The de Havilland DH.103 Hornet, developed by
de Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited () was a British aviation manufacturer established in late 1920 by Geoffrey de Havilland at Stag Lane Aerodrome Edgware on the outskirts of north London. Operations were later moved to Hatfield in H ...
, was a
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
driven by two
piston engine
A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is typically a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert high temperature and high pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common featu ...
s. It further exploited the wooden construction techniques that had been pioneered by the
de Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito is a British twin-engined, shoulder-winged, multirole combat aircraft, introduced during the Second World War. Unusual in that its frame was constructed mostly of wood, it was nicknamed the "Wooden Wonder", or ...
. Development of the Hornet had started during the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
as a private venture. The aircraft was to conduct long range fighter operations in the
Pacific Theatre against the
Empire of Japan
The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent fo ...
but the war ended before the Hornet reached operational squadron status.
The Hornet entered service with
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Britai ...
where it equipped several day fighter units and was commonly stationed in the British mainland. It saw combat in the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
, being used as a strike fighter as part of the British military action taken during the
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War was a guerrilla war fought in British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the military forces o ...
. A naval carrier-capable version, the Sea Hornet, had been envisaged early on and was procured by the
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
of the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
.
Development
Origins
In the autumn of 1941, de Havilland found that it had the spare design capacity to work on a new project. At this point, the Mosquito had entered full-rate production and preliminary work on a
jet-propelled fighter aircraft, which became the
Vampire
A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
, was waiting for the production of prototype engines.
[Birtles 1967, p. 3.] The company promptly recognised a need for a high-speed, unarmed, night bomber powered by a pair of large
Napier Sabre
The Napier Sabre is a British H-24-cylinder, liquid-cooled, sleeve valve, piston aero engine, designed by Major Frank Halford and built by D. Napier & Son during World War II. The engine evolved to become one of the most powerful inline ...
piston engines and a design for such an aircraft was first proposed under the designation ''D.H. 101'' in October 1941. A design team led by
R. E. Bishop with C. T. Wilkins assisting, was assembled with the aim of developing the D.H. 101, which was initially pursued as a private venture.
The Sabre engine was suffering from availability problems at that point and the DH. 101 was soon replaced by a lower-powered design, with the internal designation ''D.H. 102''. This proposal was intended to be powered by a pair of
Rolls-Royce Griffon
The Rolls-Royce Griffon is a British 37-litre (2,240 cu in) capacity, 60-degree V-12, liquid-cooled aero engine designed and built by Rolls-Royce Limited. In keeping with company convention, the Griffon was named after a bird of prey, ...
or
Rolls-Royce Merlin
The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled V-12 piston aero engine of 27-litres (1,650 cu in) capacity. Rolls-Royce designed the engine and first ran it in 1933 as a private venture. Initially known as the PV-12, it was later ...
engines but either engine would have meant that the aircraft would be somewhat slower and less attractive than the Mosquito.
By November 1942, de Havilland had elected to shelve the night bomber project and concentrate on producing a long-range fighter, the ''D.H. 103'', that would make the maximum possible use of the Merlin engine.
The D.H. 103 resembled a small Mosquito, with a single seat; it was intended to take on other single-seat fighter aircraft, particularly those operated by Japan, while still being capable of conducting very long range missions to be of use in the
Pacific Theatre. The long range requirement led to the fuselage being highly
streamlined
Streamlines, streaklines and pathlines are field lines in a fluid flow.
They differ only when the flow changes with time, that is, when the flow is not steady.
Considering a velocity vector field in three-dimensional space in the framework of ...
. An independently developed version of the Merlin engine which possessed a low frontal area was selected for use on the D.H. 103.
By the end of 1942, a mock-up of the D.H. 103 had been completed at de Havilland's
Hatfield facility and was soon afterwards demonstrated to officials of the
Ministry of Aircraft Production
Ministry may refer to:
Government
* Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister
* Ministry (government department), a department of a government
Religion
* Christian ...
.
Due to the war, the ministry did not immediately issue permission to construct the D.H. 103.
In June 1943, the project stopped being a private venture when the Ministry released
Specification F.12/43, which had been written around the D.H. 103 proposal; soon after, the D.H. 103 project received the name Hornet.
It was envisaged that the Hornet could be adapted for naval use and operated from the flight decks of
aircraft carriers
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
. Priority was given early on to ensuring that such adaptation could be readily done: measures for ease of control, especially when flown at low speeds, were incorporated and attention paid to providing the pilot with a high level of visibility.
[Birtles 1967, p. 6.] The two propellers were driven in opposite directions to improve take-off and landing characteristics and high-drag
flaps were integrated to provide for greater power during approaches.
