De Havilland DH.112 Venom
| De Havilland DH.112 Venom | |
|---|---|
 De Havilland DH-112 Mk 4 “Venom” of the Swiss Air Force |
|
| Type: | single-engine fighter aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
September 2, 1949 |
| Commissioning: |
1952 |
| Number of pieces: |
1,431 |
The de Havilland DH.112 Venom (or Sea Venom ) was a single- engine fighter aircraft produced by the British manufacturer de Havilland Aircraft Company . It was a further development of the DH.100 Vampire . The first flight took place on September 2, 1949.
history
At the end of 1945, when de Havilland's new H.2 ghost jet engine achieved a static thrust of 22.3 kN (5000 lbst) for the first time, the decision was made to build the DH. 100 vampires to revise and replace the H.1 goblin engine of the vampires. The Ghost engine was already installed in the fifth series Vampire, which flew for the first time on May 8, 1947 and set a new world altitude record on March 23, 1948 at 18,119 meters (59,446 ft). The record flight was carried out by de Havilland's chief test pilot John Cunningham . This machine, a Vampire F.1 with the RAF serial number TG 278, was given a wingspan increase of 2.44 m (8 ft).
De Havilland proposed the ghost variant known as Vampire FB.8 or "thin-wing vampire" as an interim solution until the Hawker Hunter and Supermarine Swift intended as a vampire replacement were available. According to this proposal, the author of Air Ministry , the specification E.15 / 49, which established the technical requirements. After the detailed construction phase it became clear that the machine would be very different from the Vampire and it was then given the designation DH.112.
In February 1949, two Vampire airframes produced under license by English Electric were transported to the de Havilland plant in Hatfield, where they were equipped as prototypes of the DH.112, which from then on bore the additional name "Venom". After just six months, the first taxi attempts could begin and the first flight was carried out on September 2, 1949. After testing at the Airplane & Armament Experimental Establishment , both prototypes returned to de Havilland and were modified to correct the identified deficiencies such as rudder flutter at Mach 0.81, high steering forces, inadequate air brakes, etc.
Between July 8, 1949 and February 28, 1951, de Havilland received orders for the construction of a total of 375 Venom FB.1s, divided into three contracts. Two further orders for 162 FB.1 were canceled before construction began.
construction
To simplify construction, the design of the Venom was essentially based on that of the vampires. However, the wing was redesigned; it received a leading edge sweep of 17 °, while the trailing edge was straight. The thickness ratio was 10%, 4 percentage points less than that of the vampire. The wing was reinforced in such a way that it was possible to carry drop-off 340-l (75-imp.gal.) Wing end tanks (wingtip tanks). The Venom was the only RAF fighter ever to be equipped with such tanks.
As with the Vampire, the Venom's four 20 mm Hispano Mk.V cannons were built into the lower bow and the suspension devices for the dropping weapons were also in the center of the wing. The fuselage gondola of the Vampire FB.5 was also retained, which meant that an ejection seat could not be used in the Venom. The rear part, which took up the engine, had to be redesigned, however, as the ghost engine was 7.5 cm larger than the goblin in diameter and 53 cm longer. As a result, the air inlets in the wing root also had to be redesigned. The tail section initially corresponded completely to that of the vampires, but was significantly redesigned in the course of further development.
variants
The following series have been developed for the armed forces of the United Kingdom:
- Venom FB.1
- The original single-seat fighter-bomber variant of the Venom for the Royal Air Force (RAF), built 375.
- Venom NF.2
- The prototype of the first night fighter variant, which flew for the first time on August 22, 1950, was developed by de Havilland privately financed. It was not until December 21, 1950 that the RAF placed the order for the production of 60 machines and in January 1951 also bought the prototype. The variant was equipped with an already largely outdated British AI.10 radar device and had two slightly offset seats next to each other.
- Venom NF.2A
- In March 1951 an order was placed to build another 100 NF.2s, of which only 30 machines were actually manufactured. These differed from the original NF.2 in that they had a modified tail unit and a new cockpit cover. The designation NF.2A was not officially used.
- Venom NF.3
- In July 1951, another 193 NF.2s were ordered, but they were converted to the new NF.3 standard during production. The NF.3 used the more powerful Ghost-104 engine, the AI.21 radar device (British name for the American Western Electric AN / APS-57 ), and the modified NF.2A tail unit. Of the 193 copies ordered, only 65 were built. The last order from September 1951 for the night fighter variants comprised 34 NF.2s, of which only six were built as NF.3s. The total production of Venom night fighters was 162 machines
- Venom FB.4
- This was the last production standard of the single-seat fighter-bomber for the RAF with Ghost 105 engines, ejector seats and structural reinforcements, 250 built.
