de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2

[PremiumFuelOnly 1,603]

Aircraft: de Havilland Sea Vixen FAW.2

 

Classification: all-weather twin-engine, carrier-based fleet air defense fighter

 

Visuals:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Description: Originating as de Havilland’s design proposal to Naval Specification No.40/46 and RAF Specification F.44/46, the DH.110 was intended to cover requirements for an all-weather night fighter for both navalized and land-based roles. As both the FAA and RAF updated their specifications to include strike fighter and long-range capability, de Havilland’s DH.110 project slowly began to take shape as a twin-engine, twin-boom, two-seat aircraft designed around forward-firing gun armament as its primary weapon. Pleased with the promising outlook of de Havilland’s proposal, the Ministry of Supply confirmed mutual FAA/RAF interest in April 1949 by ordering seven land-based night fighters and two strike fighter prototypes for the RAF, with two more of each for the FAA (although the RAF would also order four prototypes of the delta-wing Gloster GA.5 as a backup). By late 1949, however, due to financial and political concerns, prototype orders were cut back from their original numbers, resulting in major developmental delays for both the DH.110 and GA.5.

 

The first two prototype DH.110s were fitted with a pair of Avon RA.7s producing 7500 lbs thrust each. These were placed between the each boom and below the high-mounted tailplane. The first prototype, WG236, made its maiden flight in September 1951 and would go on to break the sound barrier in 1952. Unfortunately, disaster would strike WG236 at the Farnborough air show when the aircraft broke apart mid-flight, killing both crew members and 29 spectators on September 6th, 1952. It was ultimately found that the airframe’s disintegration was caused by a combination of high-acceleration and rate of roll - a maneuver which would later be forbidden in subsequent Sea Vixen operation even after the type’s structure and skin was reinforced and redesigned. The DH.110’s disastrous initial showing resulted in a loss of RAF interest, who chose to order the Gloster GA.5 into super-priority production despite that aircraft’s own accidents and issues. The GA.5 would later become known as the Javelin, and was the RAF’s definitive all-weather fighter of the 1950s which spanned 9 variants across 6 years of development.

 

Despite the poor early impressions and RAF’s cancellation of the DH.110, the Fleet Air Arm was still interested in de Havilland's proposal as they required a new high performance all-weather fighter to replace their aging Sea Venoms. Rising to the occasion, de Havilland quickly reconfigured the DH.110 to include higher thrust output Avon 208 engines, increased fuel capacity, and missiles as the primary armament - a radically new capability for the time period. Although the four ADEN cannons were initially retained as secondary armament on the semi-navalized prototype XF828, they were quickly dropped from production plans as it was expected that the AAM capability was more than sufficient for interception duties. Further changes included hydraulically-operated folding wings, a new cockpit canopy for the pilot, a steerable nosewheel, catapult pickup points, and a large radome prominently mounted at the aircraft’s nose. 

 

The first production Sea Vixens were sent to Boscombe Down and the HMS Ark Royal for handling and carrier trials, where various flight anomalies were worked out, such as inclusion of an anti-spin parachute to prevent aircraft spin which was considered dangerous and inadvisable on the type. In subsequent months, several more prototypes would undergo rigorous field testing for operations in extreme weather cooperation, buddy in-flight refueling capability, and photo-reconnaissance pod fitment. After these intensive service trials, the first unit of Sea Vixen FAW.1s was formed in mid 1959 as 892 Squadron.

 

Seeking to further improve upon the FAW.1, de Havilland went on to update the Sea Vixen to FAW.2 standard by including Red Top AAM capability along with additional pinion fuel tanks in the twin booms. The first production Sea Vixen FAW.2 made its first flight in 1963, and after successful testing of its new armament systems, surviving Mk.1s were upgraded to the FAW.2 standard.

 

Although the Sea Vixen didn’t have a storied operational career like other jets of the '50s and '60s, it did enjoy a rather long service life and went on to participate in the Rhodesian blockade and Aden crisis. The departure of the Sea Vixen from frontline operation commenced in 1968 and ended in 1970 as the Phantom FG.1 began to make its entry into service.

 

Ironically enough, the Sea Vixen had a much longer service life than its original competitor, the Gloster Javelin, despite its longer development period and higher accident rate of 38%.

 

Fuel and Oil Data:

Internal Fuel Capacity: 1288 gallons

Oil Capacity: 19 pints (9.5 pints per engine)

 

Engine Data:

Engine Count: 2

Manufacturer: Rolls-Royce

Designation: Avon 208

Type: axial turbojet

Compressor Stages: 15-stage axial-flow compressor

Combustion Chamber: cannular

Turbine stages: two-stage

Fuel Grade: AVTAG or AVTUR

 

Note: Currently numerically specific RPMs for various power settings are unspecified. 

