Sea Vixen FAW.2
Landing on HMS Eagle
Description
Role	Naval all weather fighter-bomber
Crew	2 (pilot, radar operator)
First flight	June 1962
Entered service
Manufacturer	de Havilland
Dimensions
Length	55.58 ft	16.94 m
Wingspan	50 ft	15.24 m
Height	11 ft 6 in	m
Wing area	648 ft²	62.2 m²
Weights
Empty	lb	kg
Loaded	lb	kg
Maximum takeoff	37,000 lb	kg
Powerplant
Engines	2 x Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.208
Thrust	22,500 lbf	kN
Performance
Maximum speed	Mach (at 20,000 ft) 0.94
	577 mph kt	1,070 km/h
Combat range	686 nm (internal fuel only) miles	1,271 km km
Ferry range	miles	km
Service ceiling	48,000 ft	14,630 m
Rate of climb	9000 ft/min	m/min
Wing loading	lb/ft²	kg/m²
Thrust/weight	lbf/lb	N/kg
Avionics
Avionics
Armament
Payload	4 x AAM, 4 x 500 lb bombs

The correct title of this article is de Havilland Sea Vixen. The initial letter is capitalized due to technical restrictions.

The de Havilland Sea Vixen was a 1950s two-seat jet fighter of the Fleet Air Arm (the air wing of the Royal Navy). Image File history File links 13_Sea_Vixen_landing_on_Eagle_Mediterranean_Jan1970. ... HMS Eagle was one of the two largest-ever British aircraft carriers. ... The Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet was developed by Cyril Lovesey who had previously been in charge of Merlin development at Rolls-Royce. ... Until 1920, Geoffrey de Havillands de Havilland Aircraft Company had been known as Airco, where he was owner and chief designer. ... // Events and trends This map shows two essential global spheres during the Cold War in 1959. ... The Fleet Air Arm is the operational group of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ...

History

The aircraft was originally known as the DH.110; an aircraft designed for both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Fleet Air Arm as an all-weather missile- armed high speed jet fighter. The Admiralty had given a requirement for a Fleet defence fighter to eventually replace the de Havilland Sea Venom. However, the RAF chose the Gloster Javelin, a rival to the DH.110, after deciding the Javelin was a cheaper and simpler aeroplane. Despite this, de Havilland continued with the project, and by the late 1950s the Royal Navy had placed an order and the aircraft entered service with the Fleet Air Arm. The Royal Air Force (often abbreviated to RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Old Admiralty House, Whitehall, London, Thomas Ripley, architect, 1723-26, was not admired by his contemporaries and earned him some scathing couplets from Alexander Pope The Admiralty was historically the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. ... The de Havilland DH.112 Venom was a single-seat and two-seat jet fighter-bomber and night-fighter of the Royal Air Force , while a navalised variant, the DH.112 Sea Venom, saw service with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), the air-branch of the Royal Navy (RN), and... The Gloster Javelin was an interceptor aircraft that served with Britains Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s. ... // Events and trends This map shows two essential global spheres during the Cold War in 1959. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ...

The protoype took to the skies in 1951 but the following year tragedy struck. It had been performing aerobatic manoevres when it disintegrated at the Farnborough Air Show on 6 September, 1952, killing 31 people, including the aircraft's two crew, one of whom was test pilot and record breaker John Derry. Due to this incident, modifications were made to the other prototype. In 1955, a further DH.110 was produced, a semi-navalised variant (no foldable wings), as a prototype for the production version, with it making its first flight that same year. The following year, the aircraft made its first arrested deck landing on the fleet aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. In 1957, the first true Sea Vixen, the Sea Vixen FAW.20 (fighter all-weather), flew. It was later redesignated the FAW.1. In 1958, the first of over a hundred FAW.1's entered service with the Fleet Air Arm. 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... An Airbus A340 at Farnborough The Red Arrows in formation at Farnborough The Farnborough International Exhibition and Flying Display is an international trade fair for the aerospace business. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The HMS Ark Royal (R09) began construction in 1943 during World War II. She replaced the previous Ark Royal which was lost to enemy action on November 14, 1941. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Design

