The de Havilland Sea Vampire F.20 holds a landmark place in naval aviation history: on 3 December 1945, a modified Sea Vampire flown by Lieutenant Commander Eric 'Winkle' Brown made the first ever landing and take-off by a pure jet aircraft on an aircraft carrier, HMS Ocean, proving that jets could operate from ships. The production F.20 that followed became the Fleet Air Arm's first operational carrier-borne jet fighter, fitted with a strengthened, hooked undercarriage and folding wingtips adapted from the land-based Vampire F.1.
Dragon's 1/72 kit reproduces the Sea Vampire's compact twin-boom, pod-fuselage layout with crisp recessed panel lines, an accurately shaped arrester hook, and the folding wingtip detail that distinguished it from the RAF's land-based Vampires.
A decal sheet is included for authentic Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm markings, letting builders recreate this pioneering carrier jet in its historic dark sea grey/sky livery.
A must-have for modellers building a Fleet Air Arm collection or anyone interested in the dawn of carrier jet aviation.
