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De Havilland SEA VIXEN D3 G-CVIX / XP924

	Wing span : 15.24 m / 50 ft Length : 16.94 m / 55 ft 7 ins Max weight : 16,783 kg / 37,000 lbs Service ceiling : - m / 48,000 ft Max speed : Mach 0.92 / 640 mph Engines: Two x 11,200 lb thrust Rolls-Royce Avon 208`s


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Development of the DH.110 Sea Vixen as a naval fighter was a protracted affair, work having originally commenced at Hatfield in 1946. It was modified to meet a 1948 RAF requirement for a night fighter, with two Rolls Royce Avon powered prototypes being ordered in competition with the Gloster Javelin. The design followed that set by the Vampire and Venom - a crew of two, engines and guns in a central pod, the tail supported by twin booms and wings which were now swept back. The prototype DH.110 flew from Hatfield in September 1951, with the second following in July 1952 - the same month that the RAF decided to order the Javelin. It was at the Farnborough Show that year that the prototype broke up during its display, killing its crew and spectators. The second prototype was extensively modified, and although no longer required by the RAF, the design was looked at again by the Navy, who choose it as an all weather fighter to replace the Sea Venom.

Due to the heavy work load at Hatfield, redesign and production of the fighter was undertaken at Christchurch, where an 80% redesign was undertaken, the new version being powered by the greater thrust Avon 200's. It was to be the heaviest aircraft in Royal Navy service and a navalised prototype flew in June 1955 shortly after a large production order had been placed by the Navy. The prototype had been armed with four 30 mm guns, but this was changed to four underwing DH Firestreak missiles for the production aircraft. Although officially named Sea Vixen in 1958, for many years the fighter was still referred to as the 110. Initial production aircraft were designated FAW.1, first flying in March 1957, and entering service at Yeovilton in July 1959. Three front-line squadrons were equipped for service on board carriers, plus two land based training squadrons. The Royal Navy were to be the only user of the fighter, with 148 being produced, when the extended range FAW.2 entered service in July 1964. Intended to follow the FAW.1's from the Christchurch factory, they were in fact built at Chester following the closure of Christchurch in 1962. The feature of the FAW.2 was the extended tail booms over the front of the wings which held the additional fuel. The type entered service in July 1964, and in addition to new built aircraft, many FAW.1`s were modified to the new standard. They were taken out of squadron service in the spring 1972, flying on second line duties for two more years. The withdrawal of the Sea Vixen from service was due to the running down of the British carrier force in the 1970's - they were not worn out. So a new role was found - that of a pilotless target drone to take over from the Meteors then in use. Four were converted by Flight Refuelling as D.3's for trials, initially at Tarrant Rushton and later Bournemouth. However the project was cancelled in 1983, mainly due to costs.

Originally planned as an FAW.1, XP924 to be built by de Havilland at Christchurch, it emerged as an early production FAW.2 (c/n 10125) built by Hawker Siddeley at Chester in the summer of 1963. Delivered to the Royal Navy, it served with 893 Sqd, 899 Sqd (spring 1964) at Yeovilton ending its service with the ADS at Yeovilton. On withdrawal from Navy service in 1973 it was flown to Farnborough for storage, before being delivered to Flight Refuelling for conversion as a trials aircraft for their Sea Vixen D.3 drone conversion project, flying as TR-2. Moved to Flights Bournemouth facility in 1980, but following cancellation of the drone programme was delivered to the RAE at Llanbedr in 1983, where it flew infrequently until late 1991.

The Sea Vixen is displayed courtesy of Drilling Systems and De Havilland Aviation Ltd.