Oldest flying jet destroyed

[dhermann1]

What is believed to be the oldest jet still flying, a 1947 DeHavilland Vampire, was destroyed during a crash landing in upstate New York. Luckily the pilot survived.

http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/700838.html

More on the Vampire:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Vampire

http://www.warbirdalley.com/vampire.htm

 

[Chasseur]

Thats a shame. They are a neat old aircarft, the French used them during the Algerian War.

 

[DutchIndo]

I remember as a kid my dad pointing 2 or 3 out to me at an airport. They were non flyable though. I don't know if it was at Long Beach Airport or Chino.

 

[dhermann1]

The attached articles say there are about 80 "flyable" ones still in existence, but very few actually flying. It's amazing he was astute enough to turn around in time to at least save his own life. It also seems as if there are a lot of parts that could be salvaged, at least.

 

[barra063]

What a shame. On your Wikipedia link there is a pic of A79-612. I used to dive past this every day. Bit of a sad end though, stuck on a stick. About 40km north of this one there is the Temora Aviation museum which has an an airworthy Vampire.

http://www.aviationmuseum.com.au/aircraft/Vampire.cfm

 

[Fletch]

At least the pilot made it thru. Crashing a plane this old is too often a death sentence.

 

[H.Johnson]

I was at an airshow yesterday where a 1949 - built F-86 Sabre* was advertised as 'now the oldest flying jet' (presumably after the Vampire crash). People around me doubted that, but I'm no expert.

* It will soon be moving to California, by the way.

 

[Fletch]

Aren't there a lot of F-80s still flying? Maybe post-1949 variants or trainers, tho...

 

[Smithy]

I was at an airshow yesterday where a 1949 - built F-86 Sabre* was advertised as 'now the oldest flying jet' (presumably after the Vampire crash). People around me doubted that, but I'm no expert.

* It will soon be moving to California, by the way.

The Meteor F8 which flies out of Temora must be one of the oldest now as well.

I always loved the Vampire displays which are a staple at NZ airshows. Fantastic little aircraft.

 

[Spitfire]

I saw a Vampire at Duxford Flying Legends some years ago. And even at a danish airshow after that.
Nice plane - and good action by the pilot.:eusa_clap

 

[BegintheBeguine]

It happened a mile from my house. What a shock. Thank goodness the pilot was okeh, though.

 

[Jedburgh OSS]

The late, great stunt pilot Frank Tallman owned the Mk 3 version of one of these. He was once using it in a movie about a Russian pilot that harrassed a passenger jet, then eventually shot it down over Kamchatka. During filming his Vampire was painted in Soviet colors while shooting scenes over the Pacific off the California coast. When the day's work ended he headed home to the Orange County airport. Suddenly a couple of military jets, possibly F4 Phantoms, were on either side of him, and then his radio went out. It didn't help having a flight helmet with a red star on it, either. After several awkward minutes his radio started working again, and he was able to explain what was going on. Nonetheless, the fighters escorted him all the way back to Orange County. This particular plane of his was auctioned off in 1968 for $1,100 along with most of the others in the Tallmantz collection to settle a lawsuit.