in the static display area at the Cosford Air Show

9 May 1945: TOS USAAF and put into storage with the 4100th Base Unit at Patterson Field, OH. 11/45: 4168th Base Unit, South Plains Field, TX. 6/47: 4141st Base Unit, Pyote Field, TX. 9/18/47: TOS USAF. By 2/51: Converted to DB-17G and flew to Kwajalein in the South Pacific for Operation Greenhouse nuclear testing. 1956: 3235th Drone Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL. Converted to a DB-17P drone director for testing various anti-aircraft missiles until the end of 1959. 8/60: WFU. 1961: Flown to Bunker Hill AFB (now Grissom AFB), IN, for display. 8/15: Trucked to the Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB.

9 May 1945: TOS USAAF and put into storage with the 4100th Base Unit at Patterson Field, OH. 11/45: 4168th Base Unit, South Plains Field, TX. 6/47: 4141st Base Unit, Pyote Field, TX. 9/18/47: TOS USAF. By 2/51: Converted to DB-17G and flew to Kwajalein in the South Pacific for Operation Greenhouse nuclear testing. 1956: 3235th Drone Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL. Converted to a DB-17P drone director for testing various anti-aircraft missiles until the end of 1959. 8/60: WFU. 1961: Flown to Bunker Hill AFB (now Grissom AFB), IN, for display. 8/15: Trucked to the Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB.

9 May 1945: TOS USAAF and put into storage with the 4100th Base Unit at Patterson Field, OH. 11/45: 4168th Base Unit, South Plains Field, TX. 6/47: 4141st Base Unit, Pyote Field, TX. 9/18/47: TOS USAF. By 2/51: Converted to DB-17G and flew to Kwajalein in the South Pacific for Operation Greenhouse nuclear testing. 1956: 3235th Drone Squadron, Patrick AFB, FL. Converted to a DB-17P drone director for testing various anti-aircraft missiles until the end of 1959. 8/60: WFU. 1961: Flown to Bunker Hill AFB (now Grissom AFB), IN, for display. 8/15: Trucked to the Museum of Aviation at Robins AFB.

With tailhook dangling, a pristine "Golf Oscar" in full QRA fit (albeit armed with dummy ASRAAMs and AMRAAMs), is caught on final for a RHAG engagement after an inflight emergency. The Weapon Systems Officer in the backseat is keen to see exactly how far they've got to go until they take the cable!

Now operated by 43 Squadron, this F3 still wears the markings of disbanded 11 Squadron. Note the strategic cleaning of the serial underneath the soot build-up caused by the reverse thrusters.

The GO code is listed as belonging to Staff College in Toronto. This Vampire also served with No 438 Sqn. It was sold as N6864D, and de-registered in 1970.

Former Fighting Cock, now a Trembler, and curiously has never been given a "Hotel" prefix tailcode in line with the other 111(F) Squadron aircraft.

In storage at Cosford

Early morning arrival at Fairford for the airshow. (Canon 40D 170mm)

The air defence Tornado was retired before I knew it, leaving me without good photos of this aircraft, so I was grateful that this one was put on display at the Cosford airshow as part of the RAF's centenary celebrations. However, how could they go through that trouble and then fail to remove the unsightly engine covers?