Difference between revisions of "Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2"

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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].
+
During the late 1940s, de Havilland Aircraft Company set out to create the ultimate naval aircraft for the Royal Navy. The requirements set forth by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm dictated a reliable, high-speed, all-weather fleet defence strike fighter, armed with not only the latest developments in British air-to-air missile technology and a powerful radar, but also a respectable quantity of ground ordnance, including guided ordnance. De Havilland would set out to build the DH.110 prototype, which not only surpassed all expectations by being faster and more heavily armed than requested, but was also good enough to be submitted to the Royal Air Force for consideration in their upcoming interceptor selection. While initially the DH.110 fared very poorly, having the initial prototype disintegrate in the middle of an airshow and killing 31 people, almost directly causing it to lose out in both selections to the [[Sea Venom FAW 20|Sea Venom]] which was cheaper and more readily available for the Royal Navy, and the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9|Javelin]] interceptor which was favoured more by the RAF. This did not stop de Havilland, who saw the potential in their fighter, from developing the DH.110 further under their own funds, and shortly after, returned to the Royal Navy with a proposal for an updated version, which could accommodate the latest British missiles such as the Firestreak, and had its safety issues ironed out. The Royal Navy would order 148 of the type, now called the "Sea Vixen", and they would enter service very shortly after in 1959. Despite the attempts at fixing the safety issues, the Sea Vixen remained one of the most dangerous aircraft to enter service with the Royal Navy, with over a third of the Sea Vixens in service being lost in accidents. 30 of these (54% of the accidents) were fatal, and eventually, the Sea Vixen was relegated to peacekeeping and target tug roles, almost never seeing actual combat (with the exception of air-cover missions for Royal Navy helicopters/ships in Tanganyika and the Persian Gulf).
 +
 
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]]. While on the more expensive side of rank V premiums, the cost is justified as this aircraft is very good in most aspects against almost all aircraft it can face against. Most aircraft you face cannot keep up with you in a turn, and those that can, will be unable to catch you in a straight line. The main highlight of this aircraft is its versatility in both air and ground battles. In air battles, while limited by its weak roll rate and lack of ballistic ordnance such as cannons or guns, the Sea Vixen gets access to the [[Red Top]] air-to-air missile, which at its battle rating is strong against most targets it faces, with the exception of the A-4Es with flares. This aircraft also shines in mixed battles, with the ability to bring a decent selection of bombs, rockets, and the [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] Bullpup guided missiles. All in all, the Sea Vixen proves not only a very versatile aircraft, but a good premium for grinding the respective ranks of the British aircraft tree.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 5.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen after using one of its [[Red Top]] AAMs.]]
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=== Flight performance ===
 
=== Flight performance ===
 
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
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|-
 
|-
 
! Stock
 
! Stock
−
|1,109||1,093|| rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} ||24.5||25.5||42.7||39.4|| rowspan="2" |325
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| 1,109 || 1,093 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.5 || 25.5 || 42.7 || 39.4 || rowspan="2" | 325
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Upgraded
 
! Upgraded
−
|1,117||1,109||23.6||24.0||68.8||55.0
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| 1,117 || 1,109 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 68.8 || 55.0
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
|-
 
|-
−
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} ||N/A||407||324|| ~9 || ~5
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| 1,195 <!-- {{Specs|destruction|body}} --> || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 407 || 324 || ~9 || ~5
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 2.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen flying on [[Frozen Pass (Ground Forces)|Frozen Pass]].]]
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
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The Sea Vixen FAW.2 has no armour plates or bulletproof glass. The engines are both mounted in the centre of the airframe, with fuel tanks mainly in the wings. The tail overall is fairly weak and can be blown off easily by large calibre cannons, however the flap on the rear of the elevator can sometimes absorb shots, protecting the main elevator from damage. Unfortunately the Sea Vixen generally handles poorly when damaged, performance is reduced fairly significantly by damage to the wings and asymmetric damage can make control very difficult.
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The Sea Vixen FAW.2 has no armour plates but has bulletproof glass for the pilot. The engines are both mounted in the centre of the airframe, with fuel tanks mainly in the wings. The tail overall is fairly weak and can be blown off easily by large calibre cannons, however the flap on the rear of the elevator can sometimes absorb shots, protecting the main elevator from damage. Unfortunately the Sea Vixen generally handles poorly when damaged, performance is reduced fairly significantly by damage to the wings and asymmetric damage can make control very difficult.
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
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== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
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=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
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{{main|H.E. M.C. Mk.II (500 lb)|Mk.M1 (540 lb)|G.P. Mk.I (1,000 lb)}}
 
