de Havilland DH110 Sea Vixen First Flight 26 September 1951 cover signed by pilot

Cover depicts the First Prototype WG236, second prototype WG240 and Sea Vixens Mk 1-3. Cover bears E pondlife stamp and is cancelled cancelled with 50th Anniversary of the De Havilland DH110 26 September 01 Hatfield Hertfordshire. Cover has been flown in de Havilland Sea Vixen DMk3 XP924 of de Havilland Aviation from Bournemouth Airport on a flight to and from RNAS Yeovilton for a special event to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the DH110 hosted by the Fleet Air Arm whoch included a flying display by G-CVIX. Cover has been signed by the pilot who flew the covers


The De Havilland DH110 was first proposed as a later generation all-weather naval fighter and was the largest and last development based on the Vampire and Venom configeration. Although the design was amended to meet an advanced RAF night fighter  requirement detailed design and construction was not commenced until the issue of Air Ministry Dpecification F4/48 to which the Gloster Aircraft company tendered their GA5 design. initially five prototypes were ordered but later the last three were cancelled and WG236 became the first protitype. It was a twin boom areoplane with swept wings  and was powered by two 7,500lbs Rolls Royce Avon engines. The first flight was made from Hatfield on 26 September 1951 piloted by Group Captain John Cunningham. On 9 April 1952 it exceeded the speed of sound in a shallow dive.
WG236 was presented to the public at the SBAC show Farnborough but a major setback occurred when it broke up in the air killing John Derry, his observer and nearly thirty spectators. WG240 was immediately grounded and didn't gly until 11 June 1953.At this point Ron Ashfield took over as Flight Test Observer and made his 1st flight 26 June 1953.  The RAF lost interest in the DH110 and selected the GA5 (Javelin) but the Royal Navy decided to shelve the Venom modernisation programe in favour of the DH110 but modified to sea-going standards.
Deck landing trials were carried aboard HMS Ark Royal by Commander Orr including unassisted and steam catapult launches and arrested landing.
Production of the Dh110 designated the Sea Vixen was carried out at Christchurch. The first was the XJ474 whcih made its initial flight on 20 March 1957. It was the first British naval fighter designated as an integrated weapons system and the first to be armed with missiles only.
In February 1960 892 Squadron embarked HMS Ark Royal and leaving the carrier at Gibraltar they returned to Yeovilton on 18 June. De Havilland Test pilots Chris Capper and Peter Barlow carried out trials of the Drogue refulling packs to allow the sea vixen to refuel another by the 'buddy' system

 

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