Sk 28C De Havilland DH 115 Vampire

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The 45 aircraft type  D H 115 Vampire T.55 (Trainer Mk 55) aircraft were bought from de Havilland Co. in three different sub-versions. 12 J 28B were rebuilt to J 28C standard in Sweden. The C-version version was first developed by de Havilland as a night fighter (D H 113). When this version showed itself difficult to put on the market, the manufacturer developed it further to an advanced trainer, keeping the armament of four 20 mm automatic cannons. It could also carry rockets. This two-seated aircraft (side-by-side arrangement) were purchased to improve the training after a row of serious crashes. The aircraft were delivered directly to the Swedish fighter wings. The first 30 aircraft were original T.55. The last 15 British-built Vampires were of the modified T.55A version, which lacked armament. When the
Air Force Flight Academy (F 5) at Ljungbyhed needed more two-seated jet aircraft, twelve J 28B/A 28 B from the attack Wing F 14 at Halmstad, were rebuilt by the Air Force own workshop CVM at Malmen. The Vampires ended their career in the Swedish Air Force as trainers, not least for senior officers to give them experience of jet aircraft. The trainer Vampires were re-designated fpl 28 (fpl=flygplan=Aircraft). Note that this was an inofficial designation - many Swedish aviation historans do not regard it as correct to speak about any Sk 28. 

The aircraft used the Goblin III engine (1.500 kp). These engines were manufactured in Sweden by Svenska Flygmotor AB and got the Swedish designation RM 1A.

Photos from airshow at Ljungbyhed 1967. Photo at top: Aircraft # 28451. Photo below: Aircraft # 28425.

 

 

 


 

 

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© Lars Henriksson

Updated 2010-07-09