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{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|Firestreak|Red Top}}
 
−
{{main|AP Mk II|RN|RP-3}}
 
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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|-
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! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
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| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
 +
|-
 +
! [[H.E. M.C. Mk.II (500 lb)|500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II]] bombs
 +
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
 +
|-
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! [[Mk.M2 (540 lb)|540 lb Mk.M2]] bombs
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| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
 +
|-
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! [[H.E. M.C. Mk.13 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13]] bombs
 +
| 1 || || || || || 1
 +
|-
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! [[AP Mk II]] rockets
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| || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 ||
 +
|-
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! [[RP]] rockets
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| || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 ||
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|-
 +
! [[RP-3]] rockets
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| || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 ||
 +
|-
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! [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles
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| 1 || || || || || 1
 +
|-
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! [[Firestreak]] missiles
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| || 1* || 1* || 1* || 1* ||
 +
|-
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! [[Red Top]] missiles
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| || 1* || 1* || 1* || 1* ||
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 700 kg
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|-
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| colspan="8" | * Firestreak and Red Top air-to-air missiles cannot be mixed, only one type may be carried across hardpoints
 +
|}
 +
 +
{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
 +
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
  
 
* 4 x Firestreak missiles
 
* 4 x Firestreak missiles
 +
* 4 x Red Top missiles
 
* 4 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (2,000 lb total)
 
* 4 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (2,000 lb total)
−
* 4 x 540 lb Mk.M1 bombs (2,160 lb total)
+
* 4 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (2,160 lb total)
−
* 2 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
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* 2 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (2,000 lb total)
−
* 2 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs + 4 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (4,000 lb total)
 
−
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
 
−
* 4 x Red Top missiles
 
−
* 144 x RN rockets
 
 
* 16 x RP-3 rockets
 
* 16 x RP-3 rockets
 
* 24 x AP Mk II rockets
 
* 24 x AP Mk II rockets
−
* 2 x Firestreak missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
+
* 144 x RP rockets
−
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 72 x RN rockets
+
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
−
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 8 x RP-3 rockets
+
* 2 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs + 4 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (4,160 lb total)
−
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 12 x AP Mk II rockets
+
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x Firestreak missiles
−
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
+
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 144 x RP rockets
−
* 2 x Firestreak missiles + 72 x RN rockets
+
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 72 x RP rockets
−
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 72 x RN rockets
+
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 2 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles (1,000 lb total)
−
* 8 x RP-3 rockets + 2 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (1,000 lb total)
+
{{Navigation-End}}
−
* 12 x AP Mk II rockets + 2 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (1,000 lb total)
 
−
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 2 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (1,000 lb total)
 
−
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 72 x RN rockets + 2 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (1,000 lb total)
 
−
* 2 x Firestreak missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 2 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (1,000 lb total)
 
−
* 4 x Firestreak missiles + 2 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
 
−
* 4 x Red Top missiles + 2 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
 
−
* 144 x RN rockets + 2 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
 
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''
+
[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 3.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen launching a [[Firestreak]] AAM.]]
 +
 
 +
;Air Realistic battles
 +
 
 +
The '''Red Tops''' are generally much better missiles to equip, compared to the '''Firestreaks''', as they have the largest warhead of any air-to-air missile in the game and have a slightly better top speed (Mach 2.5). Because of this, the Sea Vixen's best tactic is to climb to one side at the start of the battle and attack enemy bombers. The Red Tops are very good for attacking from the side and this tactic is a good idea to avoid enemy tail gunners and will make the missile more likely to hit because of the Red Tops' poor range from the rear.
 +
 
 +
Alternatively, you can use the Red Tops in Boom-n-Zoom attacks on enemy fighters, who are not watching out for missiles or fighters, which have lost speed. The Red Tops are most useful when fired from the side between 1 to 2.5 km range. The Sea Vixen's manoeuvrability may tempt you to engage in dogfights, however, you should generally stick to boom-and-zoom tactics at least until there are only a few hostile aircraft left; The Sea Vixen's primary way of avoiding damage is its superior speed and engaging in dogfights gives a chance to hostiles to get a hit on you.
 +
 
 +
Remember to actively use your radar lock, the Sea Vixen's radar lock is superior to even some top-tier aircraft and allows you to get a missile lock without needing to have your aircraft's nose pointed at the target. It can also help you acquire a lock more easily on turning aircraft and it is generally good practice to radar lock any target you are going after.
 +
 
