Montrose retirement beckons for Sea Vampire
One of the attractions at Leuchars Air Show was a Sea Vampire destined for Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre.
The de Havilland Sea Vampire.
- By Chris Hardy
- Published in the Courier : 13.09.10
- Published online : 13.09.10 @ 12.12pm
Several variants of the de Havilland Vampire served during the 1950s and 60s including the carrier-based Sea Vampire, an example of which was inherited by Montrose when the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune reorganised its exhibits.
It has become a temporary addition to the fleet at RAF Leuchars, which agreed to take care of it until a new home is constructed at Montrose.
When it was known that the Vampire would come from East Fortune in bits, Montrose and RAF Leuchars, which both have strong links to the air cadets, decided the rebuild would be a chance for youngsters to work alongside RAF engineers to learn some practical skills and a little about engineering.
The rebuild has been completed without manuals and relying on teamwork, ingenuity and old fashioned basic engineering.
It was great experience for the cadets and a chance for the engineers to compare 1960s technology with that of a Tornado F3.
The project has preserved a piece of Britain's aviation heritage while promoting the skills of the next generation of RAF engineers.
This Vampire will not fly again but will become a ground exhibit at its new home in Montrose.
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