Prototypes and refinement
![De Havilland Hornet prototype](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1b/De_Havilland_Hornet_prototype.jpg)
By January 1944, the fuselage shell for the first prototype D.H. 103, ''RR915'', was under construction on production
jigs
The jig ( ga, port, gd, port-cruinn) is a form of lively folk dance in compound metre, as well as the accompanying dance tune. It is most associated with Irish music and dance. It first gained popularity in 16th-century Ireland and parts o ...
at Hatfield; ''RR915'' was rolled out for engine runs on 20 July 1944.
On 28 July 1944, only thirteen months after the official sanction to proceed with development, ''RR915'' conducted its
maiden flight
The maiden flight, also known as first flight, of an aircraft is the first occasion on which it leaves the ground under its own power. The same term is also used for the first launch of rockets.
The maiden flight of a new aircraft type is alwa ...
, piloted by
Geoffrey de Havilland Jr., the company's chief test pilot.
Flight tests of ''RR915'' led to it achieving a recorded speed of 485 mph (780 km/h) in level flight.
Within two months, over fifty flight hours were accumulated by ''RR915''. The second prototype, ''RR919'', was more representative of production aircraft, having provision for a pair of 200-gallon
drop tank
In aviation, a drop tank (external tank, wing tank or belly tank) is used to describe auxiliary fuel tanks externally carried by aircraft. A drop tank is expendable and often capable of being jettisoned. External tanks are commonplace on modern ...
s and a pair of 1,000 lbs
bomb
A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the Exothermic process, exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-t ...
s on
hard point
A hardpoint is an attachment location on a structural frame designed to transfer force and carry an external or internal load. The term is usually used to refer to the mounting points (more formally known as a weapon station or station) on the ...
s underneath the wings.
[Birtles 1967, pp. 3–4.]
Towards the end of 1944, the assembly line for the Hornet F.1, the initial production model, was being established at Hatfield and orders had already been received for the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
(RAF).
[Birtles 1967, p. 4.] On 28 February 1945, ''PX210'', the first of 60 production F.1 aircraft was delivered to the
Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment
The Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) was a research facility for British military aviation from 1918 to 1992. Established at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, the unit moved in 1939 to Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, where its work ...
(A&AEE) at
RAF Boscombe Down
MoD Boscombe Down ' is the home of a military aircraft testing site, on the southeastern outskirts of the town of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. The site is managed by QinetiQ, the private defence company created as part of the breakup of the Def ...
. On 29 October 1945, a production Hornet F.1, ''PX237'', was used for the type's first public appearance at an open day at
RAE Farnborough
The Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) was a British research establishment, known by several different names during its history, that eventually came under the aegis of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), before finally losing its identity in mer ...
.
Additional prototypes were used for the development of improved variants of the Hornet. ''PX312'', participated in the development of an improved fighter model to succeed the F.1, the Hornet F.3.
''PX212'', ''PX214'', and ''PX219'', were converted by the
Heston Aircraft Company
Heston Aircraft Company was a British aircraft manufacturer based at Heston Aerodrome, Middlesex, England.
Starting in 1934 the company produced a number of aircraft designs beginning with the Heston Phoenix and the Hordern-Richmond Autoplane. ...
from Hornet F.1 standard aircraft to represent and test aspects of the initial naval version, later named ''Sea Hornet F.20''.
''PX212'' and ''PX214'' were only partially naval, being outfitted with arrestor hooks but lacking the wing-folding mechanisms of subsequent production aircraft; ''PX219'' was the full naval version and later conducted carrier deck trials on board the
aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...
.
''PX230'' and ''PX239'', were completed for an all-weather night fighter, the Hornet NF.21.
[Birtles 1967, p. 7.] ''PX239'', originally built as a Hornet F.20, was outfitted with power-operated folding wings and a large dorsal fillet, which was later fitted to all production aircraft to comply with a new requirement to provide "feet off" directional stability with one engine stopped. On 25 October 1948, the first deck trials commenced on board ; these were so successful that testing rapidly proceeded to the night trials phase.
[Birtles 1967, pp. 7–8.] On 16 May 1947, ''PX230'' was lost during service trials when the aircraft disintegrated in mid flight; the pilot bailed out following the breakup of the aircraft.
[Birtles 1967, p. 8.]
Hornet F.3, PR.2 and FR.4
The wings of the Hornet F.3 were stressed to carry external weapons; two to four
60 lb (27 kg) RP-3 rockets could be carried under each wing; it was also possible to carry a combination of four rockets with one bomb of up to 1,000 lb (454 kg), or an additional drop tank on each wing, ranging in capacity up to 200 Imp gal (909 L).
