First flown in September 1943, the British De Havilland DH.100 Vampire was the second jet-engined aircraft of the Royal Air Force during WWII, although it did not see combat in that conflict. Originally named the “Spider Crab” because of its shape, it was the last example of composite wood and metal construction used in a high-performance military aircraft. It had straight wings and a single jet engine placed in an egg-shaped, aluminium-surfaced fuselage. To reduce losses caused by a long jetpipe, the designers used the distinctive tail with twin booms. They served with front- line RAF squadrons until 1955, and also with over thirty air forces worldwide.
The Vampire set many records: first RAF fighter to exceed 500 mph, first jet to cross the Atlantic, and first jet to land on an aircraft carrier. This is a Mk 6 version, built under licence in 1952 by F. W. Emmen in Switzerland. It was used by a private pilot in the UK in the 1990s, before being purchased and restored by the Rahmi M. Koç Museum in 2007. L: 9.5 m W: 11.5 m H: 2.10 m