The Blue Devils flew the deHavilland Vampires like this one.
The Blue Devils or the 410 (F) Squadron Aerobatic Team were a Canadian aerobatic team that flew the de Havilland Vampire jet aircraft from May 4, 1949 until August 1951. Initially started as a team of 4 by World War II flying ace Flight Lieutenant Don C. Laubman , the team gained official recognition from the Air Defence Group shortly after its first show at RCAF Station Rockcliffe on June 11, 1949. Thereafter, the Blue Devils expanded to six aircraft and went on to fly at airshows around Canada and the United States. Despite a training accident on July 25, 1949 in which Second Lieutenant Bob Kipp was killed near St. Hubert, the team went on to become the de facto official RCAF aerobatic team. The team was disbanded in 1951 as its members were posted to different squadrons and the Vampire was retired in favour of the F-86 Sabre.
External Link
Mike Doyle's History of the Blue Devils - includes photographs of the team
