Here are some images of Matchbox's 1/32 scale de Havilland Sea Venom. From Wikipedia "The de Havilland Sea Venom was a British postwar carrier-capable jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Venom. It served with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and with the Royal Australian Navy. The French Navy operated the Aquilon, a version of the Sea Venom FAW.20 licence-built by SNCASE (Sud-Est).
The Sea Venom was the navalised version of the Venom NF.2 two-seat night fighter, and was used as an all-weather interceptor by the FAA. The necessary modifications for use on the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers included folding wings, a tailhook (which retracted into a characteristic "lip" over the jetpipe) and strengthened, long-stroke undercarriage. The canopy was modified to allow ejection from underwater. The first prototype made its first flight in 1951, and began carrier trials that same year. A further two prototypes were built. The first production Sea Venom took the designation FAW.20 (Fighter, All-Weather). It was powered by a single de Havilland Ghost 103 turbojet engine and its armament was the same as the RAF version. The next variant was the FAW.21, which included the modifications introduced in the Venom NF.2A and NF.3. Some of these modifications included the Ghost 104 engine, a clear-view canopy and American radar. The final Royal Navy variant was the FAW.22 powered by the Ghost 105 engine. 39 of this type were built in 1957–58. Some were later fitted out with the de Havilland Firestreak air-to-air missile.
Seven FAW.21s were modified in 1958 for Electronic countermeasures (ECM) purposes, with the cannon replaced by the ECM equipment. These became the ECM.21. 831 Naval Air Squadron, the sole squadron to be equipped with it, was shore-based at RAF Watton from 1963 and disbanded in 1966. Converted FAW.22s were similarly known as the ECM.22.
A modernised Sea Venom project, the DH.116 with swept wings and upgraded radar was considered, but cancelled as the Royal Navy believed that any replacement needed two engines. The de Havilland Sea Vixen ultimately replaced the Sea Venom.
11 comments:
Love this plane. Fine model, great shots!
Thank you.
Thank you Lord K much appreciated.
Unless I missed the explanation, is there a reason the wings were folding? Those and the tail wing give it a great look.
Great looking model Warren.
Michael, the wings folded so it would take up less room on an AC carrier.
Ah, of course. Thanks Pat.
Plus to fit more aircraft on a carrier and to reduce the need for larger bay doors and elevator pads.
That's a fine build. For Christmas you should ask for some of those cardboard bases that show carrier decks and PSP and stuff. It' would just add to the coolness.
I was wondering about the model. I'd thought searching for one (the Classic Airframes was too fiddly and too expensive even before they went belly up). How is it? I know Matchbox can be hit or miss, though I haven't built one since I painted with a brush and ran around going 'zoom' with the finished product
It's a nice model especially for the time of it's release 1970s. It does lend itself well to additions however Matchbox model kits no longer exist and this model is somewhat hard to find. So if you do find an old kit for sale buy it. I do note however that Revell has been over that past couple of years been rereleasing these old Matchbox kits so it may be possible this one will be released again if they have the molds.
Stop picking on the Lino !)
Beautiful Briton, I liked!
Thanks sinfuselaje. It is quite a decent 1970's kit.
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