VAMPIRE BOYS

Sub-titled 'True Tales from Operators of the RAF's First Single-Engined Jet' and written by an aviator who helps crew for the last airworthy ex-RAF Vampire in the world, the T.11 WZ507. Sliding out of the shadows of WWII, the de Havilland Vampire with the distinctive whine of its Goblin engine, quickly proved itself an effective alternative to piston-powered fighters. It entered service with the RAF in 1946 and held a number of notable records - the first fighter to exceed 500mph, the first to set a world altitude record of almost 60,000ft, the first to take off and land from an aircraft carrier, and the first jet to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Not bad for something built partly of wood. The book brings to life the trials and tribulations of operating a first-generation jet across the globe and their insightful anecdotes and exceptional experiences on every page. We follow squadrons across the dusty deserts of Iraq to exercises in West Germany, tales of aerial handling, incidents and accidents including the much-maligned spin characteristics, and squadron life. Together they paint a portrait of a pioneering time in aviation advancement right up to the T.11 still flying from Coventry Airport. With unique images throughout in both colour and sepia and mono. 208 large pages.