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For Lowell Thompson : Reg Vampire IB-1686

Posted by Jagan on Tue Sep 02, 2003 01:14:04 AM

Hello Lowell,

I just saw your query today and since the message is into page two, I am posting my reply here. As you know its an ex Indian Air Force Vampire.

I had earlier sent the same text to someone from the museum, they had asked me about its correct designation and also if there is someone in HAL whom they can contact - i am just reproducing the text here.

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The confusion between Mk 9 and Mk 5 probably derives from a couple of Indian published accounts. Mr. Pushpindar Singh, in his 1973 'Aircraft of the Indian Air Force' mentioned the FB 52 as a 'refined Mk 9 with Airconditioned cockpit and earmarked for export'. However the same author,twenty years later in the book 'Battle Axes' reports it as Mk 5 designated for export and modified for fighter bomber role. Perhaps someone was referring to the earlier book.

Reg the actual date of manufacture - the date of the last HAL Built Vampire (has to be an FB52 or a CKD T55) is given as Dec 1960. IB1686's number places it in among one of the last manufactured models. So I tend to think that your aircraft was manufactured between 1958-60. The only single seaters manufactured after the IB-17XX series aircraft are the BB-4XX series.. of which i dont think there were more than 3-4.

probably the best source to contact reg the aircraft, would be Cdr M Nirmal, who is the Public Relations Officer and Media Manager of HAL. He sits in the HAL Corporate Office in Bangalore (Contact details can be taken from thier
website at www.hal-india.com ). If you are writing to him, please do mention about the aircraft's history, and its preserved status.

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