Power Data:

Takeoff & Combat Power: 11250 lbf @ ? RPM (100% engine speed)

Intermediate Power: 10000 lbf @ ? RPM (97.5% engine speed)

Max Continuous Power: ? lbf @ ? RPM (95% engine speed)

 

Dimensional Data:

Length: 53 ft, 6.5 in

Height: 11 ft

Wing Span: 50 ft

Wing Area: 648 sq. ft

Wing Loading: 58.95 lbs/sq. ft @ combat weight

 

Weight Data:

Empty Weight: 31715 lbs

Combat Weight: 38200 lbs
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 46750 lbs

Maximum Landing Weight: 35000 lbs

Fuel Weight: 10304 lbs (full internal fuel)

 

Note: The FAW.2's power-off, flaps-down stall speed is currently unknown due to it not being explicitly specified. Closest approximation is listed instead, with a cautionary note. Peak rate of climb at sea level also remains unspecified. 

General Performance Data:

Max Speed (clean condition): 610 knots (1129.7 kph) @ SL

Peak Rate of Climb @ SL: ? ft/min (? m/s)

Power-off, flaps-up Stall Speed (37000 lbs): ~120 knots (222.2 kph)*

Takeoff Distance (takeoff weight @ 46000 lbs @ 0°C): 2550 ft

Service Ceiling: 48000 ft

*within 2-3 knots to stall speed, as stall speed is not definitively stated. Various handling traits at low speeds are detailed, with description of flight behavior at ~120 knots being most similar to stall.

 

G-Limitations (Combat Weight):
Positive: +5.5G (subsonic), +4.5G (supersonic)

Negative: -2.75G (subsonic), -2.25G (supersonic)

 

Maximum Speeds (combat weight, clean, combat power):

At SL: 610 knots (1129.7 kph)

At 10000 ft: 640 mph (1030 kph)**

**unknown configuration, presumably fully-loaded aircraft with ordnance on pylons

 

Note: Peak rate of climb @ SL is currently unlisted due to a lack of figures in any of the used sources.

Rate of Climb (combat weight, clean, combat power):

At SL: ? ft/min (? m/s)

 

Time to Altitude (“low drag”):

To 10000 ft: 1.75 min

To 20000 ft: 2.5 min

To 30000 ft: 3.75 min

To 40000 ft: 5.25 min

To 45000 ft: 7 min

 

Time to Altitude (“high drag”):

To 10000 ft: 2.25 min

To 20000 ft: 3.25 min

To 30000 ft: 4.5 min

To 40000 ft: 6.25 min

To 45000 ft: 8.5 min

 

Armament:

Guns: None

Bomb/Rocket Ordnance:

• 4x de Havilland Red Top infrared AAMs
• 4x Firestreak AAMs
• 28x 2” rockets in retractable belly tray
• 4x 2” SNEB rocket pods (24x rockets per pod)
• 2x AGM-12B Bullpups w/ control pod
• 2x 1000 lb bombs
• 4x 500 lb bombs & other intermediate size combinations

 

Sources:

[1] Pilot’s Notes Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2, AP.101B-3002-15, June 1964

[2] Sea Vixen FAW Mk.2 Flight Reference Cards, AP101B-3002-14, Issue 6, August 1968

[3] Postwar Military Aircraft 5: De Havilland Vampire, Venom, and Sea Vixen by Philip Birtles, Ian Allan Ltd., 1986, ISBN: 0 7110 1566 X

[4] Warpaint Series No.11: De Havilland Sea Vixen by Steve Hazell, Hall Park Books Ltd., ISSN: 1361-0369

 

Edited February 4, 2019 by Aquilachrysaetos

[leroyonly 4,310]

Open for discussion. 

[Milocat 4,854]

I think this would be a good addition, I just wish it had guns.

[Mojomikey 7]

Wait a second. Are those sources extremely conservative, non-technical pilots manuals? No? Cant use them. 

 

(Thats a jab at Gaijin citing the extremely conservative pilots manuals from the RAF. Most of those tend to inform pilots of certain speeds to not exceed, or G-Loads to not exceed. Not out of the planes technical incompetence, but because the RAF liked to play things SUPER safe.)

Edited February 4, 2019 by Mojomikey

[Fa11enPhoenix 1,405]

I really like the Sea Vixen... but without guns there's really no point. 

