De Havilland Sea Vixen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Sea_Vixen

The de Havilland DH.110 Sea Vixen is a twin boom, twin-engined 1950s–60s British
two-seat jet fighter of the Fleet Air Arm designed by de Havilland at Hatfield,
Hertfordshire. Developed from an earlier first generation jet fighter, the Sea
Vixen was a capable carrier-based fleet defence fighter that served into the
1970s. Initially produced by de Havilland it was later known as the Hawker
Siddeley Sea Vixen after de Havilland became a part of the Hawker Siddeley Group
in 1960. A single example remains airworthy today in the UK and is displayed
regularly at airshows.

The Sea Vixen had a twin-boom tail, as used on the de Havilland Sea Vampire and
Sea Venom. The Sea Vixen became the first British aircraft to be solely armed
with missiles, rockets and bombs. The Sea Vixen FAW.1 was armed with four de
Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missiles, two Microcell unguided 2 inch (51 mm)
rocket packs, and four 500 lb (227 kg) or two 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs. It was
powered by two 11,230 lbf (50.0 kN) thrust Rolls-Royce Avon 208 turbojet
engines, had a speed of 690 mph (1,110 km/h) and a range of 600 mi (1,000 km).
The original DH.110 design as offered to the RAF had cannon fitted; however the
cannon were soon removed and an all-missile armament was developed.

The pilot's canopy was offset to the left-hand side. The observer was housed to
the right completely within the fuselage, gaining access through a flush-fitting
top hatch into his position, nicknamed the "Coal Hole".

Role Carrier-based fighter
National origin United Kingdom
Manufacturer de Havilland
First flight 26 September 1951[1]
Introduction July 1959
Retired 1972
Primary user Royal Navy
Number built 145

The aircraft did not take part in any true wars during its career with the Fleet
Air Arm though it took part in many operations. In 1961, President Abdul Karim
Kassem of Iraq threatened to annex the neighbouring oil-rich state of Kuwait. In
response to Kuwait's appeal for external help, the United Kingdom dispatched a
number of ships to the region, including two fleet carriers. Sea Vixens aboard
the fleet carriers flew patrols in the region, and Kassem's aggressive actions
wilted in the face of the strong naval presence, thus averting a war over
Kuwait.

Specifications (Sea Vixen FAW.2)

General characteristics
Crew: Two, pilot and Observer
Length: 55 ft 7 in (16.94 m)
Wingspan: 51 ft 0 in (15.54 m)
Height: 10 ft 9 in (3.28 m)
Wing area: 648 ft² (60.2 m²)
Empty weight: 27,950 lb (12,680 kg)
Loaded weight: 41,575 lb (18,860 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 46,750 lb [43] (21,205 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.208 turbojets, 50 kN (11,000 lbf) each

Performance
Maximum speed: Mach 0.91 (690 mph, 1,110 km/h) at sea level
Range: 790 mi (1,270 km) with internal fuel
Service ceiling: 48,000 ft (14,600 m)
Rate of climb: 9,000 ft/min (46 m/s)
Wing loading: 64.2 lb/ft² (313 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.54

Armament
Hardpoints: 6 and provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets: 4 × Matra rocket pods with 18 × SNEB 68 mm rockets each
Missiles: 4 × Red Top or Firestreak air-to-air missiles
Bombs: 1 × Red Beard freefall nuclear bomb

Avionics
GEC AI.18 Air Interception radar


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