Internally, the fuel tanks were enlarged from a total capacity of 360 Imp gal (1,636 L) to 432 Imp gal (1,964 L) and additional equipment was added. Larger horizontal tail surfaces were adopted, with larger
elevator
An elevator or lift is a wire rope, cable-assisted, hydraulic cylinder-assisted, or roller-track assisted machine that vertically transports people or freight between floors, levels, or deck (building), decks of a building, watercraft, ...
horn balances.
With the evolution of longer-range, jet-powered fighters such as the
de Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland Vampire is a British jet fighter which was developed and manufactured by the de Havilland, de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was the second jet fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force, RAF, after the Gloster Meteor, and ...
,
de Havilland Venom
The de Havilland DH 112 Venom is a British post-war single-engined jet aircraft developed and manufactured by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. Much of its design was derived from the de Havilland Vampire, the firm's first jet-powered combat ...
and
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies of World War II, Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turb ...
, the Hornet became obsolete fairly quickly. The F.3 was the last Hornet derivative to see operational RAF service.
[Hall 1990]
The Hornet PR.2 was intended to operate as a long-range
photo-reconnaissance
Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of imag ...
aircraft.
The Hispano cannon were removed and cameras were mounted in the rear fuselage. Total internal fuel capacity was increased to 528 gal (2,400 L). ''PX216'', ''PX220'' and ''PX249'', were converted from standard Hornet F.1 aircraft, later followed by five more. The requirement for these aircraft lapsed with the end of the Second World War in the Pacific; all were used in arrester barrier trials at Boscombe Down and scrapped before entering RAF service. Twelve Hornet FR.4s were modified from F.3s in much the same way, except that the cannon were retained and the internal fuel capacity slightly reduced from that of the fighter. These FR.4 derivatives saw service with the RAF in Malaya and Hong Kong in the early 1950s.
Sea Hornet F.20, NF.21 and PR.22
The Hornet was designed with the possibility of naval service on
carriers firmly in mind. To this end good low-speed handling was required, along with good all-round visibility for the pilot. The basic Hornet design excelled at meeting these requirements. Shortly after the first Hornet prototype flew,
Specification N.5/44 was issued to de Havilland, covering the modification of the Hornet for naval service. The
Heston Aircraft Company
Heston Aircraft Company was a British aircraft manufacturer based at Heston Aerodrome, Middlesex, England.
Starting in 1934 the company produced a number of aircraft designs beginning with the Heston Phoenix and the Hordern-Richmond Autoplane. ...
was contracted to carry out the conversion work on three early production F.1s. The work entailed altering the wings to incorporate folding mechanisms so that each outer wing panel, from the aileron/flap line outboard could be folded upwards and inwards at an angle.
The hinges were part of the upper wing skin structure while the lower wing skins incorporated securing latches, and Lockheed hydraulic jacks were used to move the wing panels.
Slotted flaps were introduced to improve low speed "flaps down" control.
![DH](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/DH.103_Sea_Hornet_NF.21_VW967_BY.424_STN_25.06.55_edited-2.jpg)
The lower rear fuselage was reinforced with two additional
spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus ''Picea'' (), a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the Earth. ''Picea'' is the sole genus in the subfami ...
longerons
In engineering, a longeron and stringer is the load-bearing component of a framework.
The term is commonly used in connection with aircraft fuselages and automobile chassis. Longerons are used in conjunction with stringers to form structural ...
designed to take the stresses imposed by the external "vee" framed
arrestor hook
A tailhook, arresting hook, or arrester hook is a device attached to the empennage (rear) of some military fixed-wing aircraft. The hook is used to achieve rapid deceleration during routine landings aboard aircraft carrier flight decks at s ...
, which was flush-mounted below the fuselage. The frame was made up of steel tubing with a forged-steel hook and was held against the fuselage by a "snap gear". Because the Hornet used the American "3-point" system of
catapult-assisted takeoff, two forged steel
catapult
A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden release of stored p ...
bridle hooks were fitted, one below each wing, close to the fuselage.
The de Havilland rubber-in-compression undercarriage legs could not absorb the rebound energies imposed by carrier landings. They were replaced by more conventional hydraulic oleos which embodied torque links.
Merlin 133/134s (derated from to ) were fitted to all Sea Hornets. Other specialised naval equipment (mainly different radio gear) was fitted and provision was made for three camera ports, one on each side of the rear fuselage and one pointing down. Sea Hornet F.20s also incorporated the modifications of the Hornet F.3, although the internal fuel capacity was 347 Imp gal (1,557 L), slightly reduced from that of the F.1. The modifications added some 550 lb (249 kg) to the weight of the aircraft. Maximum speed was decreased by 11 mph (18 km/h).
The Hornet NF.21 was designed to fill a need for a naval night fighter. Special flame-dampening exhausts were installed, and a second basic cockpit was added to the rear fuselage, just above the wing trailing edges.
ASH radar equipment was placed in the rear of this cockpit, with the radar operator/navigator seated facing aft.
