De Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom FAW20, UNKNOWN / UNKNOWN, Royal Navy
This picture is © Dave Welch and may not be used or published without permission.
Registration: UNKNOWN
Construction Number: UNKNOWN
Code Number: XJ602 / 247/H
Military Unit: Unknown
Model De Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom FAW20
Operator: Royal Navy
Airport: RNAS Lee-on-Solent (EGUS), UK - England
Airshow: Lee-on-Solent - Naval Air Day - 1963
Photographer: Dave Welch
Date Taken: 10/08/1963
Date Submitted: 09/02/2019
From David Watkins - In November 1961 RNAS Abbotsinch AHU was asked to investigate the conversion of older aircraft into a modern type for the Fleet Air Arm's display at the Royal Tournament, as the current service aircraft would prove too heavy for the floor of the Earl's Court Stadium. With the technical 'expertise' gained from their earlier conversion with the 'D H Vennet' for the 1961 Navy Day, it was decided that the simplest method was from the Sea Venom to the Sea Vixen. Four Sea Venom airframes were selected. The work was completed by March 1962 and they were transported to Portsmouth by lighter. Dubbed 'Mini-Vixens' or 'Vixettes', three of the replicas were known to have worn the spurious markings 'XJ601:241/H', 'XJ602:247/H' and 'XJ603:246/H'. To the best of my knowledge, the identities of the original Sea Venoms have not been established.
Picture ID:1640309