RNZAF Vampire Survivors

[Dave Homewood]

I asked a similar question to this recently in another thread but got no response. How many RNZAF Vampires survive today?

I know of these - can anyone add to, alter or update this list?

FB.5 Fighters
NZ5751 - Ken Jacobs and Don Subritzky
NZ5753 - wings only at Ferrymead, Chch
NZ5757 - RNZAF Museum (displayed in Atrium)
NZ5758 - Ferrymead, Chch (under rebuilld)
NZ5765 - NZFPM Wanaka (loaned by RNZAF Museum)
NZ5767 - RNZAF Museum (cockpit on display)
NZ5769 - Ashburton Aviation Museum
NZ5770 - Southward Motor Museum, Paraparaumu
NZ5774 - a Canadian museum??
NZ5775 - Ferrymead, parts only from fire dump
NZ5776 - Museum of Flight, USA

FB.52 Fighters
NZ5734 - Motat, Auckland (Stored)
NZ5735 - RNZAF Museum (stored?)

FB.9 Fighters (ex-14 Sqn Singapore)
INST171 - Motat, Auckland (displayed)

F3 ex RAF, used by RNZAF as instructional airframe
INST167 - Ferrymead

T.11 Trainer
NZ5707 - Ashburton Aviation Museum
NZ5708 - Indonesian Air Force Museum
NZ5709 - Ken Jacobs and Don Subritzky
NZ5710 - RNZAF Museum
NZ5711 - W. Subritzky? (apparently swapped from RNZAF Musuem for remains of a Hawker Hind - isthis the Hind that returned to the Subritzky family?)

T.55 Trainer
NZ5701 - RNZAF Museum, wings and tailbooms only
NZ5702 - Ashburton Aviation Museum - cockpit only
NZ5703 - Phillip Burns, fuselage only (stored?)
NZ5704 - RNZAF Museum
NZ5705 - Motat


Which aircraft are currently owned by collectors Ross Jowett and John Smith? I'm sure they each have at least one.

It's a good survival rate really, and the Wigram museum must have a few tucked away. Which one is the one at Ohakea Museum?

[xr6turbo1]

I remember seeing one as a gate gaurdian at Ohakea, it it still there or in the museum?

[Dave Homewood]

That Vampire which used to be on a pole at Ohakea was NZ5772. I'm told it's no longer at the gate. Is it in the Ohakea Museum?

[Dave Homewood]

Here's another FB.5 survivor
NZ5732 - with Bill Billings (formerly with Dwen, then Asplins, then John Chambers)

[beagle]

Col Bill Billings, ex S&S Worker, has he got a Vampire.
Where, What state is it in, what are his intentions with it.

[Dave Homewood]

I don't know anything more than what I found on the adf.serials site's listing. It makes sense though, he's very keen on old planes. It was he who discovered the lost Oxford in the shed which is now being rebuilt with the Subritzky's. Good man.

[Dave Homewood]

I see that the FB52 NZ5734 that was listed as with Motat and in storage at Ardmore is the same aircraft that has been trying to sell on TradeMe. It is an ex-Jetobatics team aircraft. I understand it is now owned by Ross Jowitt. I really hope someone local buys it and gets it flying again.

www.trademe.co.nz/a.asp?id=80622781

[corsair67]

Well here is a photo of the Ohakea Base Vampire which I took at the 'airshow' there in April last year.





From what I recall, it is going to be mounted on a pole again, but with a fibreglass fuselage to replace the wooden structure which isn't so weather proof. I think that may be one of the moulds in the jig to the left of the Vampire in the picture?

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks Craig.

Well, to update the list a little then...

FB.5 Fighters
NZ5751 - Ken Jacobs and Don Subritzky, North Shore
NZ5753 - Wings only apparently at Ferrymead, Chch
NZ5755 - in store with Ted Packer in Christchurch.
NZ5757 - RNZAF Museum (displayed hanging in Atrium)
NZ5758 - Ferrymead, Chch (under rebuilld or displayed?)
NZ5765 - NZFPM Wanaka (loaned by RNZAF Museum)
NZ5767 - RNZAF Museum (cockpit only display? Ohakea?)
NZ5769 - Ashburton Aviation Museum, displayed
NZ5770 - Southward Motor Museum, Paraparaumu
NZ5772 - gate guardian at RNZAF Ohakea - under restoration
NZ5774 - owned by Bill Lamberton (USA/Canada) as of 1999
NZ5775 - Ferrymead, parts only from fire dump
NZ5776 - Museum of Flight restoration facility at Paine Field, Everett, Seattle, stored dissasembled

FB.52 Fighters
NZ5732 - in store by John Chambers at Ardmore or North Shore
NZ5734 - Ardmore, owned by Ross Jowitt (Stored, for sale)
NZ5735 - RNZAF Museum (stored)

FB.9 Fighters (ex-14 Sqn Singapore)
INST171 - Motat, Auckland (displayed)

F3 ex RAF, used by RNZAF as instructional airframe
INST167 - Ferrymead was sold this, is it still there?

