Jump to content

De Havilland Sea Venom

From Alfawiki
de Havilland
Company typeAircraft manufacturer
IndustryAerospace, defense
FoundedMarch 22, 1920; 106 years ago (1920-03-22) in London, United Kingdom
FounderGeoffrey de Havilland
FateMerged into Hawker Siddeley Aviation in 1960
SuccessorHawker Siddeley Aviation
Headquarters
Hatfield, Hertfordshire
,
United Kingdom
ProductsAircraft, jet fighters (including the Sea Venom)


Not to be confused with Sea Venom (missile).

Template:Lowercase Template:Infobox aircraft

The de Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom is a British jet fighter designed for aircraft carrier operations, developed as an evolution of the de Havilland Venom in the post-World War II era. It was operated by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm and also served with the Royal Australian Navy. The Aquilon was the French Navy's version, derived from the Sea Venom FAW.20 and produced under licence by SNCASE (Sud-Est).

Design and development

Derived from the Venom NF.2 two-seat night fighter, the Sea Venom was adapted for naval use as an all-weather interceptor within the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). To enable carrier deployment on Royal Navy vessels, several modifications were incorporated: wings capable of folding, a tailhook retracting into a distinctive lip above the jet exhaust, and reinforced, long-travel undercarriage suitable for deck landings. The cockpit canopy was redesigned to permit ejection even if submerged underwater. The prototype's maiden flight occurred in 1951, with carrier trials commencing that same year; two additional prototypes were constructed.[1] The first production model received the designation FAW.20 (Fighter, All-Weather) under British military naming conventions. It featured a single de Havilland Ghost 103 turbojet engine and retained armament similar to its RAF counterpart. Subsequent improvements led to the FAW.21 variant, which incorporated enhancements from the Venom NF.2A and NF.3 models, such as the Ghost 104 engine, a clear-view canopy design, and American radar equipment. The final iteration for the Royal Navy was the FAW.22, equipped with a Ghost 105 engine; production of this type totaled 39 units during 1957–58. Some FAW.22s were later upgraded to carry the de Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missile.

In 1958, seven FAW.21 aircraft were converted for Electronic countermeasures (ECM) roles by replacing their cannon armament with ECM systems; these were designated ECM.21. The only squadron operating this variant was 831 Naval Air Squadron, which was based ashore at RAF Watton between 1963 and its disbandment in 1966. Similarly modified FAW.22 models were classified as ECM.22.

A proposed modernisation known as the DH.116 featured swept wings and updated radar but was ultimately cancelled because the Royal Navy preferred a twin-engine design for any successor aircraft. The Sea Venom was eventually succeeded by the de Havilland Sea Vixen.

Royal Navy service

During the 1956 Suez War, Sea Venoms operated alongside RAF Venoms as part of the conflict. These aircraft were deployed from Nos. 809, 891, 892, 893, 894, and 895[2], which were stationed aboard the light fleet carrier HMS Albion and the fleet carrier HMS Eagle. The Anglo-French military operation, known as Operation Musketeer, commenced on 31 October 1956, marking the start of hostilities in the Suez War. Throughout the campaign, Sea Venoms undertook numerous missions, targeting various locations within Egypt.

The Sea Venom also participated in other Middle Eastern conflicts during its service.

By 1959, the Royal Navy began phasing out the Sea Venom in favor of the de Havilland Sea Vixen, which featured a similarly distinctive twin-boom tail design. The Sea Venom was soon retired from frontline duties but continued to serve with secondary FAA units until its complete withdrawal in 1970.

Service with other nations

File:RN-RAN Sea Venoms (P00444-037).jpg
Royal Navy Sea Venom aircraft being transferred to the Royal Australian Navy, circa 1955

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) operated thirty-nine Sea Venom FAW.53 aircraft, which replaced the earlier Hawker Sea Fury. Entering service in 1956, these aircraft flew from the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. Their frontline service concluded in 1967 when they were succeeded by the American-made McDonnell Douglas A-4G Skyhawk.

Between 1957 and 1961, French Navy Aquilons were engaged in counter-insurgency operations during the Algerian conflict.[3] These aircraft were retired from French service by 1965.

