Vampire spotted in ‘plane sight’ in Maidenhead ahead of Halloween

Residents in Maidenhead may be surprised to spot a Vampire in town this Halloween, although this one hasn’t flown in from Transylvania.

A historic de Havilland Vampire aircraft has been installed in the reception of Vanguard Self Storage’s new Maidenhead facility, ahead of the branch opening later this year.

The aircraft is the second Vampire to join Vanguard’s network, with another on display at its Bath facility. At Maidenhead, it takes pride of place in a triple-height reception area at the new branch, which will offer 40,000 sq ft of storage space across three floors.

The aircraft is the result of a seven-year restoration project by master restorer Dave Blissett, combining original components from several de Havilland Vampires with bespoke replacement parts and extensive repairs. Blissett was also part of the team that restored Vanguard’s English Electric Lightning XP745, displayed at its Bristol branch, working alongside specialists from RAF Coningsby.

At the heart of the Vampire is the fuselage pod from XK632, a two-seat Vampire T.11 trainer built in 1956. It served in a range of training and support roles before retiring in 1972.

Getting the aircraft into its new home was a challenge of its own. Too large to assemble on the ground in the reception area, the Vampire had to be rebuilt in position on the wall, with specialist rigging company Unusual Rigging securely suspending it above the floor.

The Maidenhead branch will be Vanguard’s tenth location in England, with 660 storage units, indoor loading bays, dedicated customer parking and enhanced security. The site will also feature a 143 kWp solar installation, supporting Vanguard’s aim to operate the building on a net-zero basis.

William McCullagh, Managing Director of Vanguard Self Storage, said: “It seems particularly fitting to have a Vampire arrive in Maidenhead just in time for Halloween!

“We would like to extend our thanks to Dave Blissett for the extraordinary skill, dedication and countless hours he has put into restoring this aircraft over the past seven years. We are also extremely grateful to the team at Unusual Rigging, who undertook the challenging task of installing it in our new reception area.

“It has been a remarkable team effort, and we are delighted to have brought another piece of British aviation history back to life for our customers and visitors to enjoy.”

To find out more about Vanguard Maidenhead, visit www.vanguardstorage.co.uk/location/maidenhead-self-storage.