T.11 Trainer
NZ5707 - owned by Phillip Burns, last known as loaned to Ashburton Aviation Museum
NZ5708 - Indonesian Air Force Museum (swapped for RNZAF Museum Mustang)
NZ5709 - owned by Ken Jacobs, last seen at Ardmore in 1994, maybe Noirth Shore now?
NZ5710 - RNZAF Museum, displayed Hangar 2
NZ5711 - RNZAF Museum, stored?

T.55 Trainer
NZ5701 - RNZAF Museum, wings and tailbooms only, ex-Blenheim playground
NZ5702 - Philip Burns - cockpit only
NZ5703 - Phillip Burns, fuselage only (stored?)
NZ5704 - RNZAF Museum, held in store
NZ5705 - Motat

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks to Andy Marden and others at the WIX forum, plus Phil Treweek's page on Kiwi Aircraft Images as well as Ivan Prince's adf.serials page for additional info above.

[mumbles]

corsair67 said:

From what I recall, it is going to be mounted on a pole again, but with a fibreglass fuselage to replace the wooden structure which isn't so weather proof. I think that may be one of the moulds in the jig to the left of the Vampire in the picture?

Yep, thats the plan. Theres a cockpit pod in the base museum as well, I'm not sure if that is the one mentioned as 'RNZAF museum' on the list or not.

[Dave Homewood]

I guess it's NZ5767 - RNZAF Museum (cockpit only display? Ohakea?)

[denysjones]

The Ferrymead Vampire project began with the aircraft from Gerald Rhodes and we already had the very pristine nacelle from the Wigram fire dump (long story about how that happened too).

People debated the identity of the fire dump nacelle so over to you as to what you id it as.

We used that nacelle to replace the damaged one in the aircraft and sent the wreck to Don Subtrisky.

We then mixed in a pile of stuff from the technicolour playground aircraft and sent it's remains to Ashburton.

We're expecting delivery any day now of a canopy from Mike Nicholls and would welcome any engine parts in the burner can dept.

[Deleted]

Zombie thread! Time for an update methinks.

Okay, how does this sound to everyone? Using Dave H's original list format and compiled from various sources including (but not limited to) WONZ, NZDF Serials, Aerial Visuals, Geoff Goodall's Warbirds Directory, museum contacts and Google:

FB.5
NZ5751 - Classic Flyers New Zealand, Tauranga (taxiable)
NZ5753? - Ferrymead Aeronautical Society, Christchurch (wings only, may be from NZ5754)
NZ5755 - Australia
NZ5757 - Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram (stored)
NZ5758 - Ferrymead Aeronautical Society, Christchurch (under rebuild, wings may be from NZ5753 or NZ5754)
NZ5761? – ex Blenheim playground. Main fuel tank with Ferrymead Aeronautical Society, Christchurch for NZ5758 project, remainder to Don Subritzky
NZ5765 - Croydon Aviation Heritage Trust, Mandeville (for display)
NZ5767 - Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram (pod only, displayed)
NZ5769 - Ashburton Aviation Museum (displayed)
NZ5770 - Southward Motor Museum, Paraparaumu (displayed)
NZ5772 - gate guardian at RNZAF Ohakea
NZ5774 - Musée de la Défense aérienne/Air Defense Museum, CFB Bagotville, La Baie QC, Canada (displayed?)
NZ5775 - Ferrymead Aeronautical Society, Christchurch (parts only from Wigram fire dump)
NZ5776 – Flying Heritage and Combat Armor Museum, Everett WA, USA (stored)

FB.52
NZ5732 - Don Subritzky, North Shore (pod, stored)
NZ5734 – Ross Jowitt, Ardmore? (stored)
NZ5735 - Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram (stored)

FB.9 (ex-14 Sqn Singapore)
INST171 - MOTAT, Auckland (displayed)

F1 (ex RAF, used by RNZAF as instructional airframe)
INST166 - pod and starboard boom with John Smith collection, Mapua, now?

F3 (ex RAF, used by RNZAF as instructional airframe)
INST167 - Ferrymead Aeronautical Society, Christchurch (pod)

T.11
NZ5708 - Central Museum of Indonesian Air Force "Dirgantara Mandala", Yogyakarta, Indonesia (displayed in TNI-AU markings, swapped for RNZAF Museum Mustang)
NZ5707 - owned by Phillip Burns(?) loaned to Ashburton Aviation Museum (displayed)
NZ5709 - owned by Ken Jacobs, Riverhead (stored)
NZ5710 - Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram (displayed Therese Angelo Wing)
NZ5711 - New Zealand Warbirds Association, Ardmore (for display)

T.11(ex-14 Sqn Singapore)
XH328 - previously under static restoration in UK with Bruce Gordon (Facebook page link), sold July 2022 to new owner

T.55
NZ5701 - Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram (wings, tailbooms and tail surfaces only stored)
NZ5702 - Ashburton Aviation Museum (pod displayed)
NZ5703 - Phillip Burns (pod, stored?)
NZ5704 - Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Wigram (pod only, displayed/interactive)

[l29]

5767 is also at classic flyers, now a semi complete airframe

[camtech]

Interesting as I'm currently reding "History of the de Havilland Vampire" by David Watkins (published 2017) and the list of survivors generally agrees with the above, apart form the recent relocations.
One interesting detail that appears in the production list is the mention that NZ5721 was originally intended for the Egyptian Air Force as 1534, but export stopped by British Government, due to situation in Middle East at the time.

