Refugee Vampire In Nz

[Ron Cuskelly]

During a recent visit to Wanaka I photographed these Vampire wings and booms at the National Transport & Toy Museum. I couldn't access the serials on the booms and I could find no trace of a fuselage pod. I suspect that the aircraft is XA167 which was part of the collection of the AAM at Bankstown.

(IMG:http://www.adastron.com/aviation/vault/Vampire-wings-001.jpg)
Bankstown 13OCT18

(IMG:http://www.adastron.com/aviation/vault/Vampire-wings-002.jpg)
Wanaka 01APR23

Can anyone please confirm the identity and was there ever a pod at Bankstown?

Regards
Ron

[Nicko]

Hi Ron.
I can confirm that the ID of this aircraft is XA167 - based on the fuselage pod.
I was an employee of HdH/Boeing Aerostructures Australia at Bankstown when the aircraft was removed from the pole in 2013 and dis-assembled, due to the closure of that facility. Attached is a photo when it was leaving B-Hangar, on its way to storage for the Bankstown Aviation Museum. It was stored in Steve Ferris's hangar for a time and then moved to the BAM hangar. And yes, when the collection was dispersed, it did go to NZ with other aircraft from that collection. A shame really.
Cheers.

[Nicko]

Ah, the photo now resized...


This post has been edited by Nicko on Apr 13 2023, 07:48 PM

Attached Image

[Nicko]

You can see some older info that I have on my website. You'll have to scroll down a bit...
http://vhjet.com/home/vampires-2/

[Ron Cuskelly]

Thanks Nicko

Do you know if the pod actually went to NZ?

Regards
Ron

[Nicko]

That's a good point Ron. That I cannot confirm. I did see some photos someone had posted on airliners.net some time back. I don't remember all of the images I saw. I'll see if I can find them.

[Ron Cuskelly]

Nicko
One of posters on the WONZ forum has confirmed that he has sighted the pod at Wanaka. I gather it was with the wings but has been moved since he sighted it.
Regards
Ron