De Havilland Vampire References

The Vampire is quite one interesting aircraft design. The development begun in the middle of WWII, in 1942 and was the second British jet design after the Gloster Meteor. The serial production started in April 1945 and the aircraft did not see service in WWII operations.

Originally named the "Spider Crab," the aircraft was entirely a de Havilland project, exploiting the company's extensive experience in building with moulded plywood for aircraft construction. Many of the basic design features were first used in their Mosquito fast bomber. It had conventional straight mid-wings and a single jet engine placed in an egg-shaped, aluminium-skinned fuselage, exhausting in a straight line. It was the last time composite wood/metal construction was used in high performance military aircraft.

The FB.MK.5 version, also known as FB.5 is a fighter bomber variant, was equipped with a Goblin II engine.

In the follwing I have mixed pictures of Vampires, Sea Venoms and Venoms. Showing some differences, all those have their roots in the same basic design so each of these pictures has its use when it comes to examining the design.

Thanks to airliners.net, naam.co.uk and Wolodymir Nelowkin.