Volunteers are giving our de Havilland Vampire some TLC and preparing it for a bit of a different look. | Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

Was the de Havilland Vampire a dangerous aircraft to abandon by parachute? The de Havilland Vampire, while a pioneering jet fighter, presented significant challenges for pilots forced to abandon the aircraft by parachute. The Vampire's high speed and low altitude operations during the early days of jet aviation increased the risk of fatal injuries during abandonment. The unique twin-boom configuration, with the horizontal stabilizer mounted on the booms, posed a significant hazard. In the event