SDS Vampire

[kikko]

Dera Peter,

Briefly, five Vampires from 73 Squadron took off from England to Italy because Italy Gov. decided to equip Italian Air Force with Vampires and a flight demonstration was a good idea to present the first jets to Italian people. They landed in Rome Ciampino airport and then jumped again to Milan Malpensa for a special airshow in Milan.
The local Milan aeroclub was among the pushers for this unique event. The five Vampires got lost in the Pianura Padana thick fog around Milan ( the radio of Squad leader went off, too!) and all five were written-off trying to belly landing the planes in the sorrounding airport fields, having lost the bearing and being very short of fuel after half an hour searching for the airport . After the cathastrophic event, the only one repairable Vampire took-off again from Bergamo some days later after repairs but failed to take-off again and went on its belly through the northern Orio Al serio - Bergamo airfield area. Then , Italian Air Force put all the pieces together to have a flyable Vampire (I mean from all the five airframes, in Bresso airport , headquarters of Tecnocaccia , the IAF base for fighter maintenance in northern Italy, in a typical Italian impovisation style , with no maintenance manual or what else! ) and the very first Italian "Vampiro" flew safely to equip the very first all jet fighter squad in our Country. The Italian Air Force first Jet aerobatic team was named "cavallino rampante" , not before the year 1950.
A good explanation of these umbelieveable facts is in the David Watkins beautiful book " DH Vampire : the complete history" .

the 73 Squad. Pilots:

Squad Leader Bobby Oxpring
Flt Lt Frank Sumner
Fg Off. Derrick Grubb
PII Pete Carr
PII Geoff Parker


thank you for your kind interest

[gavinbarbara]

I ABSOLUTELY WILL GET IT!

I'm hoping Ivan includes several things however:

- A version with external tanks
- A paint kit

PLEASE!

Man, this is going to be a great airplane...I can see doing a BUNCH of repaints!

K.

It's Igor not Ivan

Why not post your requests on his forum? Igor's a very friendly and helpful person - must be worth a go.

[Garry Russell]

He's getting Ivan't it mixed up with when he can say Igor't it :roll:

Sorry......'been one of those days

Garry

[petermcleland]

Kikko,

Thanks very much for all the details of that remarkable story...Also for pointing out that David Watkins wrote a book about the Vampire...I have his book "VENOM" and have enjoyed reading it, so now I will look out for his book on the Vampire :flying:

[kikko]

And thank you for the patience in reading my improbable English! :o

[Lancelot]

I've just rolled out the Cat.I model version.

Nice time spent learning this beauty.

Anybody interested, take a look at our site.
[Edited by admin to remove direct link to comply with the rules]

Greetings

Igor Suprunov
SD Group

[TSR2]

I'm not overly familiar with the various types, but that looks like a lovely model Igor... Think I'll splash out on this one

[Noddy]

I have just got Version 1.5, still not VC but this being worked on.

Does anybody have any photo's of 1950's RAF pilots, as the one supplied just looks a bit to modern. And Igor can change to the period.

[AllanL]

Ben, That is me in the Vampire V, flying exercise 35 (Formation Flying) at 202 A.F.S. Valley on 23rd July 1952.

Just a fortnight before my Birthday, (The one without any candles)