de Havilland Vampire. Part Two. Some African users

 

The de Havilland Vampire is a British jet fighter developed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by many users all around the world, among them, the following ones:

• Egypt: The Royal Egyptian Air Force (REAF) planned to acquire 66 Vampire FB.52 (the export variant of the FB.6 which were also manufactured in Italy by Macchi). The first machines arrived to Egypt in December 1950. Eventually they received 50 from de Havilland's production. Additional twelve NF.10 (the night fighter variant) were also ordered but it was cancelled due to the arms embargo, so the aircraft were acquired by the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was also planned to manufacture the Vampire locally under license at Helwan but, political disputes between Egypt and the United Kingdom over the presence of British troops in Egyptian soil led to the project being delayed and its eventual abandonment following the Egyptian revolution of 1952. Egypt turned to Italy instead and bought 58 Vampire FB.52 that had previously belonged to the Italian Air Force, using Syria as intermediary with deliveries expected between 1955 and 1956.
  By 1954 the Egyptian Air Force was already operating a force of 49 Vampires, acquired both from the United Kingdom and Italy, in the fighter-bomber role. In 1955 further 12 machines were ordered and were delivered in July that same year. 
  On 1st September 1955 as a response to an Israeli commando raid on an Egyptian fort at Khan Yunis, four Egyptian Vampires crossed into Israeli airspace but were intercepted by Israeli Gloster Meteor jet fighters and two Vampires were shot down. One year later, the Egyptian Vampires were being replaced by the much capable Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 and MiG-17 swept-wing fighters, so many Vampires were given to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. During the Suez Crisis Egyptian Vampires were used as ground attack aircraft against Israeli troops at Mitla Pass and four Vampires are recorded to have been lost in combat against Israeli aircraft. Many more were destroyed on ground by Anglo-French aerial raids.
• Katanga: The nimble Katangese Air Force bought two Vampire T.55 (the export trainer variant) from the Portuguese Air Force in September 1961. The machines were in such bad shape that couldn't fly again and, therefore, never received Katangese markings. They were destroyed in a strafing attack of an Indian English Electric Canberra B.(I).58 at Kolwezi airfield. 

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Vampire

2nd Hall Park Books - Warpaint 27 - De Havilland Vampire