The Sea Vixen had a twin-boom tail, as used on the de Havilland Sea Vampire and de Havilland Sea Venom, the latter for which the Sea Vixen was the replacement. The Sea Vixen became the first swept-wing aircraft and the first British aircraft to be solely armed with missiles, rockets and bombs. The FAW.1 was armed with four Fairey Firestreak air-to-air missiles, two Microcell unguided 2 inch (51 mm) rocket packs and had a capacity for four 500 lb (230 kg) bombs. It was powered by two 50.0 kN (11,230 lbf) thrust Rolls-Royce Avon 208 turbojet engines; had a speed of 690 mph (1110 km/h) and a range of 600 miles (1000 km). Twin-boom aircraft have their tailplanes and vertical stabilizers mounted on the tail of either two fuselages or on two booms fixed to either both sides of the single fuselage, the wings or the engine nacelles. ... A Royal Canadian Air Force deHavilland Vampire The de Havilland Vampire, or DH.100, was the second jet engined aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force during WW II, although it never saw combat. ... The de Havilland DH.112 Venom was a single-seat and two-seat jet fighter-bomber and night-fighter of the Royal Air Force , while a navalised variant, the DH.112 Sea Venom, saw service with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), the air-branch of the Royal Navy (RN), and... Firestreak Type air-to-air Nationality UK Era Cold War Launch platform fixed wing aircraft Target aircraft History Builder Fairey Date of design ? Production period ? Service duration 1958 - 1988 Operators UK Variants ? Number built ? Specifications Type infra-red homing missile Diameter 0. ... A US Navy VF-103 Jolly Rogers F-14 Tomcat fighter launchers an AIM-54 Phoenix long-range air-to-air missile. ... The Rolls-Royce Avon turbojet was developed by Cyril Lovesey who had previously been in charge of Merlin development at Rolls-Royce. ... Turbojets are the simplest and oldest kind of general purpose jet engine. ...

A notable visual aspect of the Sea Vixen is that the Pilots canopy is offset to the left hand side. The other crew member (the navigator) was housed to the right completely within the fuselage, gaining access through a flush-fitting top hatch with a small window. Aviators are people who fly aircraft either for pleasure or for a job. ... In an aircraft, the fuselage is the main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. ...

The FAW.2 was the successor to the FAW.1 and included many improvements. As well as Firestreak it could carry the Red Top AAM, four SNEB rocket pods and the air-to-ground Bullpup missile. An enlarged tail boom allowed for additional fuel tanks and there was an improved escape system and additional room for more electronic counter-measures equipment.

The FAW.2 first flew in 1962 and entered service with front-line squadrons in 1964, with twenty-nine being built and a further sixty-seven FAW.1s being upgraded to FAW.2 standard. The FAW.1 began phasing out in 1966. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1962: Events January US Army CH-21 Shawnees are dispatched to Vietnam, the first US military aircraft to be deployed there January 10-11 - a B-52 Stratofortress is flown from Okinawa to Madrid, establishing a new distance record of 12... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1964: // Events February February 7 - The Canadian Golden Hawks aerobatic team is disbanded. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1966: Events Puerto Rican International Airlines begin services. ...

de Havilland Sea Vixen, in Red Bull livery, at an airshow in the UK (2004)

Visually the FAW.1 and FAW.2 may be distinguished by the tail booms which extend forward over the leading edge of the wing on the FAW.2. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1800x1209, 313 KB) de Havilland dH-110 Sea Vixen D3, formerly of the Royal Navy as XP924, now on the UK Civil Register as G-CVIX. With wings folded, at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1800x1209, 313 KB) de Havilland dH-110 Sea Vixen D3, formerly of the Royal Navy as XP924, now on the UK Civil Register as G-CVIX. With wings folded, at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England. ... A Laughing Gull on the beach in Atlantic City. ...

In 1972, the career of the FAW.2 came to an end. It was planned to replace the Sea Vixen with the McDonnell Douglas Phantom, with both Ark Royal and Eagle refitted to take the new aircraft. In the event, due to defence cuts, on the decommissioning of HMS Eagle, only Ark Royal was converted to take the new aircraft. This is a list of aviation-related events from 1972: Events January January 5 - US President Richard Nixon announces $US 5. ... The F-4 Phantom II (simply F-4 Phantom after 1990) is a two-place (tandem), supersonic, long-range, all-weather fighter-bomber built by McDonnell Douglas Corporation. ... HMS Eagle was one of the two largest-ever British aircraft carriers. ...

A small number of Sea Vixen subsequently saw service in the less glamorous roles of drone, being redesignated D.3, though they were never used in the role and only a few were actually converted to the D.3 standard. Other Sea Vixens became target tugs and were redesignated as TT.2.

de Havilland Sea Vixen at an airshow (2004)

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1464x1080, 139 KB) de Havilland dH-110 Sea Vixen D3, formerly of the Royal Navy as XP924, now on the UK Civil Register as G-CVIX, at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1464x1080, 139 KB) de Havilland dH-110 Sea Vixen D3, formerly of the Royal Navy as XP924, now on the UK Civil Register as G-CVIX, at Kemble Airfield, Gloucestershire, England. ...

