The de Havilland Sea Vixen (IWM neg ZZZ14196E)

From 1959 the Sea Venom began to be replaced by the de Havilland Sea Vixen, which became the Royal Navy's principal carrier-borne fighter of the 1950s. The Sea Vixen was the largest and final development of the de Havilland twin tail boom series of aircraft.

It was also the first British interceptor to dispense with guns, being armed only with missiles and air-to-air rockets. Sea Vixens saw combat in the Persian Gulf in 1961 and remained in service until 1971.

Back to Air and Sea