[Venomnut]

Can anyone shed any light on this? I have NZ5758 (VZ838) with Dave Chambers in 2017 and yet it seems to be listed at Ferrymead. What identity is the Ferrymead Vampire?
Dave now has NZ5732 from Don also.

edit: If I'd read back a few posts I would've seen Denys explanation from 2007 regarding the Ferrymead identity.........

The Ferrymead Vampire project began with the aircraft from Gerald Rhodes and we already had the very pristine nacelle from the Wigram fire dump (long story about how that happened too).



People debated the identity of the fire dump nacelle so over to you as to what you id it as.



We used that nacelle to replace the damaged one in the aircraft and sent the wreck to Don Subtrisky.



We then mixed in a pile of stuff from the technicolour playground aircraft and sent it's remains to Ashburton.



We're expecting delivery any day now of a canopy from Mike Nicholls and would welcome any engine parts in the burner can dept.

Vampire VZ838 NZ5758(1) by Jason Mills, on Flickr


Vampire VZ838 NZ5758(2) by Jason Mills, on Flickr

[Deleted]

I've emailed the museum at CFB Bagotville as to NZ5774's current status and am also awaiting clarification on NZ5755's exact disposition.

Oct 11, 2022 9:56:24 GMT 12 l29 said:

5767 is also at classic flyers, now a semi complete airframe

Aha, thank you very much! Darren at the AFMNZ didn't have her on his list of Vampires in their care so I was drawing a blank.

Oct 11, 2022 20:00:21 GMT 12 camtech said:

Interesting as I'm currently reding "History of the de Havilland Vampire" by David Watkins (published 2017) and the list of survivors generally agrees with the above, apart form the recent relocations.

I have that out from the library but hadn't opened it...probably would've made my work easier!

Oct 11, 2022 20:23:03 GMT 12 Venomnut said:

Can anyone shed any light on this? I have NZ5758 (VZ838) with Dave Chambers in 2017 and yet it seems to be listed at Ferrymead. What identity is the Ferrymead Vampire?
Dave now has NZ5732 from Don also.

edit: If I'd read back a few posts I would've seen Denys explanation from 2007 regarding the Ferrymead identity.........
Vampire VZ838 NZ5758(1) by Jason Mills, on Flickr


Vampire VZ838 NZ5758(2) by Jason Mills, on Flickr

Thanks Jason. I also need to touch base with you as my census includes Venoms

[denysjones]

Let's see if we can use pictures and words to nail the saga of the a/c (plural and singular) that have been or are now at Ferrymead and the how they got there.

The starting point is that one Gerald Rhodes, father of Jason Rhodes now Wanaka Toy Museum which Gerald set up, was a habitual collector of "stuff" and he bought a Vampire ex the TTS at Woodbourne. Gerald then ran into cash liquidity difficulties, supposedly a divorce settlement, and so had a big disposal auction of some of his collected items.

Against the advice that they were given by members of various society bodies some of the trustees of the Ferrymead Trust attended the auction and among the items that they purchased was the Vampire. As a society we refused to be involved with it, as we were already up to our eyeballs in other things, and so a partial cover was constructed over the a/c in another part of the site. Here it sat thus:



It's identity was always been based on the markings on the booms. Colloquially we received comments that the provenance of the aircraft was that it had been assembled at the TTS from assorted remains "for the purposes of disposal". This appears to match with the questioning as to the identity of the wings being those of 5758 or not.



For a couple of years a father and son team, nothing to do with our society, tinkered away on it but eventually evaporated, as such are often given to do. After weathering the questions and comments of visitors as to what we were doing or why we were not doing more to the aircraft we told the Ferrymead Trust that it reflected badly on us and we would relieve them of the aircraft and us of the nuisance it was to us. So we collected it, disassembled it, and put it into storage.

The red 6 on the nose door presumably ties in as the last digit of it's INST196 identity



We next came into possession of the technicolour playground remains, the identity of which we can only ever attribute to the early list of aircraft from Wings September 1975. This photo is the only record I have of what we possessed of this. I do not recall us having the booms. By the time the photo was taken the fuel cell had been extracted and these were the items we offered to Ashburton. (Peter Mac if you read this...any input?)



My comments from 2007, above, as to where we distributed the surplus bits to stand.

Zac: I have no idea where mention of an F3 has come from :-)

As they say.....that's all folks!

[Deleted]

Great post Denys, thank you!

Oct 12, 2022 10:46:45 GMT 12 denysjones said:

Zac: I have no idea where mention of an F3 has come from :-)

I found that at NZDF Serials:

INST167 F.3 ? VT806 Previously VT806 with RAF.
BOC with RNZAF 01 December 1955 at No.4 TTS Woodbourne.
Fuselage sold to Ferrymead Museum.