picture 181742

De Havilland Vampire F.Mk 1 (serial number VF/314) was delivered to the RAF on 3 December 1946 and was struck off charge on 14 April 1950. This artwork shows it as serving with the RAF Tropical Evaluation Unit at Khartoum, in October 1947, where it underwent eight months of intensive flight trials to assess jet operations in the Middle East. The resulting A&AEE report, issued in March 1949, highlighted numerous problems, but the appearance of the aircraft meanwhile prompted Egypt into placing an order. Notable is the early style, almost rectangulartopped tail fin and rudder with a standard set of national markings, serials, and maintenance stencils. (Artwork by Peter Penev)