To gain access, a small trapdoor was provided in the lower fuselage; a fixed, teardrop-shaped bubble canopy, which could be jettisoned in an emergency, provided a good field of view. At the front of the aircraft, the nose underwent a transformation with the small rotating ASH radar dish being housed under an elongated "thimble" radome.
The horizontal tail units were increased in span. The effect of these modifications on performance was minimal; about 4 mph (6 km/h).
The Sea Hornet PR.22 was a dedicated photo reconnaissance aircraft version of the F.20. The cannon were removed and the apertures faired over. Three cameras were installed in the rear fuselage: two F.52s for night use and one K.19B for day. A total of 23 PR.22s were built, interspersed with F.20s being built at
Hatfield.
Civilian Hornet
The lone civilian Hornet, and the only one to be owned by a non-British operator, was a Sea Hornet F.20 ''TT193''. It had originally been dispatched to
Edmonton, Alberta
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anchor ...
, Canada to conduct winter trials; following these tests, ''TT193'' was sold rather than be transported back to England. Registered ''CF-GUO'', the aircraft was operated by Spartan Air Services and Kenting Aviation until 11 July 1952 when an engine failure caused a forced landing at
Terrace, British Columbia
Terrace is a city located near the Skeena River in British Columbia, Canada. The community is the regional retail and service hub for the northwestern portion of British Columbia. With a current population of over 12,000 within municipal boundarie ...
. After being reduced to components ''TT193'' is to be restored to fly by Pioneer Aero Ltd at Ardmore, New Zealand.
Flying the Sea Hornet
![Sea Hornet F Mk 30 - 001](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Sea_Hornet_F_Mk_30_-_001.jpg)
Captain
Eric "Winkle" Brown
Captain Eric Melrose "Winkle" Brown, CBE, DSC, AFC, Hon FRAeS, RN (21 January 1919 – 21 February 2016) was a British Royal Navy officer and test pilot who flew 487 types of aircraft, more than anyone else in history.
Brown holds the worl ...
, former fighter pilot and officer of the
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
, was one of the world's most accomplished
test pilot
A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testing ...
s and he held the record for flying the
greatest number
Greatest may refer to:
* ''Greatest!'', a 1959 album by Johnny Cash
* ''Bee Gees Greatest'', a 1979 album by Bee Gees
* ''Greatest'' (The Go-Go's album), 1990
* ''Greatest'' (Duran Duran album), 1998
* Greatest (song), a song by Eminem
* "Greate ...
of aircraft types.
Just after
VE Day
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945, marking the official end of World War II in Europe in the Easter ...
the first semi-naval Sea Hornet ''PX 212'' arrived at the
RAE,
Farnborough Farnborough may refer to:
Australia
* Farnborough, Queensland, a locality in the Shire of Livingstone
United Kingdom
* Farnborough, Hampshire, a town in the Rushmoor district of Hampshire, England
** Farnborough (Main) railway station, a railw ...
. Eric Brown initiated "work-up to deck-landing" trials. 37 years later, he was still impressed:
:"...the next two months of handling and deck landing assessment trials were to be an absolute joy; from the outset the Sea Hornet was a winner!"
:"The view from the cockpit, positioned right forward in the nose beneath a one-piece aft-sliding canopy was truly magnificent. The Sea Hornet was easy to taxi, with powerful brakes... the takeoff using 25 lb (2,053 mm
Hg, 51" Hg) boost and flaps at one-third extension was remarkable! The Merlin 130/131 engines fitted to the prototypes were to be derated to 18 lb (1,691 Hg, 37" Hg) boost and as Merlin 133/134s in production Sea Hornets, but takeoff performance was to remain fantastic. Climb with 18 lb boost exceeded "...
"In level flight the Sea Hornet's stability about all axes was just satisfactory, characteristic, of course, of a good day interceptor fighter. Its stalling characteristics were innocuous, with a fair amount of elevator buffeting and aileron twitching preceding the actual stall"...
:"For aerobatics the Sea Hornet was absolute bliss. The excess of power was such that manoeuvres in the vertical plane can only be described as rocket-like. Even with one propeller feathered the Hornet could loop with the best single-engine fighter, and its aerodynamic cleanliness was such that I delighted in its demonstration by diving with both engines at full bore and feathering both propellers before pulling up into a loop!"
During this series of tests Captain Brown found that the ailerons were too heavy and ineffectual for deck landing and there were some problems with throttle movement, brakes and the rubber-in-compression undercarriage legs were still fitted. De Havilland were quick to modify the aircraft. Eric Brown:
:"Landings aboard had been made without any crash barrier... Yet, in the case of the Sea Hornet, I had felt such absolute confidence that I was mentally relaxed... Indeed, there was something about the Sea Hornet that made me feel that I had total mastery of it; I revelled in its sleek form and the immense surge of power always to hand..."
