Vampire noseart!

[hairy]

I didn't think they did this sort of thing after the war.............



.....the unit marking just in front of the picture is for No.14 Sqdn.

[corsair67]

Hairy, where'd you pick that one up from?

What a great photo, especially so because of the look on the guys face. I wonder how long this nose art survived, and whether it was applied to a NZ based Vampire or a Cyprus based one?

[agalbraith]

Great photo

Thanks for sharing, and you sure do have quite a collection there on your link.

Thanks, I right clicked a couple for modelling purposes.

Thanks

Anthony

[Dave Homewood]

That's a jolly interesting photo. The chap looks like an Australian. I wonder why he'd be polishing an RNZAF Vampire (if it is indeed an RNZAF Vampire, and not an Aussie one that 14 Sqn have tagged with a sticker perhaps)

Have you any further info?

[Bruce]

I suspect the vampire is a cyprus based one. Possibly the digger soldier (not an airman) is visiting or something like that (must be a story behind it somewhere) The ground below the fuselage (where the engine fuel vent has made a puddle) looks a lot dustier and rougher than it would be at Ohakea. Unfortunately our Digger mate is standing in front of the intake which should show a leading edge extension if it were a Cyprus based FB-9. The other factor is that in the 1950s personalised markings were officially frowned upon (such as Ray Archibalds TAF Mustang) and Ohakea may have been a bit close to home to paint something like this... Speculation though, nothing certain

[Dave Homewood]

At long last I have some more information on this photo.

In the April 1987 edition of New Zealand Wings magazine there's a photo of this Vampire on page 25. The man seen in your photo is in the cockpit of Easy Goin' this time, without his hat. Too other erks are present, and the caption states "Easy Goin' wore a curvaceous woman in addition to the unit badge - LAC Len Batten at left."

The article is indeed about No. 14 Squadron based at Cyprus. It shows another aircraft's nose art featuring a Tanganika crest of a giraffe inside a wreath. This is behind the 14 Sqn crest and the name Neptune is and painted on the aircraft.

It also shows the CO's aircraft there, WH115, which had red rudders.

I'll scan these when i get a chance, it looks like a good article. It's called "Cyprus Safari"

[Dave Homewood]

Now that I've read all the text I can add that another Vampire in Cyprus was called "Moo-Loo", obviously a Waikato pilot. I wonder if he was from Cambridge?

Also all the photos in this spread were taken by Bill Rodger, an MT driver with the squadron. He may well have taken Hairy's shot too.

The Vampires were borrowed RAF Mk. 9's and early in the tour (1952-55) they were allowed nose art but later the RAF canned it and only the Sqn crest was allowed.

The nose art lasted till at least May 1953 as that one with the Giraffe and nickname Neptune gained its giraffe crest while in Tanganyika during Operation Long Trek Two where the Squadron did Coronation flying displays throughout Africa.

[Dave Homewood]

Here at last is the promised article:





Closer look

[Dave Homewood]

Hmm, these scans seem a lot smaller on my PC than they did on the PC I did it on. If anyone has trouble reading them, I guess right-click and save them, then open in Photoshop or Photo Editor, or some other similar program and blow them up a little.