EARLY DELIVERY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27572, 14 December 1950, Page 7

EARLY DELIVERY

Military Aircraft For New Zealand

From A. W. Mitchell, NZPA Special Correspondent LONDON, Dec. 12. A first consignment of four of the 18 de Havilland Vampire jet fighter aircraft with 'Goblin 111 engines ordered by the. New Zealand Government will be shipped to Auckland early in January. The first three of 10 Devon trainer aircraft will be flown from England to Ohakea in May. The Vampires will be packed and shipped by de Havilland’s to an RNZAF station, where they will be assembled. The first four are expected to arrive about the middle of February. The remaining 14 will be shipped at monthly intervals. Three Devons will be flown out to Ohakea in May, three in June, and four in July. They have been specially adapted for the RNZAF for use as signals and navigational trainers. They will be convertible for carrying passengers. The RNZAF becomes the fourteenth air force in 13 countries to adopt the de Havilland Vampire. Other air forces using the Vampire as their standard fighter are the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm, and those of Canada. Australia. South Africa, India. Norway. Sweden, France, Switzerland, Italy. Egypt and Venezuela. Australia is making Vampire airframes and Rolls Royce Nene engines under licence; Sweden is making Goblin and the larger Ghost turbo-jets under licence; Italy and France are making Vampire airframes but using de Havilland-made engines, and Italy is also manufacturing under licence the de Havilland Venom, a more powerful jet fighter. The Vampires for New Zealand are being built at Hatfield and Chester. The Devons are in service with the RAF in the United Kingdom and oversea stations, also in South Africa. India and Pakistan.