:"Circumstances had conspired against the Sea Hornet in obtaining the recognition that it justly deserved as a truly outstanding warplane...in my book the Sea Hornet ranks second to none for harmony of control, performance characteristics and, perhaps most important, in inspiring confidence in its pilot. For sheer exhilarating flying enjoyment, no aircraft has ever made a deeper impression on me than did this outstanding
filly
A filly is a female horse that is too young to be called a mare. There are two specific definitions in use:
*In most cases, a ''filly'' is a female horse under four years old.
*In some nations, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, t ...
from the de Havilland stable."
[Brown 1982, p. 198.]
Design
![Hornet1024](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Hornet1024.jpg)
The de Havilland Hornet bore a family resemblance to the larger Mosquito, but it was an entirely fresh design albeit one that drew extensively upon experiences from, and the design of, the Mosquito.
It was powered by a pair of highly developed Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, producing each, which drove
de Havilland Propellers
de Havilland Propellers was established in 1935, as a division of the de Havilland Aircraft company when that company acquired a licence from the Hamilton Standard company of America for the manufacture of variable-pitch propellers at a cost ...
four-bladed propellers. According to aviation author P.J. Birtles, the efficiency and power of this configuration gave the Hornet "a higher performance than any other propeller driven aircraft".
The Hornet's principal armament was four short-barrelled 20 mm (.79 in)
Hispano V cannons
A cannon is a large-caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder during ...
, while other typical weapon loads included various
rockets
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely fr ...
and
bomb
A bomb is an explosive weapon that uses the Exothermic process, exothermic reaction of an explosive material to provide an extremely sudden and violent release of energy. Detonations inflict damage principally through ground- and atmosphere-t ...
s.
[Birtles 1967, pp. 3, 9–10.]
Fuselage construction was identical to the earlier Mosquito: a balsa wood "pith" sandwiched between plywood sheets which were laid in diagonal panels.
Aerolite formaldehyde
Formaldehyde ( , ) (systematic name methanal) is a naturally occurring organic compound with the formula and structure . The pure compound is a pungent, colourless gas that polymerises spontaneously into paraformaldehyde (refer to section F ...
cement was the bonding agent. The fuselage halves were built on large concrete or wood patterns and equipment was fitted in each half; they were then joined along the top and bottom centre lines using wooden reinforcing strips. The entire fuselage was then tightly wrapped in fine aviation fabric which was
doped in place. The
tailfin which had the trademark gracefully-curved de Havilland shape, was an integral part of the rear fuselage. On late F.1s and further models of production aircraft, a
fin
A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fin ...
fillet
Fillet may refer to:
*Annulet (architecture), part of a column capital, also called a fillet
*Fillet (aircraft), a fairing smoothing the airflow at a joint between two components
*Fillet (clothing), a headband
*Fillet (cut), a piece of meat
*Fille ...
was added to the base of the unit.
The
horizontal tail unit was an all-metal structure, again featuring the distinctive de Havilland shape,
which was later repeated on the
Chipmunk
Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of the family Sciuridae. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia.
Taxonomy and systematics
Chipmunks may be classified either as ...
and
Beaver
Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...
.
Construction was of mixed
balsa
''Ochroma pyramidale'', commonly known as the balsa tree, is a large, fast-growing tree native to the Americas. It is the sole member of the genus ''Ochroma''. The tree is famous for its wide usage in woodworking, with the name ''balsa'' being ...
/
plywood
Plywood is a material manufactured from thin layers or "plies" of wood veneer that are glued together with adjacent layers having their wood grain rotated up to 90 degrees to one another. It is an engineered wood from the family of manufactured ...
similar to the Mosquito but the Hornet differed in incorporating stressed
Alclad
Alclad is a corrosion-resistant aluminium sheet formed from high-purity aluminium surface layers metallurgically bonded (rolled onto) to high-strength aluminium alloy core material. It has a melting point of about 500 degrees celsius, or 932 degree ...
lower-wing skins bonded to the wooden upper wing structure using the new
adhesive
Adhesive, also known as glue, cement, mucilage, or paste, is any non-metallic substance applied to one or both surfaces of two separate items that binds them together and resists their separation.
The use of adhesives offers certain advant ...
Redux. The two
wing spars were redesigned to withstand a higher
load factor of 10 versus 8.
[Godfurnon, Nicholas]
"The de Havilland 'Hornet' & 'Sea Hornet': Two-Engined Fighter of Composite Wood and Metal Construction."
