Wez Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 My next project is Airfix's 1/48th Vampire F.3 made as an FB.9, I've not even started yet but already I've got a couple of questions. The cockpit is any colour you like as long as it's black but I would still like to find a good colour picture of the cockpit of an FB.5/9 or contemporaneous export version (e.g. FB.52), there are a few walkaround sites out there but most feature pictures of either T.11s (or their equivalents), or Swiss FB.6's (either as they were in Swiss service or later warbird restorations), the Swiss cockpits featured some detailed instrument changes the RAF aircraft never had. Secondly, the wingtip navigation lights, how many bulbs did they have? Was it one only on the aft face of the light housing, was it one on the inboard edge or was it two lamps - one on the aft and one on the inboard face of the light housing? Unfortunately, most walkarounds don't show this detail or it isn't clear enough. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 (edited) Hello, Wez Sorry, no idea about the bulbs in navigation lights. However, will these illustrations from Vampire FB.5 & FB.9 Pilot's notes (here ), found on Jever Steam Laundry website (here), do? Cheers! Jure P. S.: Sorry Wez, I did not notice you wanted colour photos: Edited November 24, 2021 by Jure Miljevic P. S. added 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 8 minutes ago, Jure Miljevic said: P. S.: Sorry Wez, I did not notice you wanted colour photos: Jure, Thanks for these, they're very useful anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Wez said: The cockpit is any colour you like as long as it's black but I would still like to find a good colour picture of the cockpit of an FB.5/9 3 hours ago, Wez said: Secondly, the wingtip navigation lights, how many bulbs did they have Hi Wez, The RNZAF never flew the FB.9 operationally in New Zealand, but RNZAF 14 Squadron did fly borrowed/leased RAF FB.9's whilst on detachment in Singapore On return from Singapore, 14 Squadron brought one of the FB.9's back with them to New Zealand. It became an instructional Airframe (INST171), then donated to MOTAT Here in Auckland Now as far as Cockpit photos go, I personally don't have any (one day), but a New Zealand Aviation Photographer Phillip Treweek has taken cockpit photos of WR202 above As these are not mine I have linked them from a page on Phillips site. WR202 Cockpit view looking forward and to port Cockpit view showing the coaming and the port side Cockpit view looking down - forward and to port. Cockpit view looking to port, showing the canopy and seat (with fittings). Cockpit view showing the Starboard side panels and controls Cockpit view showing the Starboard side panels and controls1 Cockpit view showing the forward Starboard side panels and controls Cockpit view looking aft, showing the canopy and seat. Cockpit view showing the coaming and windscreen This is a photo of an RNZAF FB.5 wingtip light - hopefully is of some help? (RNZAF Official - Air Force Museum of New Zealand - Used with Permissions) Regards Alan Edited November 24, 2021 by LDSModeller Replaced broken link 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 I almost became the owner of a Venom cockpit years ago, and what immediately struck me was just how 'busy' it is on the inside, those reference pics above reinforce this! Thanks for posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLC1966 Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 4 hours ago, LDSModeller said: This is a photo of an RNZAF FB.5 wingtip light - hopefully is of some help? (RNZAF Official - Air Force Museum of New Zealand - Used with Permissions) Regards Alan Is the guys wearing sandals while refuelling the jet....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Swindell Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 3 hours ago, PLC1966 said: Is the guys wearing sandals while refuelling the jet....? He is, but at least he's not committing the fashion crime of wearing socks with them! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 @Dave Swindell and @Jure Miljevic your help has been invaluable, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Swindell Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 11 minutes ago, Wez said: @Dave Swindell and @Jure Miljevic your help has been invaluable, thanks. Thanks for the complement, but I think you should be thanking @LDSModeller for his photos rather than me, all I did was provide a little light entertainment from an observation made about one of the photos 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 1 minute ago, Dave Swindell said: Thanks for the complement, but I think you should be thanking @LDSModeller for his photos rather than me, all I did was provide a little light entertainment from an observation made about one of the photos It's been a long day, what can I say? Alan, @LDSModeller apologies for getting you mixed up with @Dave Swindell, the links and photos you provided are very useful. I can see one navigation lamp facing outboard and the colour photos of the ergonomic slum cockpit are very helpful. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 2 hours ago, Dave Swindell said: He is, but at least he's not committing the fashion crime of wearing socks with them! At least not after Labor Day! Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B (Sc) Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Superb cockpit photos, thanks. (kibbitzing in on Wez, guess why!) An immensely silly question - was the fitting of an ejection seat unique to RNZAF and possibly RAAF single seat Vampires? The picture of the machine at HOTAT has an ejection seat warning stencil and possibly a head box visible through the canopy, but the detail cockpit photos show what looks to me to be a standard fixed seat. John B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 (edited) WR202 at MOTAT is actually an ex RAF jet, it doesn't have an ejection seat fitted, maybe the warning triangle was applied while it was instructional or in preservation. As far as I'm aware RNZAF Vampires didn't have ejection seats. Edited November 24, 2021 by 71chally Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted November 24, 2021 Author Share Posted November 24, 2021 1 hour ago, John B (Sc) said: Superb cockpit