{"id":70910,"date":"2025-02-06T05:57:26","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T05:57:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/aerospace\/raaf-completes-restoration-of-1950s-de-havilland-vampire\/"},"modified":"2025-02-06T05:57:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T05:57:26","slug":"raaf-completes-restoration-of-1950s-de-havilland-vampire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=70910","title":{"rendered":"RAAF completes restoration of 1950s de Havilland Vampire"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)\u2019s 23 Squadron has successfully restored a 1950s de Havilland Vampire aircraft.<\/p>\n

This is the first aircraft that the squadron has acquired after a 65-year break from flying. The restoration was accomplished along with the History and Heritage \u2013 Air Force Restoration Support Section (HH-AF RSS).<\/p>\n

The RAAF\u2019s 23 Squadron was formed in 1937, and operated a variety of aircraft types, from Hawker Demon biplanes at RAAF Base Laverton in Victoria and Second World War-era Wirraways in Papua New Guinea, to Vampire and Meteor jets at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland.<\/p>\n

The squadron ceased its flying operations in February 1960, and one of its Vampires (A79-440) was mounted as a gate guardian near the entrance at Amberley Base. However, more space was required when the base expanded, so the aircraft was taken down and sold.<\/p>\n

In 2020, the HH-AF re-acquired the aircraft and volunteers from the restoration support section worked to restore it as a static display.<\/p>\n

Warrant Officer Paul Wendt, of RSS said that it took his team of mostly volunteers about 18 months to restore the aircraft.\u00a0<\/p>\n