De Havilland DH100 Vampire

The Vampire jet fighter is a classic of aviation design. Incorporating a wooden fuselage section for the pilot, with the single jet engine mounted between two long tail booms, it is a very unique and distinctive aircraft. The Vampire was the first well known jet aircraft in New Zealand, serving for many years with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and many still survive on display around the country.

The MOTAT example is an ex-RAF FB.9 (c/n V1043, WR202). It was used by RNZAF Number 14 Squadron in Singapore, before being imported to New Zealand and used as an instructional airframe (INST171). It is the only FB.9 model in New Zealand. Instructional airframes were used by the air force for training of ground staff and therefore were not actually airworthy, so this Vampire has never actually flown in New Zealand.

Acquired by the museum very early on in its history (donated 3rd May 1962), the aircraft was on display outside at Motat's Great North Rd site for some years, before moving indoors when the small aviation pavilion was constructed. Here it was a popular sight along side its earlier fighter cousin the Kittyhawk. In 1987 the Vampire was moved to the Meloa Road site beside the Lancaster, where it is still on display right at the main entrance. The Goblin engine which powers the aircraft is displayed on a stand beside the aircraft, along with an even earlier Derwent jet engine which was the power plant for the earlier Meteor jet fighter.

Some other complete airframes that have survived in New Zealand include:

FB.5 Fighters
NZ5751 - Ken Jacobs and Don Subritzky, North Shore
NZ5755 - Ted Packer in Christchurch (storage)
NZ5757 - RNZAF Museum (displayed hanging in Atrium)
NZ5758 - Ferrymead, Christchurch (storage)
NZ5765 - NZFPM Wanaka (on loan from RNZAF museum to fly)
NZ5767 - RNZAF Museum (cockpit only display? Ohakea?)
NZ5769 - On display at Ashburton Aviation Museum
NZ5770 - On display at Southward Motor Museum, Paraparaumu
NZ5772 - Gate guardian at RNZAF Ohakea - under restoration

FB.52 Fighters
NZ5732 - John Chambers at Ardmore or North Shore (storage)
NZ5734 - Ardmore, owned by Ross Jowitt (stored, for sale)
NZ5735 - RNZAF Museum (stored)

FB.9 Fighters (ex-14 Sqn Singapore)
INST171 - On display at Motat, Auckland

F3 ex RAF, used by RNZAF as instructional airframe
INST167 - Ferrymead was sold this, is it still there?

T.11 Trainer

NZ5707 - Phillip Burns, loaned to Ashburton Aviation Museum
NZ5709 - owned by Ken Jacobs, last seen at Ardmore in 1994, maybe North Shore now?
NZ5710 - On display at RNZAF Museum, displayed Hangar 2

T.55 Trainer
NZ5702 - The fuselage still survives with Phil Burns in Blenheim. He found it in a Christchurch scrapyard in 1972. Since then he has been rebuilding it to where it is today with the fuselage woodwork now fully restored and the cockpit about 95 % complete. This is now the oldest Vampire Trainer surviving, number ten off the production line.

NZ5704 - RNZAF Museum (storage)

Photos
- aircraft on display by the main hanger entrance 2005 (Richard Wesley)
- plan view of the Vampire 1990 (Richard Wesley)
- early days of Motat in the 1960's (Richard Wesley Collection)