photos, thanks. (kibbitzing in on Wez, guess why!) An immensely silly question - was the fitting of an ejection seat unique to RNZAF and possibly RAAF single seat Vampires? The picture of the machine at HOTAT has an ejection seat warning stencil and possibly a head box visible through the canopy, but the detail cockpit photos show what looks to me to be a standard fixed seat. John B The Swiss Vampires certainly had ejector seats as did the French Mistrals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B (Sc) Posted November 24, 2021 Share Posted November 24, 2021 Thanks 71chally, and Wes. I knew the Mistrals had ejection seats - and of course it makes sense that the Swiss would also have ejection seats, given how long they used the Vampires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 8 hours ago, Wez said: Alan, @LDSModeller apologies for getting you mixed up Hi Wez - No Problems - I'm glad I'm not the only one who has days like that too Glad the Photos etc are of help 5 hours ago, 71chally said: it doesn't have an ejection seat fitted, maybe the warning triangle was applied while it was instructional or in preservation. As far as I'm aware RNZAF Vampires didn't have ejection seats. Not sure why the triangle is there, possibly someone slapped one on during its time as an instructional frame or when it ended its RNZAF service? Or someone applied it when it first arrived at MOTAT? The current MOTAT Volunteers are pretty good at authenticity though - so pass? The only RNZAF Vampires that had ejection seats were the T.55's and T.11's Regards Alan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jure Miljevic Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 Hello, I am glad it helped. I thought I had a colour photo of FB.5 Vampire cockpit in my pre-digital collection, but all I found is a cockpit photo of T.55 from Svedinos museum. Cheers Jure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted November 25, 2021 Share Posted November 25, 2021 On 11/24/2021 at 2:44 PM, PLC1966 said: Is the guys wearing sandals while refuelling the jet....? He is not even smoking... why would you complain? 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 @71chally that lovely photo you posted was the straw that pushed me back to eBay to get an Airfix Vamp headed my way! I mean, it was inevitable, so I'm not blaming you, but I hadn't quite pulled the trigger... Maybe I'll have a nice present waiting under the tree 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted November 26, 2021 Share Posted November 26, 2021 I have a few if they can be of use, however they are of an Australian aircraft, so not a proper FB.5 or 9... let me know if you may be interested anyway Speaking of ejection seats, late production Italian aircraft also had ejections seats 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted November 26, 2021 Author Share Posted November 26, 2021 9 hours ago, Giorgio N said: I have a few if they can be of use, however they are of an Australian aircraft, so not a proper FB.5 or 9... let me know if you may be interested anyway Speaking of ejection seats, late production Italian aircraft also had ejections seats Always interested in Vampiric countenance, this could be the kit that entices me to make an Aussie version with those bloody ugly extra intakes (the French solution was far more elegant)! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 On 11/24/2021 at 6:16 AM, Wez said: My next project is Airfix's 1/48th Vampire F.3 made as an FB.9, I've not even started yet but already I've got a couple of questions. The cockpit is any colour you like as long as it's black but I would still like to find a good colour picture of the cockpit of an FB.5/9 or contemporaneous export version (e.g. FB.52), there are a few walkaround sites out there but most feature pictures of either T.11s (or their equivalents), or Swiss FB.6's (either as they were in Swiss service or later warbird restorations), the Swiss cockpits featured some detailed instrument changes the RAF aircraft never had. Secondly, the wingtip navigation lights, how many bulbs did they have? Was it one only on the aft face of the light housing, was it one on the inboard edge or was it two lamps - one on the aft and one on the inboard face of the light housing? Unfortunately, most walkarounds don't show this detail or it isn't clear enough. Thanks in advance. Hi Wes, I'll post a photo of my Vampire FB.5 instrument panel here for reference. At least you can get an idea of the different colours on some of the gauges. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted December 1, 2021 Author Share Posted December 1, 2021 Just now, David A Collins said: Hi Wes, I'll post a photo of my Vampire FB.5 instrument panel here for reference. At least you can get an idea of the different colours on some of the gauges. Many thanks, that will be a great help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonners Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 The pics here https://www.sa-transport.co.za/aircraft/de_havilland/vampire.html might be useful, especially regarding the nav lights. Jon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeC Posted December 1, 2021 Share Posted December 1, 2021 (edited) On 11/24/2021 at 8:42 PM, John B (Sc) said: Superb cockpit photos, thanks. (kibbitzing in on Wez, guess why!) An immensely silly question - was the fitting of an ejection seat unique to RNZAF and possibly RAAF single seat Vampires? The picture of the machine at HOTAT has an ejection seat warning stencil and possibly a head box visible through the canopy, but the detail cockpit photos show what looks to me to be a standard fixed seat. John B The RAF single-seaters certainly never had them, neither did the NF10 or early NF11s. Just for completeness, Venom FB1s did not, neither did the NF2 or NF3. The FB4 and Sea Venom did. Others may know more. From what I remember (when I was a mere stripling of an Air Cadet, my squadron had a real FB5, VV217, in our back yard): as others have said, the cockpit was black. The seat was very similar to that fitted in a Spitfire, but I think that was black too, with a leather backpad and a Z-type harness in blue or black, I can't recall which. Edited December 1, 2021 by MikeC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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