''skynet.be''. Retrieved: 4 October 2009. Apart from the revised structure, the Hornet's wings were a synthesis of aerodynamic knowledge that had been gathered since the design of the Mosquito, being much thinner in cross-section, and with a
laminar flow
In fluid dynamics, laminar flow is characterized by fluid particles following smooth paths in layers, with each layer moving smoothly past the adjacent layers with little or no mixing. At low velocities, the fluid tends to flow without lateral mi ...
profile similar to the
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team headed by James ...
and
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest is a British fighter aircraft that was primarily used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Second World War. The Tempest, originally known as the ''Typhoon II'', was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, intended to ...
. The control surfaces consisted of hydraulically-operated
split flaps extending from the wing root to outboard of the engine nacelles; as on the Mosquito, the rear of the nacelle was part of the flap structure. Outboard, the Alclad-covered
aileron
An aileron (French for "little wing" or "fin") is a hinged flight control surface usually forming part of the trailing edge of each wing of a fixed-wing aircraft. Ailerons are used in pairs to control the aircraft in roll (or movement around ...
s extended close to the clipped wing tips and gave excellent roll control.
[Clark 1987, p. 479.][Birtles 1967, p. 9.]
The Hornet used "slimline" Merlin engines of types 130 and 131, which had engine ancillaries repositioned to minimise frontal area and
drag. It was unusual for a British design in having
propellers
A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...
that rotated in opposite directions; the two engine crankshafts rotated in the same direction but the Merlin 131 added an idler gear to reverse its propeller's rotation (to clockwise, viewed from the front).
This cancelled the torque effect of two propellers turning in the same direction that had affected earlier designs (such as the Mosquito). It also reduced
adverse yaw Adverse yaw is the natural and undesirable tendency for an aircraft to yaw in the opposite direction of a roll. It is caused by the difference in lift and drag of each wing. The effect can be greatly minimized with ailerons deliberately designed to ...
caused by aileron trim corrections and generally provided more stable and predictable behaviour in flight. De Havilland tried propellers that rotated outward at the tops of their arcs (as in the
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive tw ...
), but this configuration blanketed the fin and reduced rudder effectiveness at low speeds, compromising ground handling. On production Hornets the conventionally rotating Merlin 130 was on the port wing with the Merlin 131 on the starboard.
[Clark 1987, p. 482.]
Because of the revised induction arrangements of the Merlin 130 series, the supercharger and carburettor air intakes could be placed in the leading edges of the wings, outboard of the nacelles. (Other versions of the Merlin, which used "updraft" induction arrangements, required that the intakes be placed in a duct below the main engine cowling). The main radiators were also mounted in the inboard leading edges of the wings. Internal fuel, to a maximum capacity of 432 Imp gal (1,964 L) (F.3) was stored in four
self-sealing wing tanks, which were reached through detachable panels forming part of the lower wing surfaces.
To assist airflow over the wing, the engine nacelles were mounted low, which meant that the
undercarriage
Undercarriage is the part of a moving vehicle that is underneath the main body of the vehicle. The term originally applied to this part of a horse-drawn carriage, and usage has since broadened to include:
*The landing gear of an aircraft.
*The ch ...
legs were reasonably short and the pilot's field of view was improved. The single-legged undercarriage units were simpler and cleaner than those of the Mosquito, using the same de Havilland-developed, rubber-in-compression energy absorption system. The main wheels were also smaller and lighter.
To further aid the pilot's field of view, the unpressurised
cockpit
A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft or spacecraft, from which a Pilot in command, pilot controls the aircraft.
The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel, and the ...
was mounted well forward in the
fuselage
The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...
and was housed under an aft-sliding
perspex
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) belongs to a group of materials called engineering plastics. It is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite ...
blister canopy. The three-panel
windscreen
The windshield (North American English) or windscreen (Commonwealth English) of an aircraft, car, bus, motorbike, truck, train, boat or streetcar is the front window, which provides visibility while protecting occupants from the elements. Mo ...
was designed so that refraction through the panels meant that there were no obvious blind spots caused by the corner tie-rods; all three panels were
bullet-proof laminated glass. An armour-plated bulkhead (hinged near the top to provide access to the back of the instrument panel and the rudder pedals), was part of the nose structure, with the pilot's back and head being protected by another armoured bulkhead built into the cockpit.
[Birtles 1967, p. 10.] Below and behind the cockpit floor was a bay housing the aircraft's principal armament of four 20 mm cannon, which had a maximum of 190 rounds per cannon which fired through short blast tubes. The Sea Hornet had a similar armament to its land-based counterparts.
[Birtles 1967, pp. 6, 9–10.]
Operational history
Hornet
In mid-1946, the Hornet entered squadron service with
64 Squadron, based at RAF
Horsham St Faith
Horsham St Faith is a village in Norfolk, England. The village lies close and to the east of the A140 road and is north of Norwich and some south of Aylsham It takes its name from the River Hor, which runs through it on its way from Horsford t ...
