The de Havilland DH110 was a twin-engined, two-seat, twin-boom strike fighter, designed to a series of late 1940s Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm requirements for a night-fighter. After a lengthy development period (which included redesign after a tragic air show crash) the FAA adopted the aircraft as the Sea Vixen Fighter (All Weather) in 1955.
A Sea Vixen performs for crowds at RNAS Yeovilton in 2014 (Attribution: Lmgaylard)
The basic design was adjusted for carrier operations, and to allow the aircraft to act in a fighter or a ground attack role. It became the Royal Navy’s first integrated weapon system, with a versatile range of rockets, missiles and bombs, but was the first British naval aircraft since the First World War not to have internal guns.
The Sea Vixen F(AW)1 entered service in 1959, and was followed by the improved F(AW)2 in 1964. A total of 145 were built, and although it only saw limited combat and none was lost to enemy action, the dangers of carrier-borne operations saw 55 aircraft lost to accidents. Replaced in 1972 by the McDonnell Douglas Phantom, various airframes were kept for flying and ground training and development roles into the 1990s.
Airfix’s new de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2 model kit is due for release in 2019 and with issue 69, one History of War reader will be among the first people to get their hands on a copy. For your chance to win simply answer the simple question below For more information, please visit www.airfix.com.