 +
;Enemies worth noting:
 +
 
 +
MiG-19s and F-104s in particular need to be looked out for as they are common and among the very few aircraft able to catch up to the Sea Vixen. In a downtier, A-4Es are the primary target that should be avoided, as they possess flares.
 +
 
 +
;Strategies for specific aircraft:
 +
 
 +
* [[F-104 (Family)|F-104 ''Starfighter'']]: In uptiers, the most common aircraft you will face is the F-104s. Unfortunately, you will see very few bombers in these cases, so you will most likely have to deal with them one way or another.
 +
** Your ideal engagement is intercepting an F-104 that is diving on another target (or just cruising) from the sides, the Sea Vixen has great manoeuvrability and can easily get on an aircraft's tail. When you are on the tail of a F-104, quickly judge its speed, if it is going near your top speed, your desired missile launch range is within 1.5km; Red Tops have subpar burn time and cannot catch up if launched from any further.
 +
** If the target F-104 tries to dogfight you, quickly check your surroundings, if there are no other hostile aircraft in sight, feel free to respond in kind. The Sea Vixen is far more manoeuvrable than the F-104, you have the upper hand.
 +
 
 +
* [[A-4 (Family)|A-4 ''Skyhawk'']]: The strategy against A-4s is generally just brute force. You can get on their tail and pressure them, you are both faster and more manoeuvrable so you can afford a protracted fight (given there are no other hostiles in the vicinity).
 +
** The ideal situation is when the target A-4 is confident in its flares and is flying straight. In that case, you may get between 0.5 to 0.7 km of them, the close distance gives them very little time to react, and even if they do drop flares in time, good chances are that the flares won't have time to travel far enough from the A-4 and as such the missile will still damage them simply by exploding close to them.
 +
** If the A-4 turns, use your radar lock to get a missile lock and launch the missile ahead of its turn. The missile will then be less likely to be fooled by flares as the flares will be too far back comparatively.
 +
 
 +
[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 4.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen after destroying a target with its [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] Bullpup.]]
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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* Very high top speed of over 1,100 km/h at sea level
 
* Very high top speed of over 1,100 km/h at sea level
−
* Good acceleration thanks to its two powerful engines
+
* Good acceleration and climb rate thanks to its two powerful engines
 
* [[Red Top]] missiles can be very hard to dodge when used correctly
 
* [[Red Top]] missiles can be very hard to dodge when used correctly
−
* Climbs better than most aircraft it faces
+
* Surprisingly manoeuvrable, despite the size
−
* Is surprisingly manoeuvrable
+
* Decent ground attack ordnance loadouts, including [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] air-to-ground missiles
−
* Can carry [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] air-to-ground missiles
 
−
* Decent ground attack ordnance loadouts
 
−
* Can drop bombs / fire rockets separately instead of in pairs
 
 
* Can take-off and land from aircraft carriers
 
* Can take-off and land from aircraft carriers
−
* The AI Mk.18 radar is better than that found on most aircraft you face.
+
* The AI Mk.18 radar is better than that found on most aircraft you face
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
 
* The Sea Vixen has no guns or cannons, relying entirely on missiles for air-to-air combat
 
* The Sea Vixen has no guns or cannons, relying entirely on missiles for air-to-air combat
 +
** Only having four air-to-air missiles with no other air-to-air armament limits how many kills you can get without re-arming. Targets with flares can be very hard to kill as a result
 +
** Having only missiles enforces a fairly high minimum engagement range on you (missiles require time to start tracking after launch, and arm their proximity fuse).
 
* Missiles are rear-aspect only so you cannot engage targets you are approaching head-on (or from the front aspect in general)
 
* Missiles are rear-aspect only so you cannot engage targets you are approaching head-on (or from the front aspect in general)
−
* Although you can use [[RN]] rockets for air-to-air they are very hard to aim and are impact fuse only
+
* Both [[Red Top]] and [[Firestreak]] missiles do not have great range when fired from directly behind a target
−
* Both [[Red Top]] and [[Firestreak]] missiles do not have great range when fired from directly behind a target.
+
* Very large in size, can be easily hit by most enemies
−
* Only having four air-to-air missiles with no other air-to-air armament limits how many kills you can get without re-arming
 
−
* Unlike in aircraft with guns you cannot opportunistically kill ground targets while flying around
 
−
* Targets with flares can be very hard to kill
 
−
* Having only missiles enforces a fairly high minimum engagement range on you (missiles require time to start tracking after launch, and arm their proximity fuse).
 