Sea Venom

DH.112 Sea Venom NF.20
This was the prototype model derived from the Venom NF.2,[4][5] with three units produced.
FAW.20
The initial production variant based on the Venom NF.2A, powered by a 4,850 lbf (21.6 kN) Ghost 103 turbojet engine and equipped with AI Mk 10 (US SCR 720) radar.[6] A total of 50 were built.[4]
FAW.21
An upgraded version comparable to the Venom NF.3, featuring a 4,950 lbf (22.1 kN) Ghost 104 engine, AI Mk 21 (US APS-57) radar, and reinforced long-stroke landing gear.[7][8] Production reached 167 units.
ECM.21
Six FAW.21s converted starting in 1957 for electronic countermeasures roles without armament.[9]
FAW.22
Equipped with a more powerful Ghost 105 engine delivering 5,300 lbf (23.6 kN), this variant offered enhanced high-altitude capabilities.[10] Thirty-nine new aircraft were produced.[8]
ECM.22
This electronic countermeasures version corresponded to the FAW.22 model.
FAW.53
The designation used by Australia for their Sea Venom FAW.21s; thirty-nine were manufactured.[6]

SNCASE Aquilon

File:DH.112 Aquilon 203 53 Lorient 30.05.73 edited-2.jpg
Aquilon 203 constructed in France, exhibited at Lorient South Brittany Airport in 1973

The French manufacturer SNCASE (Sud-Est) produced the Sea Venom FAW.20 under license from de Havilland, naming it the Aquilon for service with the French Navy.

  • Aquilon 20 – Four units assembled using de Havilland components alongside 25 built domestically.
  • Aquilon 201 – A trio of prototypes developed within France.
  • Aquilon 202 – Two-seat variant featuring ejection seats, an American AN/APQ-65 radar system, and air-conditioning; 25 examples manufactured.
  • Aquilon 203 – Single-seat model equipped with an American AN/APQ-94 radar and fitted with pylons for air-to-air missiles; one prototype converted from the Aquilon 202 plus a production run of 40 aircraft.
  • Aquilon 204 – Two-seat trainer without armament; six units converted from Aquilon 20 airframes.

Operators

File:De-Havilland Sea Venom WZ-931 right front.JPG
Sea Venom WZ931 displayed at the South Australian Aviation Museum in Port Adelaide

Sea Venom operators

Template:AUS
Template:UK

Aquilon operators

Template:FRA

Surviving aircraft

File:De Havilland Sea Venom FAW21 (5781125953).jpg
A Sea Venom exhibited at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in 2011
Australia
France
Malta
Poland
United Kingdom
  • WM571 - ECM.21 currently under restoration aiming for ground running condition at Classic British Jets Collection, Bruntingthorpe.

Specifications (Sea Venom FAW.22)

File:De Havilland Sea Venom FB20 3-view silhouette.jpg
Three-view illustration of Sea Venom FAW.20

Template:Aircraft specs

See also

Lua error in mw.title.lua at line 359: bad argument #2 to 'title.new' (unrecognized namespace name 'Portal'). Template:Aircontent

Notes

  1. ↑ Gunston 1981, p. 56.
  2. ↑ British Naval Aircraft Since 1912, Owen Thetford1962, Putnam & Co. Ltd., p.96
  3. ↑ Oliver, D. British Combat Aircraft in action since 1945 1987 p86 ISBN 071101678X
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Jackson 1987, p. 479.
  5. ↑ Sturtivant 1990, pp. 81–82.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sturtivant 1990, p.83
  7. ↑ Sturvant 1990, p. 86.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Mason Fighter p363
  9. ↑ Sturvant 1990, pp. 89–90.
  10. ↑ Sturvant 1990, p. 88.

Bibliography

File:Commons-logo.svg
Wikimedia Commons has media related to De Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom.Template:Preview warning
  • Green, William. The World's Fighting Planes. London: Macdonald, 1964.
  • Gunston, Bill. Fighters of the Fifties. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited, 1981. ISBN 0-85059-463-4.
  • Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Jackson, A. J. de Havilland Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam, Third edition, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-802-X.
  • Sturtivant, Ray. "De Havilland's Sea Venom...a Naval Twin Boomer". Air International, Vol 39. No 2, August 1990, pp. 81–90. ISSN 0306-5634.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Thetford, Owen. British Naval Aircraft 1912–58. London: Putnam Publishing, 1958.
  • Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  • Wilson, Stewart. Sea Fury, Firefly and Sea Venom in Australian Service. Weston Creek, ACT, Australia: Aerospace Publications, 1993. ISBN 1-875671-05-6.
  • Winchester, Jim, ed. "De Havilland Sea Vixen." Military Aircraft of the Cold War (The Aviation Factfile). Rochester, Kent, UK: The Grange plc., 2006. ISBN 1-84013-929-3.

Template:De Havilland aircraft Template:British military aircraft since World War II Template:Swedish military aircraft Template:SNCASE aircraft Lua error in Module:Authority_control at line 159: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=De_Havilland_Sea_Venom&oldid=77985"