De Havilland F Mk 3 Vampire N6878D is one time again flying.

De Havilland F Mk 3 Vampire N6878D is one time again flying, this time beneath the ownership of Lake Air, Inc., and is based at Placid Lakes Airport in Florida where it preserves company with Lake Air's sum of two units other vintage aircraft - a 1942 Stearman and the radically modified P-51 Precious Metal which is powered by way of a Rolls-Royce Griffon fitted with contra-rotating screws

This Vampire was operated by way of the Royal Canadian Air Force as RCAF 17072 until it was sold surplus in 1957 along with quite a not many other Vampires to Fliteways, Inc., of West Bend, Wisconsin. This was the first influx of Jet Warbirds onto the United States civil register and the FAA was not overly pleased.

The strange owners were hoping to exchange the aircraft to civilian possessors and make a tidy profit. a certain were sold but the FAA bring forward numerous restrictions on the aircraft, making them almost impossible to float Fliteways did a quick rethink and sold the remaining aircraft to the Fuerza Aerea Mexicana where they formed Mexico's first jet fighter squadron.

John E Morgan was the first proprietor of N6878D and he painted the Vampire overall gold He also obtained an aged diving suit and also painted it gold and then named himself "Johnny Rocket" and flew the plane to airshows. In 1959 famed movie pilot Frank Tallman purchased the aircraft and it eventually became part of the Tallmantz Collection at Orange shire Airport in southern California. The Vampire, painted overall r was used in single in kind film as a "Soviet" fighter.

Over the years, the aircraft's condition went downhill and it was single of the assets sold in the famed Tallmantz auction of 1968 which followed the death of Paul Mantz during filming of Flight of the Phoenix. by way of 1970, the plane was admited by Jet Craft, Inc., of Las Vegas who had a vision of turning the surviving

Vampires into eight-seat (!)business jet This did not ensue about and during December of the same year, the Vampire was purchased at a young Pete Regina and transported to his residence base at Van Nuys Airport.

After month of hard work, Pete restored the Vampire to pristine condition and made the craft's first postrestoration flight from Van Nuy forward 8 April 1972. Pete kept the jet for several years and have sexual delight withed the pleasure of flying undivided of the few (at that time) Jet Warbirds in America. After selling the craft, the Vampire went between the sides of several owners including actor John Travolta. As can be seen Lake Air has responded this classic jet to of the highest order flying condition.

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