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The De Havilland Sea Vixen was a 1950s two-seat jet fighter of the Fleet Air Arm (the air wing of the Royal Navy ). 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 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. 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 Missile s, 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). A notable visual aspect of the Sea Vixen is that the Pilot 's 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 into his space which had but a small window. 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 . 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. 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. 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'''. ]] 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. In January 1964 , trouble flared up in the East Africa n 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. Sea Vixens 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 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 Museum s, most are based in the UK though a handful are located abroad. FAA SQUADRONS SPECIFICATIONS (SEA VIXEN FAW.2) 1
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