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
The de Havilland '''Sea Vixen''' is a British twin-boom, twin-engine carrier air-defence aircraft employed by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm from the 1950s to 1970s.
 +
 +
The Royal Navy had interest in a carrier defence fighter after the Second World War, and issued a requirement for such an aircraft in 1946. De Havilland began producing an aircraft, the DH 110, to fulfill this requirement. However, the Fleet Air Arm decided to proceed with the Sea Venom instead as it was cheaper and available sooner. In spite of this, De Havilland continued work on the DH 110 independently, finishing the first prototype in September of 1951. This prototype exceeded expectations and could regularly attain supersonic speeds during test flights.
 +
 +
Tragedy soon struck when the DH 110 prototype disintegrated in midair during the Farnborough Airshow in 1952, resulting in the deaths of 31 people including the crew of two. As a result, the DH 110 underwent significant design changes to improve its structural stability, resulting in its maximum speed being reduced to Mach 0.91. This aircraft was offered to the Fleet Air Arm and replaced the previous Sea Venoms as the RN's primary air defence fighter. In February of 1955, 110 aircraft were ordered, with the name "Sea Vixen".
 +
 +
The Sea Vixen was built with an unconventional twin-boom design, which de Havilland had perfected through its design of the twin-boomed [[Vampire FB 5|Vampire]] and [[Venom FB.4|Venom]] fighters. The Sea Vixen was also the first British combat aircraft with no internal gun armament, relying entirely on its suspended ordnance. The FAW.1 variant was capable of carrying 4 Firestreak AAMs for fleet defence, while the FAW.2 variant could carry the more advanced Red Top missile. The aircraft had two Rolls-Royce Avon engines producing 33 kN of thrust each and a crew of two, with the pilot's canopy offset to the left and the radar operator's seat flush within the fuselage.
 +
 +
The first Sea Vixens entered service with frontline squadrons in 1959. The Sea Vixen failed to see any combat action during its short service, but served with the Fleet Air Arm in deployments off of Iraq, Tanganyika (part of modern-day Tanzania), Indonesia, and more. The aircraft were replaced by the more modern [[Phantom FG.1]], a British variant of the American F-4 Phantom II. The last Sea Vixens were retired from active duty in 1972; a total of 145 were built, though 55 had been lost to accidents.
 +
 
===[[wt:en/news/7160-development-sea-vixen-faw-2-breaking-convention-en|Devblog]]===
 
===[[wt:en/news/7160-development-sea-vixen-faw-2-breaking-convention-en|Devblog]]===
 +
[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 1.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen on HMS Ark Royal (R09).]]
 
Development of the Sea Vixen began in 1946 when de Havilland entered talks with the Admiralty on designing a future radar-equipped naval jet fighter with all-weather capability. Official requirements were drawn up in January 1947, by which time however de Havilland was already working on a design based on the preceding Vampire and Venom fighters designated DH 110.
 
Development of the Sea Vixen began in 1946 when de Havilland entered talks with the Admiralty on designing a future radar-equipped naval jet fighter with all-weather capability. Official requirements were drawn up in January 1947, by which time however de Havilland was already working on a design based on the preceding Vampire and Venom fighters designated DH 110.
  
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Although the British Sea Vixens never took part in any wars, they were still involved in a number of different combat operations primarily in Africa and the Middle East where they provided fire support for ground troops and flew patrols.
 
Although the British Sea Vixens never took part in any wars, they were still involved in a number of different combat operations primarily in Africa and the Middle East where they provided fire support for ground troops and flew patrols.
 +
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
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;Skins
 
;Skins
 +
 
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=dh_110_sea_vixen Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=dh_110_sea_vixen Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 +
;Camouflages
 +
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 Devblog Images" heights="150">
 +
File:Sea Vixen Shark camo.png|The Sea Vixen "Shark" skin available for GE
 +
File:XJ488 camo.png|Sea Vixen XJ488 RN test squadron camo
 +
</gallery>
  
 
;Images
 
;Images
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;Videos
 
;Videos
−
{{Youtube-gallery|ObEcMPqFBbE|'''The Shooting Range #259''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}
+
{{Youtube-gallery|zn2uhgI2PPg|'''Best twin-boom aircraft''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 01:37 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|ObEcMPqFBbE|'''The Shooting Range #259''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==

