“The silver post-war paint scheme is a bit of a ruse, as while the wings, tail booms and nose are riveted aluminium, the Vampire is surprisingly old-school tech in a lot of ways”
Flying classic jets at shows n the aftermath of the Shoreham air crash of 2015 was considered simply too risky in the eyes of some members of the warbird community. But not the Vampire Preservation Group, which is determined to keep the last RAF Vampire in the air for as long as possible.
Some may not think that Cold War jets carry the same sense of history and prestige afforded to World War Two-era fighters and bombers. However, there are some examples of jet aircraft that undoubtedly cross over into classic territory, ones that even the die-hard propellor head could not fail to love. Like the de Havilland Vampire.
The appeal of a machine like the Vampire, along with the Gloster Meteor, V-Force trilogy and English Electric Lightning, is that they all hail from a time when ‘Made in England’ still meant something to be proud of.
The UK showed the world that it was still capable of producing world class aircraft. And, in the instance of the Vampire and Meteor, they’re a crossover from the world of props and pistons; a gateway a…