Operational History

The Sea Vixen was not in any true wars during her career with the Fleet Air Arm though it took part in many operations. In 1961, President Abdul Karin Kassem of Iraq threatened to annex the neighbouring oil-rich state of Kuwait, which he believed belonged to the Iraqi nation. Kuwait soon appealed for external help. The United Kingdom, in response to these appeals, dispatched a number of ships, including two fleet carriers to the region. Sea Vixen's aboard the fleet carriers flew numerous, and frequent, patrols in the region. Kassem's aggressive actions soon wilted in the face of such overwhelming naval might, thus averting a Gulf War over Kuwait. 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

In January 1964, trouble flared up in the East African state of Tanganyika after the 1st and 2nd Tanganyika Rifles mutinied against the British officers and NCOs who, despite Tanganyika being independent, still commanded the regiment. The mutineers also seized the British High Commissioner and the airport at the capital Dar-es-Salaam. The UK responded by sending the light fleet carrier HMS Centaur, accompanied by 45 Commando, Royal Marines. The Sea Vixens, flying off Centaur, performed a number of duties including the providing of cover for the Royal Marines who were landed in Tanganyika by helicopters. The operation to restore Tanganyika to stability ended in success. That same year, Sea Vixens saw service once again in the Persian Gulf. This time supporting British forces fighting against rebellious tribesmen in the Radfan, including launching air-strikes against the rebel tribesmen. For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... East Africa is a region generally considered to include: Djibouti Eritrea Ethiopia Kenya Somalia Tanzania Uganda Burundi, Rwanda, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, and Sudan are sometimes considered a part of East Africa. ... Flag of Tanganyika Tanganyika was an East African republic within the British Commonwealth, named after Lake Tanganyika, which formed its western border. ... A High Commissioner is a person serving in a special executive capacity. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... HMS Centaur (R06) was a Centaur-class light fleet carrier of the Royal Navy. ... The Corps of Royal Marines, usually just known as the Royal Marines (RM) or sometimes colloquially as the Green Berets[1], is the United Kingdoms amphibious force and a core component of the countrys Rapid Deployment Force. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ...

Sea Vixen's saw further service during the rest of the 1960s. They performed vital duties during deployment on Beira Patrol, a Royal Navy operation designed to prevent oil reaching landlocked Rhodesia via the then Portuguese colony of Mozambique. The Sea Vixen also saw service in the Far East. In 1967, once again in the Persian Gulf, Sea Vixens helped cover the withdrawal from Aden. There were a number of Royal Navy warships involved, including the carriers HMS Albion and Eagle (carrying the Sea Vixens) and the LPD (Landing Platform Dock) Fearless. The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... The Beira Patrol was a blockade of oil shipments to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) through Beira, Mozambique, resulting from United Nations trade sanctions after Rhodesia declared its independence. ... National motto: Sit Nomine Digna (Latin: May she be worthy of the name} Official language English Capital Salisbury Political system Parliamentary system Form of government Republic - Last President John Wrathall - Prime Minister Ian Smith Area  - Total  - % water 390 580 km² 1% Population  - 1978 est. ... Far East is an inexact term often used for East Asia and Southeast Asia combined, sometimes including also the easternmost territories of Russia, i. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The oil refinery and Tanker port of Little Aden were operated by British Petroleum (now Beyond Petroleum) It was the capital of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen until that countrys unification with the Yemen Arab Republic when it was declared a free trade zone. ... The eighth HMS Albion (R07) was a 22,000 ton Centaur-class light fleet carrier of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Eagle was one of the two largest-ever British aircraft carriers. ... HMS Fearless (L10) was a landing platform dock of the Royal Navy. ...

The Sea Vixen also took to the skies in the aerobatic role, performing in two display teams; the Simons Sircus (spelt with S) and Fred's Five. A single Sea Vixen (G-CVIX) continues to fly under Red Bull livery as of 2004, putting on displays at numerous air shows. This aircraft is operated by de Havilland Aviation Ltd and can be viewed as a flying exhibit at Bournemouth Aviation Museum at Bournemouth Airport in Southern England. Many other Sea Vixens remain in good condition though do not fly, and are located in a variety of museums, most are based in the UK though a handful are located abroad. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A museum is typically a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and of its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits, for purposes of study, education enjoyment, the tangible and intangible evidence of people and their environment. ...

FAA Squadrons

• No. 700 NAS
• No. 766 NAS
• No. 890 NAS
• No. 892 NAS
• No. 893 NAS
• No. 899 NAS

Image File history File links 07_SeaVixen_launchingFromHMS_Eagle_Jan1970. ...

See also

• De Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre, the de Havilland museum in hertfordshire, which includes a DH110 among its exhibits.

A de Havilland DH.104 Dove at the museum The de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre, formerly the Mosquito Aircraft Museum, is a volunteer run aviation museum in the English county of Hertfordshire, just north of Greater London. ...

External links

• Account of the 1952 Farnborough Air Show crash (with pictures)
• Various eyewitness accounts of Farnborough crash (BBC)
• De Havilland Aviation Ltd - operates a small number of airworthy de Havilland jet aircraft