Vampire BR.1  

 by Bud Sliger

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Silly Week 2006

 

After the final retirement of the Vulcan and the early model Harris stand-off attack bombers, some of the Generals in the high command realized that the Harris B.3's are near the end of their useful life (and that the Tornado GR.1 would not be a suitable for any kind of strategic attack role), and a successor would be needed. After getting approval from White Hall, the new bomber project was put on hold until 1993 due to the post-Gulf war re-organization of the RAF. Now under financial threat from the newly elected Labour government, the project was given to the RAF's Experimental Aircraft and Weapons Test Center (EAWTC {pronounced ' eew-tic'}) for evaluation. After looking at 4 designs, the B-2 (now known as the Vampire) was declared the winner.  

 

The  Vampire looks from the outside like a normal B-2, but the use of RAM is limited to only the crucial area's on the aircraft and 4 inward-canted fins where installed for more stability (and because the MoD didn't totally trust the computer-based control system). The single linear bomb bay can carry up to 30,000 pounds of weapons. The 'Dracula' recce system can also be fitted in the Bombay .

 

Click on images below to see larger images

The Vampire went into service in mid-1997, equipping No.007 sqn COU and No. 154 sqn based at RAF Edenberg, and the 2 prototypes stayed with EAWTC. In all 26 aircraft were delivered out of an initial order of 40. The first use of the Vampire came in 1998 when 4 aircraft from No.007 sqn. took off to particpate in Operation Desert Fox. Then 4 months later both No.007 and No.154 sqns. flew missions into Serbia and covert strikes into East Timor and Afghanistan (Operation Enron), before taking part in Operation Telic, the RAF contribution to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Aircraft from No.154 sqn. that participated in both Enron and Telic sported Grey Haven camo (gray and blue/gray over the standard gray top.), that was reminiscent of the US Have Blue scheme

Bud

Photos and text © by Bud Sliger