Airworthy Vampire for sale

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Member for

16 years 5 months

Posts: 439

Reading these comments about the price, I thought I had momentarily morphed into some twilight zone, but really $125,000 for an airworthy vintage jet sounds like a bargain to me.

Member for

17 years 10 months

Posts: 3,778

80k GBP not bad for what you get and fuel burn is not really an issue if you can afford a Ferrari you can run one of thease and have pound notes in your back pocket.

Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 1,405

I've seen it race at Reno 2009 and last year. They said last year that they had added 10 mph to its top speed by taking it windscreen wiper off.

Dave

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 9,780

Your looking at burning best part of 2000 litres an hour at 90 pence a litre in a Vampire. Even if you can afford a Ferrari its still a good indication of why so many Jet Provosts and Hunters are flying compared to Vampires.

Member for

17 years 10 months

Posts: 3,778

Whats the running cost of Mustang or Hurricane?
yes JPs work out similar per hour as Harvards just you get there twice as quick

Member for

12 years 2 months

Posts: 20

Your looking at burning best part of 2000 litres an hour at 90 pence a litre in a Vampire. Even if you can afford a Ferrari its still a good indication of why so many Jet Provosts and Hunters are flying compared to Vampires.

???
Are you suggesting that a Vampire burns more than a Hunter?
Not even close.
Vampire has between 3,000 and 3,500 Lbs of thrust.
Hunter 7,500 to over 10,000 lbs of thrust.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 9,780

Jetguy - they are completely different engine designs so the thrust Vs fuel burn isnt comparable between the aircraft .Add to the fact that a Hunter is probably cruising around 600 knots and doing a lot more distance in the same amount of time and the Hunter is alot more aircraft for less money.

Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 993

Goblin Specific fuel consumption: 1.3 lbf/lb/hr

Avon Specific fuel consumption: 0.932 lbf/lb/hr

According to Wiki so the Goblin burns more fuel

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 8,464

I see no point in this comparison of apples and oranges TBH.

What price a good Hunter these days, with a good spare engine? I bet its more than that Vampire....!

Bruce

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 10,647

Certainly not the ones I'm aware of, though I suppose the status of the spare engine is the deciding factor.

Seems expensive for a Vampire, the WWII type comparison is a bit tenuous really, it really is a post-war jet trainer.

Also worth noting that Jetguy has operated both types, so I guess he's aware of the comparitive running costs!

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 8,464

Yes it is; I 'm playing devils advocate somewhat.

It is essentially a simple aeroplane however - relatively easy to operate. Are there any others, that are similarly airworthy for sale?

Bruce

Member for

16 years 5 months

Posts: 5,999

And based on a pilots experience then surely flying a Vampire is 'easier' than a Hunter, is it not? :confused: I'll admit that the Goblin engine needs more anticipation of developing situations due to its slower spool up speed, but the airspeed differential between the two types surely makes the Hunter more 'hot', and one for the more experienced pilot!

And i have to agree with Bruce on the exclusivity point. How many Vampire's are there airworthy in the UK compared to say JP's, or indeed Hunters?

Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 10,647

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying one is more attractive than the other, but it wasn't that long ago that it seemed that there were Vampires and Venoms, including single seaters, all over the sky, most seem to have been grounded or exported since, which suggests to me something about their desirablility here. Will someone want to bring back one here for $125,000?
Hard to believe that there are only two flying Vamps (both trainers) left in its home country.

Member for

16 years 5 months

Posts: 5,999

I think thats possibly more to do with what they are constructed of rather than desirability. The DeHav's being much more susceptible to the British weather!

Rob

Member for

13 years 11 months

Posts: 97

The city of Stockton, California ! Just gone broke

BTW ....... Could this be the reason for the sale ?? :p