air..

Would seem a shame to butcher a single seater Vampire to make it into something which it is not. Assuming single and two seat vampires are equal condition a swap might seem the best solution. Several collections have two seat Vampire, not so many single seaters about ?

Smashing – I’ll leave it in your capable hands.

Yes, we’re just trying to track down the owner!

Thanks Bruce, thought you might know. Sounds like he would be better finding a decent (!) T11 and shipping complete. Were you able to suggest any airframes for him?

I discussed it with him myself. Its possible, but would need a swap of intakes and tailbooms as well, depending on the configuration you were looking for.