Revision as of 21:38, 13 August 2024

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Description

During the late 1940s, de Havilland Aircraft Company set out to create the ultimate naval aircraft for the Royal Navy. The requirements set forth by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm dictated a reliable, high-speed, all-weather fleet defence strike fighter, armed with not only the latest developments in British air-to-air missile technology and a powerful radar, but also a respectable quantity of ground ordnance, including guided ordnance. De Havilland would set out to build the DH.110 prototype, which not only surpassed all expectations by being faster and more heavily armed than requested, but was also good enough to be submitted to the Royal Air Force for consideration in their upcoming interceptor selection. While initially the DH.110 fared very poorly, having the initial prototype disintegrate in the middle of an airshow and killing 31 people, almost directly causing it to lose out in both selections to the Sea Venom which was cheaper and more readily available for the Royal Navy, and the Javelin interceptor which was favoured more by the RAF. This did not stop de Havilland, who saw the potential in their fighter, from developing the DH.110 further under their own funds, and shortly after, returned to the Royal Navy with a proposal for an updated version, which could accommodate the latest British missiles such as the Firestreak, and had its safety issues ironed out. The Royal Navy would order 148 of the type, now called the "Sea Vixen", and they would enter service very shortly after in 1959. Despite the attempts at fixing the safety issues, the Sea Vixen remained one of the most dangerous aircraft to enter service with the Royal Navy, with over a third of the Sea Vixens in service being lost in accidents. 30 of these (54% of the accidents) were fatal, and eventually, the Sea Vixen was relegated to peacekeeping and target tug roles, almost never seeing actual combat (with the exception of air-cover missions for Royal Navy helicopters/ships in Tanganyika and the Persian Gulf).

The DH.110 Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 was introduced in Update "Red Skies". While on the more expensive side of rank V premiums, the cost is justified as this aircraft is very good in most aspects against almost all aircraft it can face against. Most aircraft you face cannot keep up with you in a turn, and those that can, will be unable to catch you in a straight line. The main highlight of this aircraft is its versatility in both air and ground battles. In air battles, while limited by its weak roll rate and lack of ballistic ordnance such as cannons or guns, the Sea Vixen gets access to the Red Top air-to-air missile, which at its battle rating is strong against most targets it faces, with the exception of the A-4Es with flares. This aircraft also shines in mixed battles, with the ability to bring a decent selection of bombs, rockets, and the AGM-12B Bullpup guided missiles. All in all, the Sea Vixen proves not only a very versatile aircraft, but a good premium for grinding the respective ranks of the British aircraft tree.

General info

Sea Vixen after using one of its Red Top AAMs.

Flight performance

Arrestor gear
Accelerates braking by grabbing the brake cable on the deck of the aircraft carrier
Air brakes
Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps
Max speed
at 100 m1 109 km/h
Turn time24 s
Max altitude13 000 m
Engine2 х Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.208
Type
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight21 t
Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 100 m) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 1,109 1,093 13000 24.5 25.5 42.7 39.4 325
Upgraded 1,117 1,109 23.6 24.0 68.8 55.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
X ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
1,195 407 N/A 407 324 ~9 ~5
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 685 < 750 < 440 N/A

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Basic mass Wing loading (full fuel)
Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.208 2 12,872 kg 291 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Takeoff
Weight
Weight (each) Type 8m fuel 20m fuel 26m fuel
2,361 kg Axial-flow turbojet 14,274 kg 16,359 kg 17,545 kg 21,205 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition 100% WEP 8m fuel 20m fuel 26m fuel MTOW
Stationary 5,029 kgf N/A 0.70 0.61 0.57 0.47
Optimal 5,029 kgf
(0 km/h) 		N/A 0.70 0.61 0.57 0.47
Sea Vixen flying on Frozen Pass.

Survivability and armour

Crew2 people
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear407 km/h

The Sea Vixen FAW.2 has no armour plates but has bulletproof glass for the pilot. The engines are both mounted in the centre of the airframe, with fuel tanks mainly in the wings. The tail overall is fairly weak and can be blown off easily by large calibre cannons, however the flap on the rear of the elevator can sometimes absorb shots, protecting the main elevator from damage. Unfortunately the Sea Vixen generally handles poorly when damaged, performance is reduced fairly significantly by damage to the wings and asymmetric damage can make control very difficult.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
AB2 376 Sl icon.png
RB5 919 Sl icon.png
SB8 510 Sl icon.png
Crew training10 000 Sl icon.png
Experts550 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 800 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 600 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
Talisman.png 2 × 130 / 380 / 600 % Sl icon.png
Talisman.png 2 × 208 / 208 / 208 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Mods booster.png
New boosters
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Mods g suit.png
G-suit
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Mods jet engine extinguisher.png
EFS
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Mods pilon rocket.png
25 lb A.P. Mark II
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
500 LB
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
60 lb S.A.P. Mark I
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
Mk.N1 540lb
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods air to air missile.png
Red Top
Mods pilon block rocket.png
Matra №7 Mk 1
Mods pilon bomb.png
1000 LB
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods agm missile.png
AGM-12B Bullpup

