De Havilland Venom

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Venom on display at Willow Run Airport in Michigan, 2002

The de Havilland DH.112 Venom was a post- war jet single-seat fighter-bomber of the Royal Air Force. Two-seater night-fighter and naval (DH.112 Sea Venom) variants were also built, the latter serving with the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), of the Royal Navy (RN).

Contents

1 de Havilland Venom

2 de Havilland Sea Venom

2.1 Royal Navy Service
2.2 Service with other nations

3 Squadrons that operated the de Havilland Venom

4 Squadrons that operated the de Havilland Sea Venom

de Havilland Venom

The Venom had come about after an Air Ministry requirement for a fast, manoeuvrable and capable fighter-bomber (FB) to replace the de Havilland Vampire, a Second World War-era aircraft. The Venom's lineage lay in the aircraft it was intended to replace, which had been the second jet aircraft to enter service with the RAF, the first being the Gloster Meteor which did see service during WWII. In most respects, the Venom was quite similar to the Vampire, which included the sharing of the distinctive twin-boom tail and composite wood/metal structure, though the Venom did differ in parts.

The precursor to the Venom was in fact a Vampire developmental variant, the FB.8, which was converted from a single Vampire F.1 fighter and fitted with the new de Havilland Ghost engine, which was more powerful than the de Havilland Goblin engine used on the Vampire. It first flew in 1947. The first actual Venom prototype flew on 2nd September 1949. The first Venom variant, a single-seat fighter-bomber, entered service in 1952, designated the FB.1, of which 373 would be built, and became one of the first jet ground-attack aircraft in the world. It was armed with four Hispano 20 mm cannon in the nose, and a capability to be armed with either two 1,000 bombs or eight rocket projectiles. It was powered by a single 4,850 lbf (22 kN) thrust de Havilland Ghost 103 turbojet engine. On the 29th December 1953, the final Venom variant built for the Royal Air Force, the single-seat FB.4, took to the skies for the first time. It entered service in 1955 and 150 were eventually built for the RAF. It was powered by a single 5,150 lbf (23 kN) thrust de Havilland Ghost 105 turbojet engine . It also received an ejector seat and some modifications to its structure. The FB.4 is widely regarded to of been the ultimate Venom variant.

A two-seater night-fighter variant of the Venom was also produced, designated the NF.2. It was intended to replace the Vampire NF.10, an interim night-fighter originally intended for Egypt. The NF.2 first flew in 1950 and entered service, delayed after some minor problems with the aircraft, in 1953, with 90 eventually being built. The NF.2 had some structural differences, including the two crew being positioned in side by side seats, as-well as being radar-equipped. The NF.2 was subsequently converted to the NF.2A, which had received some modifications to its structure after problems had been found with the NF.2, leading to a number of accidents. The next Venom variant was the NF.3, the last night-fighter variant of the Venom, and first flew in 1953, entering service in 1955, with about 130 being built for the RAF. It included a number of modifications, including the fitting of a new engine, the de Havilland Ghost 104 turbojet, and it had a new radar, which led to the NF.3's nose being slightly altered. It had a relatively brief career with the Royal Air Force, being withdrawn in 1957, and replaced by the Gloster Javelin.

The Venom was a very successful export design and saw service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), Iraq, Sweden, Switzerland and Venezuela.

The RAF fighter-bomber Venoms saw service during the Malayan Emergency which took place between 1948-60, though the Venom began operations there in the mid 1950s with No.'s 45 and 60 Squadrons RAF. While there, the Venom was in support of operations against Communist terrorists as part of Operation Firedog, the codename for Royal Air Force operations in Malaya. Venoms were lent to the Royal New Zealand Air Force for use in Malaya. No. 14 Squadron of the RNZAF operated the Venom and performed in a very professional manner against the Communist terrorists.

The Venom, along with their Royal Navy counterpart, the Sea Venom, also saw service during the Suez War with the Royal Air Force, being operated by No's' 6, 8 and 249 Squadrons flying from RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus. The Anglo-French invasion, codenamed Operation Musketeer, had happened in response to the nationalisation of the Suez Canal by Egypt's leader, General Nasser. The air-war began on the 31st October signalling the beginning of the Suez War. The Venoms launched a number of sorties, attacking a variety of military installations on the ground. The aircraft also saw much action once more in the Middle East, supporting operations against terrorists in Aden and Oman, losing some Venoms in the process. Venoms also saw service during the Mau Mau insurgency in Kenya.

All Venoms in RAF service with withdrawn from first-line service in 1962, having proven their worth in a variety of locations across the world, in peace and war, and in some of the most difficult climates the RAF has ever faced. The last non-RAF Venoms to leave active service were actually Swiss Air Force Venoms retired in 1983. About twenty Venoms continue to fly as of 2004, flying at various air shows. There are a number of Venoms preserved in museums in the United Kingdom and abroad, though do not fly.

de Havilland Sea Venom

The Sea Venom was the navalised version of the Venom NF.2 two-seat night-fighter. The necessary navalisation modifications for use on the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers included folding wings, a tailhook and strengthened undercarriage.

The first prototype made its first flight in 1951, and began carrier trials that same year. A further two prototypes were built.

The first production Sea Venom took the designation FAW.20 (fighter all-weather), of which fifty were built, and which had first flown in 1953. It was powered by a single de Havilland Ghost 103 turbojet engine and its armament was the same as the RAF version. The next variant was the FAW.21 (167 built) which included the modifications introudced in the NF.2A and NF.3 RAF variants. Some of these modifications included the de Havilland Ghost 104 turbojet engine, clear-view canopy and new radar. The final Royal Navy variant was the FAW.22 and was powered by the de Havilland Ghost 105 turbojet engine. Thirty-nine of this type was eventually built. There had been an intended modernised Sea Venom project, the DH.116, but this project was cancelled.

Royal Navy Service

The Sea Venom saw much service during its time with the Royal Navy. In 1956, they, alongside RAF Venoms, took part in the Suez War which began on the 31st October. They were part of Naval Squadrons 809, 892 and 893 based on the light fleet carrier HMS Albion and fleet carrier HMS Eagle. The Sea Venoms launched many sorties, bombing a variety of targets in Egypt in the process. In 1958, during the troubles there with Cypriot terrorists, Sea Venoms of No. 809 NAS, flying off the light fleet carrier Albion, flew a number of sorties against the terrorists. It also saw service during the troubles in the Middle East region.

By 1959, the Sea Venom began to be replaced in Royal Navy service by the de Havilland Sea Vixen, an aircraft that also had the distintive twin-boom tail. The Sea Venom would be withdrawn from first-line service soon afterwards. At least one Sea Venom remains air worthy as of 2004. Some are preserved in museums around the UK.

Service with other nations

Thirty-nine Sea Venoms saw service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), replacing the Hawker Sea Fury. The Sea Venom entered service in 1956 and, during its service with the RAN, operated off the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne. It was taken out of first-line service in 1967, replaced by the American A-4 Skyhawk. The Sea Venom also saw service with the French Navy built under license and renamed Aquilon ("Sea-Eagle"). It was withdrawn from service with the French Navy in 1963.