[Kempston 342]

That's a +1 from me, understandably it doesn't have guns, yet it doesn't necessarily need them, its got firestreak, redtop and bullpup, which could bring a new edge to tier VI which would stop an advanced jet being too OP 

[igmoustache60 8]

I've seen the sea vixen flying irl and it's my favourite plane, so I have a load of knowledge on it. I've seen the world last flying example (which crash landed a few years ago and is being restored to flight again) pull 5g or more and that is obviously far less than the aircraft would pull in combat as they want to keep the airframe as healthy as possible for displays to reduce maintenance. The sea vixen was a famously rugged plane - I've heard a story that one once landed badly on a carrier, crashing into a few parked planes and losing around 5 feet of one of the wings before limping back into the air and safely landing at a land base later on, so it would be a though plane in the game if added. It would be good with the new radar meta as they were equipped with a very powerful radar for the time and also they were supersonic in a shallow dive.

 

Any questions on it that I haven't covered - feel free to ask

 

but yeah I think it should be added and I reckon it will come out sooner rather than later

 

[Flame2512 3,384]

On 07/02/2019 at 20:05, Fa11enPhoenix said:

I really like the Sea Vixen... but without guns there's really no point. 

We could get the Mk.20X, the early production model of which one had 4 30mm ADEN cannons in the nose, as seen below

[TerikG2014 1,389]

3 hours ago, Flame2512 said:

We could get the Mk.20X, the early production model of which one had 4 30mm ADEN cannons in the nose, as seen below

 That is perfect!

[Guest Wildcat1998]

Would love to see this aircraft. It's simply gorgeous and it would certainly bring a different approach to combat, being only armed with missiles. It would also give the British Naval Aircraft tree a Tier 6. 

[sirkiwi123 80]

If  @TerikG2014is right about that Mk20X, this would be perfect for the current top tier. +1 from me

[kamikazi21358 998]

I don’t think the “no guns” will be a problem, and ignoring planes with rockets and missiles only will mean discarding many, many future jets and even some current strength ones.

 

Personally I think this could mean an opportunity to use the excuse to have jets with BR differences based on the guns, say have slightly better missiles and performance at the Br for in return not having any cannon backups.  For example, perhaps we could see the F4E Phantom II, and the equivalent version of the F4E with similar performance and missiles would be 0.3 or 0.7 BR below it.

 

Or using this as an example, it looks like it would have the performance of the best 9.0s and even 9.3s, with 4 air-to-Air missile options, but since it does not have guns, it could be an excuse to give it 9.0, (or 9.0 equivalent if we ever get BR decompression).

[toyeLinux 202]

On 02/05/2019 at 23:10, kamikazi21358 said:

I don’t think the “no guns” will be a problem, and ignoring planes with rockets and missiles only will mean discarding many, many future jets and even some current strength ones.

 

Personally I think this could mean an opportunity to use the excuse to have jets with BR differences based on the guns, say have slightly better missiles and performance at the Br for in return not having any cannon backups.  For example, perhaps we could see the F4E Phantom II, and the equivalent version of the F4E with similar performance and missiles would be 0.3 or 0.7 BR below it.

 

Or using this as an example, it looks like it would have the performance of the best 9.0s and even 9.3s, with 4 air-to-Air missile options, but since it does not have guns, it could be an excuse to give it 9.0, (or 9.0 equivalent if we ever get BR decompression).

the Mk.20X, the early production model of which one had 4 30mm ADEN cannons in the nose

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

+1 for the MK20x , i have a question , what's the max load g for the red top missile ?

[Th3hadyn 5,881]

With missiles being as common as they are now, even being used as primary armaments in some cases, the Sea Vixen FAW.2 is much more viable these days as a missile platform. If Firestreaks and Red Tops are corrected to be more historical, the Sea Vixen could be a very good support fighter at around 9.0/9.3. It would be nice for Gaijin to stop shying away from aircraft without guns. If they really wanted to, they could just folder it with the Sea Venom and make it optional if they are worried that people may find it hard to fly.

Would love to see it in game. And personally i find it much nicer to look at than the Javelin.

+1

Edited June 7, 2020 by Th3hadyn

[VinChenzo1982@psn 56]

+1 from me. I've seen these beautiful aircraft fly and would love to have one in the game.

[Dan_RAFBC 1,201]

Fully supported, it fits more into the game now than ever with all the new mechanics.

[CokeSpray 7,273]

Suggestion passed to the developers for consideration.

[leroyonly 4,310]

As the Sea Vixen FAW Mk. 2 has been implemented with update 2.7 Red Skies,

 

Moved to Implemented Suggestions.