Armaments

Suspended armament

The Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

1 2 3 4 5 6
Hardpoints Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2.png
500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs 1 1 1 1
540 lb Mk.M2 bombs 1 1 1 1
1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs 1 1
AP Mk II rockets 6 6 6 6
RP rockets 36 36 36 36
RP-3 rockets 4 4 4 4
AGM-12B Bullpup missiles 1 1
Firestreak missiles 1* 1* 1* 1*
Red Top missiles 1* 1* 1* 1*
Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 700 kg
* Firestreak and Red Top air-to-air missiles cannot be mixed, only one type may be carried across hardpoints
Default weapon presets
  • 4 x Firestreak missiles
  • 4 x Red Top missiles
  • 4 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (2,000 lb total)
  • 4 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (2,160 lb total)
  • 2 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (2,000 lb total)
  • 16 x RP-3 rockets
  • 24 x AP Mk II rockets
  • 144 x RP rockets
  • 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
  • 2 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs + 4 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (4,160 lb total)
  • 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x Firestreak missiles
  • 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 144 x RP rockets
  • 2 x Red Top missiles + 72 x RP rockets
  • 2 x Red Top missiles + 2 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles (1,000 lb total)

Usage in battles

Sea Vixen launching a Firestreak AAM.
Air Realistic battles

The Red Tops are generally much better missiles to equip, compared to the Firestreaks, as they have the largest warhead of any air-to-air missile in the game and have a slightly better top speed (Mach 2.5). Because of this, the Sea Vixen's best tactic is to climb to one side at the start of the battle and attack enemy bombers. The Red Tops are very good for attacking from the side and this tactic is a good idea to avoid enemy tail gunners and will make the missile more likely to hit because of the Red Tops' poor range from the rear.

Alternatively, you can use the Red Tops in Boom-n-Zoom attacks on enemy fighters, who are not watching out for missiles or fighters, which have lost speed. The Red Tops are most useful when fired from the side between 1 to 2.5 km range. The Sea Vixen's manoeuvrability may tempt you to engage in dogfights, however, you should generally stick to boom-and-zoom tactics at least until there are only a few hostile aircraft left; The Sea Vixen's primary way of avoiding damage is its superior speed and engaging in dogfights gives a chance to hostiles to get a hit on you.

Remember to actively use your radar lock, the Sea Vixen's radar lock is superior to even some top-tier aircraft and allows you to get a missile lock without needing to have your aircraft's nose pointed at the target. It can also help you acquire a lock more easily on turning aircraft and it is generally good practice to radar lock any target you are going after.

Enemies worth noting

MiG-19s and F-104s in particular need to be looked out for as they are common and among the very few aircraft able to catch up to the Sea Vixen. In a downtier, A-4Es are the primary target that should be avoided, as they possess flares.

Strategies for specific aircraft
  • F-104 Starfighter: In uptiers, the most common aircraft you will face is the F-104s. Unfortunately, you will see very few bombers in these cases, so you will most likely have to deal with them one way or another.
    • Your ideal engagement is intercepting an F-104 that is diving on another target (or just cruising) from the sides, the Sea Vixen has great manoeuvrability and can easily get on an aircraft's tail. When you are on the tail of a F-104, quickly judge its speed, if it is going near your top speed, your desired missile launch range is within 1.5km; Red Tops have subpar burn time and cannot catch up if launched from any further.
    • If the target F-104 tries to dogfight you, quickly check your surroundings, if there are no other hostile aircraft in sight, feel free to respond in kind. The Sea Vixen is far more manoeuvrable than the F-104, you have the upper hand.
  • A-4 Skyhawk: The strategy against A-4s is generally just brute force. You can get on their tail and pressure them, you are both faster and more manoeuvrable so you can afford a protracted fight (given there are no other hostiles in the vicinity).
    • The ideal situation is when the target A-4 is confident in its flares and is flying straight. In that case, you may get between 0.5 to 0.7 km of them, the close distance gives them very little time to react, and even if they do drop flares in time, good chances are that the flares won't have time to travel far enough from the A-4 and as such the missile will still damage them simply by exploding close to them.
    • If the A-4 turns, use your radar lock to get a missile lock and launch the missile ahead of its turn. The missile will then be less likely to be fooled by flares as the flares will be too far back comparatively.
Sea Vixen after destroying a target with its AGM-12B Bullpup.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Very high top speed of over 1,100 km/h at sea level
  • Good acceleration and climb rate thanks to its two powerful engines
  • Red Top missiles can be very hard to dodge when used correctly
  • Surprisingly manoeuvrable, despite the size
  • Decent ground attack ordnance loadouts, including AGM-12B Bullpup air-to-ground missiles
  • Can take-off and land from aircraft carriers
  • The AI Mk.18 radar is better than that found on most aircraft you face