- Sea Venom NF.20 (FAW.20)
- For the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy , the NF.20 (later FAW.20) was provided with folding wings under the designation "Sea Venom" for use on aircraft carriers . This modification of the NF2 had its maiden flight on April 19, 1951 and was put into service in early 1954, 50 built.
- Sea Venom FAW. 21
- The FAW.21 version for the FAA represented the corresponding further developments of the FAW.20 on the basis of the NF.3. It also had a chassis that was optimized for use with a carrier. Six machines were later converted to unarmed ECM21, a version for electronic countermeasures .
- Venom FAW. 22
- One of the main features of the FAW.22 variant was the use of the even more powerful Ghost 105 engine, 39 built. Here, too, there were some modifications to a corresponding ECM22 variant.
Export and license production
British manufacturers gave export versions variant numbers over 50, although the differences to the other RAF and Fleet-Air-Arm versions were mostly only minor. The corresponding versions of the Venom began with the Mk.50 (FB.50). A total of 345 Venom were manufactured under license.
Australian Navy
In September 1954, the construction of 39 Sea Venom FAW.53 for the Royal Australian Navy began in Christchurch , which were delivered by January 1956. The machines were used from 1956 to 1973 at HMAS Melbourne . During this time, eleven aircraft were irreparably damaged in accidents and another eleven were sold as unfit to fly.
France
In August 1951, Aéronavale began negotiations with de Havilland for the construction of 146 Sea Venom to be manufactured by SNCASE . In addition, four prototypes from sub-groups supplied by de Havilland were planned. However, fewer than 100 copies were built with Ghost 48/1 engines manufactured by Fiat, which were given the name Aquilon .
The first 25 series aircraft (Aquilon 201) could only operate from land. The 25 carrier-supported Aquilon 202 had a reinforced landing gear, a sliding hood and a Westinghouse AN / APQ-65 radar system to control two Martel 551 air-to-air missiles (AA20?). The following 40 Aquilon 203s were single-seated, had a turbo alternator in the place previously occupied by the observer, an APQ-94 radar and a guidance system for two Nord 5103 air-to-air missiles. Some 201 were modified to Aquilon 204 trainer aircraft with dual controls, which, however, could only be used on land.
The Flottilles 11F and 16F flew the Aquilon between 1960 and 1962, deployments aboard the Clemenceau in the Algerian War . From 1964 onwards it was gradually decommissioned and replaced by the Chance Vought F-8E (FN) .
Iraq
In 1953 the Iraqi Air Force (Royal Iraqi Air Force, RIAF) ordered 15 Venom FB.1 (export designation FB.50), which were delivered in 1954. It was used by the 5 Squ. at the RAF Habbaniya airfield , where the machines had service numbers 352 to 366. To compensate for losses in the meantime, the Luftwaffe received an additional six ex-RAF FB.1s in 1957. After the fall of the monarchy in 1958, the planes were transferred to the Iraqi Air Force, IQAF .
Italy
The Italian Air Force ( Aeronautica Militare Italiana, AMI ) planned to produce the Venom under license, but had to abandon this plan after the expected funding from the American Mutual Defense Assistance Act did not materialize. For testing purposes, the AMI procured only two FB.50s produced in England, which were delivered in January 1953 and taken out of service again in July 1954 and March 1957.
New Zealand
The 14 Squ. The New Zealand Air Force deployed Venom FB.1, borrowed from the British government, alongside the RAF during the four-year mission in Malaya .
Sweden
In January 1951, the Swedish Air Force ordered 35 Venom NF.2s with an option for 25 more copies, which was later exercised. The aircraft received the export designation NF.51 at de Havilland and were used by the Air Force as J33 . The Ghost engines used were produced by Svenska Flygmotor under license, which, like the 20 mm on-board cannons produced by Gevars Faktoriet, were delivered to England for assembly.
The delivery of the 60 machines extended from December 1952 to July 1957, so that the last copies were already upgraded to the NF.3 stand. The Venom received radar from the no longer airworthy Mosquito NF.XIX . The machines were flown from 1953 to 1960 with the F1 squadron in Västerås .
