De Havilland VENOM FB.50 WR421 / G-DHTT

	Wing span 41 ft 7 in / 12.71 m Service ceiling 48,000 ft Length 32 ft 9 in / 10.10 m Max speed 640 mph / 920 kmh Max weight 15,400 lb / 6985 kg Engine 4,850 lb / 2,220 kp thrust DH Ghost 48
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The Venom was developed by de Havilland Aircraft from their earlier Vampire, which had been the second type of jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. The Vampire's post War service in Fighter Command showed the need for a fighter of higher performance, and de Havilland's responded with the Venom. A new design (although resembling the Vampire), the single seat fighter was powered by the new de Havilland Ghost engine, had a new wing with sweep back on the leading edge, and tip tanks fitted as standard. The prototype flew in September 1949 and over 370 Venom FB.1's were built for the RAF, mainly serving with the 2nd Tactical Air Force in Germany and later the Middle East Air Force. The type entered service in the summer of 1952, being used as a ground attack fighter-bomber, but also possessing an excellent rate a climb and great manoeuvrability at high level. Armourment was four 20 mm cannons in the nose and two 1,000 lb bombs or rocket projectiles under the wings. The improved FB.4 followed, being fitted with ejector seats and power operated ailerons, serving from 1955 until the summer of 1962. Well liked by its pilots, the Venom was still subsonic and old fashioned compared to the American F-86 Sabre and Russian Mig 15 of the early 1950’s.

De Havilland developed a two seat night fighter version - the NF.2, having a widened fuselage to accommodate a radar operator who operated the nose mounted AI radar. 90 were built for the RAF, entering service in November 1953, being joined from June 1955 by the improved NF.3, of which 129 were built. The night fighter versions only remained in service until the end of 1957 when they were replaced by the all weather Gloster Javelin. The Venom was also developed for naval service as the FAW.20 & 21, being based on the two seat NF.2, having folding wings and a strengthened fuselage with arrester gear for carrier operations. Large numbers of Venom night fighters and Sea Venoms were built at the de Havilland factory at nearby Christchurch in the mid 1950’s. Royal Navy Sea Venom's and RAF Venom FB.4's took part in the Suez Operation of November 1956, attacking Egyptian airfields and convoys. The Sea Venom remained in service with the Royal Navy until replaced by the de Havilland Sea Vixen in the early 1960's.

As with the Vampire, the Venom was operated by a number of overseas Air Forces, including Iraq, Sweden and Venezuela. Large numbers of FB.1's were ordered by the Swiss Air Force and these were built as FB.50's by F & W at Emmen, being mainly used for ground attack and reconnaissance roles. Sea Venom's were also operated by the Australian Navy and were built by Sud-Est in France for the French Navy.

"WR421" is a Swiss FB.50 built by F & W late in 1955 (c/n 821) being delivered to the Swiss Air Force in February 1956 with serial J-1611. It then served as a ground attack fighter until it was placed into storage in the early 1980's. Purchased by Source Classic Jets in November 1994, J-1611 was delivered by road to Bournemouth Airport, and placed on the British civil register as G-DHTT in October 1996. After a major overhaul, it flew again in July 1997 painted to represent a RAF FB.4 WR241 in a special red overall colour scheme to commemorate "50 years of jet formation flying 1947 - 97". Following recent storage, G-DHTT moved the short distance to the Museum in December 2004 on loan from Source Classic Jets.