Cons:

  • The Sea Vixen has no guns or cannons, relying entirely on missiles for air-to-air combat
    • Only having four air-to-air missiles with no other air-to-air armament limits how many kills you can get without re-arming. Targets with flares can be very hard to kill as a result
    • Having only missiles enforces a fairly high minimum engagement range on you (missiles require time to start tracking after launch, and arm their proximity fuse).
  • Missiles are rear-aspect only so you cannot engage targets you are approaching head-on (or from the front aspect in general)
  • Both Red Top and Firestreak missiles do not have great range when fired from directly behind a target
  • Very large in size, can be easily hit by most enemies

History

The de Havilland Sea Vixen is a British twin-boom, twin-engine carrier air-defence aircraft employed by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm from the 1950s to 1970s.

The Royal Navy had interest in a carrier defence fighter after the Second World War, and issued a requirement for such an aircraft in 1946. De Havilland began producing an aircraft, the DH 110, to fulfill this requirement. However, the Fleet Air Arm decided to proceed with the Sea Venom instead as it was cheaper and available sooner. In spite of this, De Havilland continued work on the DH 110 independently, finishing the first prototype in September of 1951. This prototype exceeded expectations and could regularly attain supersonic speeds during test flights.

Tragedy soon struck when the DH 110 prototype disintegrated in midair during the Farnborough Airshow in 1952, resulting in the deaths of 31 people including the crew of two. As a result, the DH 110 underwent significant design changes to improve its structural stability, resulting in its maximum speed being reduced to Mach 0.91. This aircraft was offered to the Fleet Air Arm and replaced the previous Sea Venoms as the RN's primary air defence fighter. In February of 1955, 110 aircraft were ordered, with the name "Sea Vixen".

The Sea Vixen was built with an unconventional twin-boom design, which de Havilland had perfected through its design of the twin-boomed Vampire and Venom fighters. The Sea Vixen was also the first British combat aircraft with no internal gun armament, relying entirely on its suspended ordnance. The FAW.1 variant was capable of carrying 4 Firestreak AAMs for fleet defence, while the FAW.2 variant could carry the more advanced Red Top missile. The aircraft had two Rolls-Royce Avon engines producing 33 kN of thrust each and a crew of two, with the pilot's canopy offset to the left and the radar operator's seat flush within the fuselage.

The first Sea Vixens entered service with frontline squadrons in 1959. The Sea Vixen failed to see any combat action during its short service, but served with the Fleet Air Arm in deployments off of Iraq, Tanganyika (part of modern-day Tanzania), Indonesia, and more. The aircraft were replaced by the more modern Phantom FG.1, a British variant of the American F-4 Phantom II. The last Sea Vixens were retired from active duty in 1972; a total of 145 were built, though 55 had been lost to accidents.

Devblog

Sea Vixen on HMS Ark Royal (R09).

Development of the Sea Vixen began in 1946 when de Havilland entered talks with the Admiralty on designing a future radar-equipped naval jet fighter with all-weather capability. Official requirements were drawn up in January 1947, by which time however de Havilland was already working on a design based on the preceding Vampire and Venom fighters designated DH 110.

Despite decreasing interest in the project by the late 1940's, in September 1951, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. However, only a year later, the same prototype crashed during an air show, thus further impeding the project's progress. While the RAF abandoned the idea of purchasing the DH 110 by the mid 1950's, the FAA gained a renewed interest in the aircraft and placed an order for 110 machines to be built in February 1955. Along with the order, the DH 110 received its official designation 'Sea Vixen'.