.
Next to convert to the Hornet was
19 Squadron at
RAF Wittering
Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford, Lincolnshire, Sta ...
, followed by
41 Squadron and
65 Squadron, both based at
RAF Church Fenton
Royal Air Force Church Fenton or RAF Church Fenton was a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south east of Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England and north west of Selby, North Yorkshire, near the village of Church Fenton. The station wa ...
. No. 65 Sqn participated in one of the first official overseas visits by an RAF unit when they visited Sweden in May 1948.
Pilot conversion to the Hornet was provided by No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit (O.C.U.) which was based at
RAF Molesworth
Royal Air Force Molesworth or more simply RAF Molesworth is a Royal Air Force station located near Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, England with a history dating back to 1917.
Its runway and flight line facilities were closed in 1973 and demolished ...
.
During their relatively short operational service, Hornets participated in several record attempts and air races; for example, on 15 September 1949
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...
H. Peebles flew from
RAF Bovingdon
Royal Air Force Bovingdon or more simply RAF Bovingdon is a former Royal Air Force station located near the village of Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, England, about south-west of Hemel Hempstead and south-east of Berkhamsted.
During the Second W ...
to
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
(1,100+ mi or 1,800+ km) at an average speed of 357.565 mph (574.445 km/h), setting a new British point-to-point record.
Peebles' record stood for only three days, being broken when the same Hornet, flown by
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...
A.P.C. Carver, returned to Bovingdon, averaging 435.871 mph (701.466 km/h).
On 31 August 1946, Geoffrey Pike attained third place in ''PX224'' in the Lympne High Speed Handicap race, having flown a recorded average speed of .
[Birtles 1967, p. 5.] On 30 July 1949, ''PX286'' participated in the
National Air Races (GB)
The National Air Races (also known as Pulitzer Trophy Races) are a series of pylon and cross-country races that have taken place in the United States since 1920. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew ...
at
Elmdon
:''See also, Elmdon, West Midlands.''
Elmdon is a village in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England, near the boundary with Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire. The hilly topography of the area differentiates it from countryside to the north, w ...
; when flown by Geoffrey Pike, it clocked the fastest lap at and attained second place overall.
Operationally, the Hornet I (later re-designated as the F.1) lasted only a short time before being superseded by the improved F.3 version. The first Hornet F.3 was ''PX 366'', which flew at the
Farnborough Air Show
The Farnborough Airshow, officially the Farnborough International Airshow, is a trade exhibition for the aerospace and defence industries, where civilian and military aircraft are demonstrated to potential customers and investors. Since its fir ...
in June 1946. New units to convert to this mark were
33 Squadron,
45 Squadron (based at RAF
Tengah ''Tengah'' is an Indonesian and Malay word meaning "Central". It can be found in topography, e.g.
*Kalimantan Tengah
* Tengah Islands or Central Archipelago.
*Tengah, Singapore
Tengah is a planning area and future HDB town located within the ...
,
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
where, in early 1952, the unit converted to the Hornet from the unreliable
Bristol Brigand
The Bristol Brigand was a British anti-shipping/ground attack/dive bomber aircraft, developed by the Bristol Aeroplane Company as a replacement for the Beaufighter. A total of 147 were built and were used by the Royal Air Force in Malaya duri ...
) and
80 Squadron.
In 1951, considerable numbers of Hornets were redeployed from Fighter Command to the squadrons of the
Far East Air Force (FEAF).
Along with 45 Sqn, 33 and 80 squadrons participated in combat operations during the
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War was a guerrilla war fought in British Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) and the military forces o ...
. Upon arrival, the Hornets were promptly used to replace
Bristol Beaufighter
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter (often called the Beau) is a British multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort ...
s and
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...
s that were being operated in support of ground security forces against
Communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
guerrillas
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants, such as paramilitary personnel, armed civilians, or irregulars, use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactics ...
fighting in the region.
Armed with rockets and/or 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs, the Hornets, with their long range and good endurance, were able to spend up to two hours loitering over a given target area, which was particularly useful because target identification often proved to be challenging and time consuming.
The Hornets were often sortied in conjunction with strikes from
Avro Lincoln
The Avro Type 694 Lincoln is a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were initially known as the Lancaster IV and V; these were renamed Lincoln I and ...
bombers.
Other activities included the aerial escorting of ground convoys. The Hornet proved to be very reliable; 45 Sqn Hornets, based in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
, achieved a total of 4,500 operational sorties over five years, more than any other squadron in the FEAF.
On 23 July 1954, two Hornets from
RAF Kai Tak
RAF Kai Tak was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station in Hong Kong, based at Kai Tak Airport. It was opened in 1927 and used for seaplanes. The RAF flight operated a few land based aircraft as well as having spare aircraft for naval units.
