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De
Havilland DH 115 T.55 Vampire
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The
RNZAF operated six T.55 Vampire trainers (NZ5701-5706), which were export
versions of the RAF's T.11 variant. The first two aircraft arrived in
Auckland aboard the 'Zealandic' in June 1952, and were assembled at
Hobsonville between June and August of that year. Wing Commander Johnny
Checketts subsequently test flew both aircraft. With the exception of
NZ5706, which crashed into the Rangitikei river in 1957 (fortunately with
the successful exit of both crew), the remaining five trainers were
withdrawn from use circa 1959. NZ5701-03 were sold and broken up in 1963,
NZ5704 and NZ5705 becoming instructional airframes. ZK-RVM is an ex-Swiss
Air Force T.55 Vampire purchased by Brett and Jill Emeny of New Plymouth,
which was entered onto the New Zealand Aircraft Register in August 1997.
This particular aircraft was part of the Swiss Air Force from 1958 and
carried the serieal number U-1225. It entered the Swiss civil
register in June 1992 as HB-RVM following its sale by auction at Dubendorf
Airbase in 1991. |
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The
Vampire was popular with fighter pilots and it went into widespread
service with the RAF and other air forces. In 1951 the RNZAF acquired
Vampires, and a year later deployed No 14 SQN to Cyprus where they flew
Vampires as part of New Zealand’s contribution to Commonwealth defence
commitments. No 75 SQN was also equipped with Vampires and the small
fighter remained in RNZAF service until the late sixties (although
Canberra bombers had replaced it as New Zealand’s front line strike
aircraft).
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However
the Vampire represented the first generation of jets; in terms of
technology Vampires were little different from their piston-engine
contemporaries. The Germans had led the world in researching into swept
wing jet aircraft; after the war the Russians and Americans quickly
exploited that knowledge. In the the Korean War the UN partners were
shocked by the performance of the new Russian Mig 15; the swept wing
fighter was superior to many Western fighters. The Americans quickly
deployed F-86 Sabres to Korea to counter the new Soviet fighter.
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