As the Sea Vixen entered service with the FAA in 1959, de Havilland took note of the feedback gained from operational use of the aircraft and continued working on the Sea Vixen in an effort to improve its design. As a result, the Sea Vixen FAW.2 made its debut in 1962 which featured a number of improvements, of which one of the more notable ones was the ability to carry the Red Top air-to-air missiles. Over 140 Sea Vixens were built, most of which were converted over to the FAW.2 modification after its commissioning into service.

Although the British Sea Vixens never took part in any wars, they were still involved in a number of different combat operations primarily in Africa and the Middle East where they provided fire support for ground troops and flew patrols.


Media

Skins
Camouflages
  • Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 Devblog Images

  • The Sea Vixen "Shark" skin available for GE

  • Sea Vixen XJ488 RN test squadron camo

Images
  • Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 Devblog Images
  • Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 001.jpg
  • Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 002.jpg
  • Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 003.jpg
  • Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 004.jpg
  • Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 005.jpg
  • Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 006.jpg
  • Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 007.jpg
Videos
Best twin-boom aircraft discusses the Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 at 01:37 - War Thunder Official Channel
The Shooting Range #259 - Metal Beasts section at 00:26 discusses the Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2.

See also

External links


De Havilland Aircraft Company Limited
Fighters  Hornet Mk.I · Hornet Mk.III · Mosquito FB Mk VI · Mosquito FB Mk XVIII
Jet fighters  Vampire F.B.5 · Venom FB.4 · Sea Venom FAW 20 · Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2
Export  ␗Mosquito FB.Mk.26 · ▄Vampire FB 52A(Italy) · ▄Vampire FB 52A(Finland) · A28B

Britain jet aircraft
Blackburn  Buccaneer S.1 · Buccaneer S.2 · Buccaneer S.2B
British Aerospace  Harrier GR.7 · Sea Harrier FRS.1 (e) · Sea Harrier FRS.1 · Sea Harrier FA 2
British Aircraft Corporation  Strikemaster Mk.88
English Electric  Canberra B Mk 2 · Canberra B (I) Mk 6 · Lightning F.6 · Lightning F.53
Gloster  Meteor F Mk 3 · Sea Meteor F Mk 3 · Meteor F Mk 4 G.41F · Meteor F Mk 4 G.41G · Meteor F Mk 8 G.41K · Meteor F Mk.8 Reaper
  Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9
de Havilland  Vampire F.B.5 · Venom FB.4 · Sea Venom FAW 20 · Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2
Hawker  Sea Hawk FGA.6 · Hunter F.1 · Hunter F.6 · Hunter FGA.9 · Harrier GR.1 · Harrier GR.3
Panavia  Tornado GR.1 · Tornado GR.4 · Tornado F.3 · Tornado F.3 Late
SEPECAT  Jaguar GR.1 · Jaguar GR.1A · Jaguar IS
Supermarine  Attacker FB 1 · Attacker FB.2 · Scimitar F Mk.1 · Swift F.1 · Swift F.7
Foreign  Phantom FG.1 (USA) · Phantom FGR.2 (USA) · F-4J(UK) Phantom II (USA)
Australia  F-111C
India  ▄MiG-21 Bison
South Africa  ▄JAS39C

Britain premium aircraft
Fighters  Tuck's Gladiator Mk II · ▄Boomerang Mk I · ▄Boomerang Mk II · ▄D.520
  ▄Martlet Mk IV · ▄Corsair F Mk II · ▄Hellcat Mk II · ▄Thunderbolt Mk.1 · ▄Mustang Mk IA
  Hurricane Mk.I/L FAA M · Spitfire Mk.IIa Venture I · Spitfire F Mk IXc · Plagis' Spitfire LF Mk IXc · Spitfire F Mk XIVc · Prendergast's Spitfire FR Mk XIVe
  Typhoon Mk Ib · MB.5
Twin-engine fighters  Hornet Mk.I · Whirlwind P.9
Jet fighters  Attacker FB.2 · Hunter FGA.9 · Lightning F.53 · Meteor F Mk.8 Reaper · Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 · F-4J(UK) Phantom II · ▄MiG-21 Bison
Strike aircraft  ▄Wirraway · Beaufighter Mk I (40-mm) · Wyvern S4
  Harrier GR.1 · Strikemaster Mk.88
Bombers  ▄Avenger Mk II · ▄Boston Mk I · ▄Catalina Mk IIIa · ▄DB-7 · ▄Havoc Mk I · ▄Hudson Mk V · Swordfish Mk II

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