Posted on 10/29/2017 4:13:03 PM PDT by DFG
The fascinating history of one of Britain's most iconic fighter jets has been told for the first time in a new book. The de Havilland Vampire was developed during the Second World War and was the first single engine jet fighter to enter service in the RAF, making its maiden flight in September 1943, before officially entering service in April 1946. The aircraft, which has had several incarnations, holds a number of distinctions across its rich history including being the first jet aircraft to land and take-off from an aircraft carrier, while it was also the first jet to cross the Atlantic.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I went to the annual air show at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, VA. One of the performances was a Vampire.
With the exception of the F-86, the Vampire may have been the best flying early jet
Awkward looking thing.
The Vampire was pretty sorted out by the time of entering service in 1946. It could have perhaps met the ME-262 if forced into service earlier. Would have been an interesting matchup. The Meteor could not have held its own, but the Vampire? Maybe.
That would be the Spitfire. I guess the headline writer at the Mail didn't bother to take any history classes in school.
I always liked the look.
Where is that? I don’t think it’s Westminster Abbey.
I was at the end of that era: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FgAume4aQ8
The Spitfire was much more elegant looking.
The Spitfire was much more elegant looking.
“Fighter JET”
The spitfire was jet powered?
Durham Cathedral.
I bet bailing out was an experience.
The Spitfire was certainly elegant but it was never a jet.
Probably best not to attack someone’s education in this case, right?
I question whether DH Vampire should really be counted as a “WWII jet”. It never saw operational use during the war: the Gloster Meteor, maybe. The Lockheed P-80 deployed the Britain towards the end but it never saw combat.
For iconic British WWII jet fighter, I would have said the Meteor.
Oops - meant #16 for DFG - all your responses were right on the money!
I don’t know; the Me-262 was faster and had heavier armament. The engines were dodgy but when they were running, it was fast and nimble.
Lockheed P-80 prototypes made it into WWII unlike the Vampire...
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