RNZAF Vampires in the USA

Mon Dec 25, 2006 7:12 am

Following retirement from RNZAF service, at least five de Havilland Vampires went from New Zealand to the USA, as borne out in this report from New Zealand Wings magazine in August 1973...

"The recent sale of seven ex-RNZAF Vampires, one to Sweden and six to an American buyer (although one of the latter will possibly remain here) must rankle, particularly to an organisation like the Ferrymead Aviation Society, who must divert their slender resources towards trying to obtain a Vampire privately to display publicly.
Out of a total of 58 purchased, there are about 10 Vampires left in this country, six of which have reasonable chance of survival."

Does anyone know where these aircraft all ended up? Did the sixth one stay in NZ or go abroad? Were any others sold to the USA before this report?

Are any of them flying today in the USA?

Any info would be appreciated, thanks.

Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:20 am

I know John Travolta has one, but not positive if it is one of those five.

Thu Dec 28, 2006 5:58 pm

Dave,
I have details of only two in the USA, both at Everett/Paine Field in Washington State.

The Museum of Flight Restoration Center has:
NZ5776 (noted Aug96-Sep05)

Private owner Bill Lamberton has:
NZ5774 (noted 99).

John Travolta's machine was ex RCAF 17072 and N6878D; he no longer owns it.

Can anyone add any more?

Regards,
Andy Marden
USA Military Out of Service

Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:27 pm

Thanks Andy and Connery.

I have been looking a little deeper into the survivors of our RNZAF Vampires and there seem to be a lot more still in NZ than the old article I quoted stated, so it seems the deal to send so many to the USA must have fallen through. Survors I can count are on this page on my forum

http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi? ... 1167051231

Thu Dec 28, 2006 9:49 pm

Andy Marden wrote:The Museum of Flight Restoration Center has:
NZ5776 (noted Aug96-Sep05)

This one is disassembled and stored. Parts are visible in the restoration center, but not really on display.

Fri Dec 29, 2006 12:44 am

Andy Marden wrote:Private owner Bill Lamberton has:
NZ5774 (noted 99).

Hi Andy,

Where does Bill Lamberton live? USA or Canada?
What do you mean by noted 99?

Cheers
Dave

Fri Dec 29, 2006 7:05 pm

Dave,
Bill Lamberton seems to divide his time between the two countries, although I am prepared to be corrected on that one.
Noted 99 means exactly that - it was seen there in 1999.
Regards,
Andy

Fri Dec 29, 2006 7:38 pm

Dave,
I have had a look at your RNZAF Vampire survivors list and can offer some comments. One problem is that you have no sighting dates, which makes it extremely difficult to say if my info is newer, or older, than yours in some cases.

FB.52 Fighters
NZ5734 - Motat, Auckland (Stored)
>> This was at Ardmore Airport (noted Nov94-Nov99). Has it gone to Motat, or does my info update yours?
NZ5735 - RNZAF Museum (stored?)
>> I have never seen a physical report of this machine. Where exactly is it?

F3 ex RAF, used by RNZAF as instructional airframe
INST167 - Ferrymead
>> I thought they only had the one one Vampire at Ferrymead (NZ5758). I have seen reports that it is a composite, maybe parts of INST167 are involved.

T.11 Trainer
NZ5709 - Ken Jacobs and Don Subritzky
>> Wasn’t this ZK-TII at some point? Last I heard (Nov94) it was at Ardmore.

T.55 Trainer
NZ5702 - Ashburton Aviation Museum - cockpit only
>> This was with Phil Burns in Dunsandel. He moved to Blenheim and was planning to move it there in Oct03. Once again, I have no idea if your info updates mine.
NZ5703 - Phillip Burns, fuselage only (stored?)
>> see above
NZ5705 – Motat
>> No knowledge of this being there. When was it seen?

Now for some additions:
NZ5732
>> This was noted stored at Ardmore (98-Nov99).
NZ5772
>> the former Ohakea gate guard, this was seen in a hangar undergoing restoration in Apr04.

Regards
Andy Marden

Fri Jan 05, 2007 4:04 am

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the comments, I am just catching up after New Year...

Most of my details are from other sources, particularly Ivan Prince's pages on http://www.adf-serials.com/nz-serials/

Andy Marden wrote:
FB.52 Fighters
NZ5734 - Motat, Auckland (Stored)
>> This was at Ardmore Airport (noted Nov94-Nov99). Has it gone to Motat, or does my info update yours?
NZ5735 - RNZAF Museum (stored?)
>> I have never seen a physical report of this machine. Where exactly is it?

Motat has a hangar at Ardmore for storage (or at least used to). However it seems now that, like some of their former aircraft, rumour has it that it is now in the possession of Ross Jowett, at Ardmore. It has recently been for sale too on TradeMe but the seller calls themselves Alison, so who knows?

It failed to reach the reserve of NZ$175,000. it's stored in disassembled form. and will hopefully remain in NZ and get flying again if all goes well.

F3 ex RAF, used by RNZAF as instructional airframe
INST167 - Ferrymead
>> I thought they only had the one one Vampire at Ferrymead (NZ5758). I have seen reports that it is a composite, maybe parts of INST167 are involved.

I am not sure at all of what Ferrymead owns. I have never seen any Vampires there, but I've not seen their storage facilities. Again this info came from Ivan's site and he's usually very reliable. Apparently the fuselage was sold to Ferrymead from the RNZAF it seems, but where it is now I don't know. It may still be there.

T.11 Trainer
NZ5709 - Ken Jacobs and Don Subritzky
>> Wasn’t this ZK-TII at some point? Last I heard (Nov94) it was at Ardmore.

I didn't know this was on the register - did it fly as a civil aircraft or was that for a rebuild that's never been completed? Another aircrfat has the registration now. It's a TEAM 1300 Z Max microlight.

T.55 Trainer
NZ5702 - Ashburton Aviation Museum - cockpit only
>> This was with Phil Burns in Dunsandel. He moved to Blenheim and was planning to move it there in Oct03. Once again, I have no idea if your info updates mine.

NZ5703 - Phillip Burns, fuselage only (stored?)
>> see above

The aircraft is not listed on their website http://www.ashburton.co.nz/aviation/aircraft.htm

I know Mr Burns has in the past displayed some of his collection at various museums, but maybe he has withdrawn the cockpit and fuselage and taken them north?

NZ5705 – Motat
>> No knowledge of this being there. When was it seen?

Ivan's site states "Gifted to MOTAT 17 December 1962". It may be in storage at Motat2, or at Ardmore, or it may be one of the many exhibits they've been donated that have been dumped, stolen or simply disappeared over the years. Who knows?

Now for some additions:
NZ5732
>> This was noted stored at Ardmore (98-Nov99).

I note Phil Treweeks site lists this as owend by John Chambers and stored at North Shaw. Whether that's before or after your sighting I don't know, as Phil's site hasn't been updated in years.
http://www.kiwiaircraftimages.com/vampire.html

NZ5772
>> the former Ohakea gate guard, this was seen in a hangar undergoing restoration in Apr04.

Yes, also seen there in 2006 still being restored. See a photo on my thread page again - apparently it's being dummied up as a fibreglass replica before going back on the pole!

http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi? ... 1167051231

I can see there are still many more questions and some of the details are probably dodgy. If you unearth any more info, please let me know.
Cheers
Dave