Switzerland
A Swiss consortium of companies consisting of Doflug Altenrhein (FFA), Pilatus Flugzeugwerke and F + W Emmen built 126 Venom FB.1s under license (service numbers J-1501 to J-1625). The associated engines were also manufactured under license by the Sulzer brothers . The 24 FB.1R photo scouts manufactured in 1956 received cameras that were installed in the front part of the fixed auxiliary tanks and in the newly contoured fuselage bow, where they replaced two of the four 20 mm cannons. The machines with the service numbers J-1626 to J-1649 were delivered from March to September 1956. Also in 1956 there was a final license agreement for 100 Venom FB.4A (J-1701 to J-1800) with UHF equipment and an improved bomb sighting device were delivered between August 1956 and March 1958. The last Swiss Venom were retired in 1984.
Venezuela
In July 1955, the Venezuelan Air Force ( Fuerza Aérea Venezolana ) ordered 22 Ghost 195 powered Venom FB.54s, which were delivered from December 1955 to August 1956 as cargo. The Luftwaffe gradually decommissioned the aircraft from February 1972, with the last one being taken out of service in 1973.
Military users
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- RAF stationing locations in Germany
-
Royal Air Force, 2nd Tactical Air Force
- RAF Celle , January 1954 to October 1957, Venom FB1 ( 16th , 94th and 145th Squadron )
- RAF Fassberg , January 1954 to May 1955, Venom FB1 ( 14th , 98th and 118th Squadron ), from September 1955 to October 1956, Venom FB4 ( 5th , 11th and 266th Squadron )
- RAF Wunstorf , August 1951 to November 1955 and from October 1956 to October 1957, Venom FB1 / FB4 ( 5th , 11th and 266th Squadron )
The last machine in military use was decommissioned by the Swiss Air Force in 1983 . Aircraft of this type are still occasionally used at air shows .
Technical specifications
| Parameter | FB.1 data | NF.3 data | FAW data. 22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length: | 9.37 m | 11.16 m | 11.16 m |
| Span: | 11.58 m | 13.04 m | 13.04 m |
| Height: | 1.91 m | k. A. | k. A. |
| Wings: | 25.9 m² | k. A. | k. A. |
| Takeoff weight: | 5,606 kg | 6,646 kg | 6,819 kg |
| Thrust: | a de Havilland Ghost 103 turbojet engine with 21.58 kN thrust |
a de Havilland Ghost 104 turbojet engine with 22.07 kN thrust |
a de Havilland Ghost 105 turbojet engine with 23.63 kN thrust |
| Top speed: | 853 km / h | 952 km / h | 976 km / h |
| Range: | 1,730 km | 1,600 km | 1,520 km |
| Service ceiling: | 12,500 m | 13,702 m | 15,225 m |
| Maximum rate of climb: | 45.7 m / s | k. A. | k. A. |
Armament
- Guns mounted in the fuselage
- 4 × 20-mm automatic cannon Hispano-Suiza Mk.V with 180 rounds of ammunition
- Ordnance up to 1,000 kg at several external suspension points
- Air-to-air unguided missiles
- 8 × launch rails for one unguided RP-3 (Rocket Projectile 3-inch) air-to-surface missile each; Caliber 76.2 mm
- Unguided bombs
- 2 × Royal Ordnance, free fall bomb 1000 lb (454 kg)
- 2 × Royal Ordnance, free fall bomb 500 lb (227 kg)
- 2 × napalm tanks
External container
- 2 × drop-off additional tanks for 455 liters (121 US gallons) of kerosene
- 2 × drop-off additional tanks for 227 liters (60 US gallons) of kerosene
- 2 × "reconnaissance tank" Swiss Air Force; Camera pods in the front part of the inner additional tanks. In the aircraft equipped in this way, a periscope for the pilot was built in instead of the two right cannons.
literature
- Barry Jones: De Havilland Venom (Database). In: Airplane Monthly January 2011, pp. 47–70.
Web links
- DH.112 Venom variants at hermannkeist.ch
Individual evidence
- ↑ Poisonous “forked tail” ( memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , SkyNews, 10/2008
- ↑ Barry Jones: Under Foreign Flags (Database) . In: Airplane Monthly January 2011, p. 69 f.
- ↑ Swiss Air Force: Venom shooting demonstration with napalm drop ( memento of the original from October 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
