DeHavilland DH-100 Vampire

First flying on September 20th 1943, the de Havilland D.H. 100 Vampire was designed   a very short time after the Mosquito began flying in 1941. Like the Mossie, the Vampire used a balsa cored plywood construction for the main fuselage nacelle. The wing was of all metal construction. The engine exhaust was short to reduce the power loss from the newly developed turbojet, necessitating the twin boom type of tail assembly.

The first production Vampire made it's maiden flight on April 20, 1945. Joining the RAF squadrons in 1946, the "Vamp" was first flown with RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) squadrons  on January 17, 1948. The 86 jet fighters  quickly became favorites with Canadian pilots. The Vampire's life with the RCAF ended in 1958.