DE HAVILLAND VENOM

The Venom was proposed by the Havilland as a Vampire successor and was initially designated Vampire FB.8 the aircraft had to be substantially altered to accommodate the new more powerful Ghost engine and so the aircraft was given its own identity “The Venom”. The first production version, the FB.1 was delivered to the RAF in December 1951, followed by the improved ejection seat equipped FB.4 version. The Venom ultimately equipped 19 squadrons of the RAF serving in Germany, India and the Far East. The Germany based Venoms were a vital element of the Cold War defences at the time.

Licence-built versions were produced as FB50s in Switzerland, were some remained in service until the early 1980s.

Two seat radar equipped all weather night fighter versions were also produced and the Venom NF.2 entered RAF service in 1953. Emergency escape from the versions was virtually impossible as there were no ejection seats for the two crews and the heavy hinged canopy had to be lifted manually. The NF.3 had American radar and perhaps more importantly for Venom nigh fighter crews a quick release canopy.

The de Havilland Sea Venom FAW Mk 20 gave the RAF an interim radar equipped all weather fighter force between the piston engine Sea Horne and the appearance of the advance Sea Vixen. Later improvements led to the FAW Mk 21 and 22. The Sea Venom was also operated by the Australian Navy and the France SNCASE built a redesigned Sea Venom, including a single seat version for the France Navy who called it the Aquilon.

Royal Navy Sea Venoms in concert with RAF Venom fighter bombers saw action during the Suez crisis in 1956.

         de Havilland Venom FB.4

First flight: September 2 1949 (Venom prototype).

Power: de Havilland 5300lb thrust Ghost 105 turbojet.

Armament: Four 0,78in canon, provision for two fires streak air to missiles or 2000lb of bombs or eight 60lb rocket projectiles.

Size: Wingspan 41ft 8in.

           Length - 33ft.

           Height - 6ft 8in

           Wing area - 279,75sq ft

Weights: Empty - 8800lb

                   Maximum take off - 15310lb.

Performance: Maximum speed - 597mph.

                             Ceiling - 48000ft.               

                             Range – 1075 miles.

                             Climb – 7230ft per minute.