Here's another of the early jets - an upgraded Vampire.
With the Cold War entering its formative phase, there was a need for a new fighter-bomber that was faster and more agile, and therefore harder to destroy, than the deHavilland Vampire then in service. The deHavilland DH 112 Venom fighter-bomber was the solution. It was first flown on 9/2/49, and entered service three years later in 8/52 as the Venom FB.Mk I with No. 11 Squadron. Venoms also equipped the Middle East Air Force with No. 6 Squadron receiving Venoms in replacement for their Vampires in 2/54.
Designed to take advantage of the new powerful deHavilland Ghost 103 turbojet engine, the Venom was faster and more maneuverable than its predecessor, the DH 100 Vampire. While the Venom and Vampire looked very similar, the Venom had a thinner wing with a straight trailing edge and provision for jettisonable wingtip fuel tanks. During production, the Venom was further upgraded with an even more powerful Ghost 105 turbojet engine.
The Venom equipped 19 squadrons of the Royal Air Force, serving in Germany, India and the Far East. It was also used to equip No. 14 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Switzerland became the most prolific user of the Venom. Securing a license to manufacture the Venom, the Swiss retooled their Vampire production lines and built 150 Venoms in 1953. A further 100 Venoms were completed by 1957. Switzerland used the Venom until the mid-1980s, when it was replaced by the F-5. The Swiss Venoms operated from airfields high in the Alps, where their agility was invaluable in ensuring safe flights into and out of mountain valleys. deHavilland also produced a two-seat night fighter version of the Venom (NF.Mk 2) to replace the night fighting NF.Mk 10 Vampire. This night-fighting Venom served with the RAF from 1953 until 1957, and was also used by Iraq, Venezuela and Sweden. Venoms were finally retired from the R.A.F. in 7/62, the last unit still operating Venoms being No. 28 squadron at Khormaksar with the F.E.A.F.
Another major variant of the Venom was the FW.Mk 20 and FW.Mk 21 Sea Venom. This was a navalized, all-weather version of the Venom produced for Britains Fleet Air Arm. The Sea Venom also served with the Royal Australian Navy. It had a strengthened undercarriage, an arrester hook for landing on aircraft carriers, and folding wings. The Fleet Air Arm ordered 217 Sea Venoms. A French license-built version was called the Aquilon ("Sea Eagle").
Specifications (FB.Mk 4):
Engine: One 5,150-pound thrust D.H. Ghost 105 turbojet engine
Maximum Speed: 587 mph
Ceiling: 40,000 ft.
Range: 1,075 miles
Armament: Four 20-mm cannon, two Firestreak air-to-air missiles, or two 1,000-pound bombs, or eight rockets
Number Built: ~835
Sources:
Warbird Alley site
With the Cold War entering its formative phase, there was a need for a new fighter-bomber that was faster and more agile, and therefore harder to destroy, than the deHavilland Vampire then in service. The deHavilland DH 112 Venom fighter-bomber was the solution. It was first flown on 9/2/49, and entered service three years later in 8/52 as the Venom FB.Mk I with No. 11 Squadron. Venoms also equipped the Middle East Air Force with No. 6 Squadron receiving Venoms in replacement for their Vampires in 2/54.
Designed to take advantage of the new powerful deHavilland Ghost 103 turbojet engine, the Venom was faster and more maneuverable than its predecessor, the DH 100 Vampire. While the Venom and Vampire looked very similar, the Venom had a thinner wing with a straight trailing edge and provision for jettisonable wingtip fuel tanks. During production, the Venom was further upgraded with an even more powerful Ghost 105 turbojet engine.
The Venom equipped 19 squadrons of the Royal Air Force, serving in Germany, India and the Far East. It was also used to equip No. 14 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Switzerland became the most prolific user of the Venom. Securing a license to manufacture the Venom, the Swiss retooled their Vampire production lines and built 150 Venoms in 1953. A further 100 Venoms were completed by 1957. Switzerland used the Venom until the mid-1980s, when it was replaced by the F-5. The Swiss Venoms operated from airfields high in the Alps, where their agility was invaluable in ensuring safe flights into and out of mountain valleys. deHavilland also produced a two-seat night fighter version of the Venom (NF.Mk 2) to replace the night fighting NF.Mk 10 Vampire. This night-fighting Venom served with the RAF from 1953 until 1957, and was also used by Iraq, Venezuela and Sweden. Venoms were finally retired from the R.A.F. in 7/62, the last unit still operating Venoms being No. 28 squadron at Khormaksar with the F.E.A.F.
Another major variant of the Venom was the FW.Mk 20 and FW.Mk 21 Sea Venom. This was a navalized, all-weather version of the Venom produced for Britains Fleet Air Arm. The Sea Venom also served with the Royal Australian Navy. It had a strengthened undercarriage, an arrester hook for landing on aircraft carriers, and folding wings. The Fleet Air Arm ordered 217 Sea Venoms. A French license-built version was called the Aquilon ("Sea Eagle").
Specifications (FB.Mk 4):
Engine: One 5,150-pound thrust D.H. Ghost 105 turbojet engine
Maximum Speed: 587 mph
Ceiling: 40,000 ft.
Range: 1,075 miles
Armament: Four 20-mm cannon, two Firestreak air-to-air missiles, or two 1,000-pound bombs, or eight rockets
Number Built: ~835
Sources:
Warbird Alley site
Jeff