History
...
in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China ( abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delt ...
were the first to arrive on the scene of a
shootdown of a Cathay Pacific Skymaster off the coast of Hainan Island. On 21 May 1955, the last operational Hornet sortie was flown; by mid-1956, all Hornets had been recorded as having been withdrawn from operational service. No complete examples of the Hornet remain in existence today.
Sea Hornet
![DH](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/DH.103_Sea_Hornet_NF.21_VW967_BY-424_Stretton_25.06.55_edited-2.jpg)
On 1 June 1947, 801 Squadron was reformed to become the first squadron to operate the Sea Hornet, based at RNAS Ford.
After relocating to
Arbroath
Arbroath () or Aberbrothock ( gd, Obar Bhrothaig ) is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus, Scotland, with a population of 23,902.
It lies on the North Sea coast some ENE of Dundee and SSW of Aberdeen.
The ...
, the squadron participated in numerous trials for the type prior to the Sea Hornet's first seaborne deployment, having embarked upon in 1949. In 1951, a further transfer was made to : during their time on board the Sea Hornets contributed to a multinational maritime exercises as long-range fighter escort and strike aircraft; however, in June 1951, they were replaced by single-engined
Hawker Sea Furies.
[Buttler 2003, p. 125.]
Further Sea Hornet deliveries were attached to various Naval Squadrons, including three which were attached to
806 Squadron in 1948 which, along with a Vampire and two Sea Furies, were embarked on
HMCS ''Magnificent'' for a tour of North America in 1948. During the North American tour, multiple Sea Hornets performed several spectacular flying displays at the International Air Exposition in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
between 31 July and 8 August.
In mid-1948, one Sea Hornet, PX219, was adapted to carry a pair of
Highball
A highball is a mixed alcoholic drink composed of an alcoholic base spirit and a larger proportion of a non-alcoholic mixer, often a carbonated beverage. Examples include the Seven and Seven, Scotch and soda, gin and tonic, screwdriver (a.k.a ...
bouncing bombs in an installation that was developed, but not applied to the fleet. The equipment was removed during January 1949 and it is currently unknown if the Hornet ever dropped a Highball during flight.
[Buttler et al. 2010, p. 48.]
On 20 January 1949,
809 Squadron became the first squadron to be equipped with the Sea Hornet NF 21, having been reformed specifically to operate the type, based at
RNAS Culdrose
Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose (RNAS Culdrose, also known as HMS ''Seahawk''; ICAO: EGDR) is a Royal Navy airbase near Helston on the Lizard Peninsula of Cornwall UK, and is one of the largest helicopter bases in Europe. Its main role is ser ...
.
809 Squadron was the only front-line unit to use this variant; following an initial workup period, the squadron briefly transferred to for deck landing practice. In May 1951, the NF.21s of 809 Squadron relocated to to form a portion of the FAA's first all-weather air group.
On 16 October 1951, a formation of four NF.21 aircraft flew non-stop from
Gibraltar
)
, anthem = " God Save the King"
, song = " Gibraltar Anthem"
, image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg
, map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe
, map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green
, mapsize =
, image_map2 = Gib ...
to
Lee-on-the-Solent
Lee-on-the-Solent, often referred to as Lee-on-Solent, is a seaside district of the Borough of Gosport in Hampshire, England, about five miles (8 km) west of Portsmouth. The area is located on the coast of the Solent. It is primarily a resi ...
,
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
, England, in 3 hours 10 minutes at an average speed of just under 330 mph; on 24 November 1951, a single Sea Hornet flew the same route in 2 hours 45 minutes at an average speed of 378 mph.
During a brief deployment in 1952, it was quickly determined that the Sea Hornet was not suitable for use on board the Navy's light fleet carriers. 809 Squadron was briefly seconded to the RAF at
Coltishall
Coltishall is a village on the River Bure, west of Wroxham, in the English county of Norfolk. The village is located within the Norfolk Broads.
History
Coltishall's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Cohhede's lan ...
prior to being deployed to
Hal Far
HAL may refer to:
Aviation
* Halali Airport (IATA airport code: HAL) Halali, Oshikoto, Namibia
* Hawaiian Airlines (ICAO airline code: HAL)
* HAL Airport, Bangalore, India
* Hindustan Aeronautics Limited an Indian aerospace manufacturer of fight ...
,
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
; it was on Malta that the Squadron was disbanded in 1954 to be reequipped with the jet-powered
de Havilland Sea Venom
The de Havilland Sea Venom is a British postwar carrier-capable jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Venom. It served with the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and with the Royal Australian Navy. The French Navy operated the Aquilon, develo ...
.
The NF.21 later equipped the Fleet Requirements Units at Hal Far, Malta, and St Davids, West Wales.
One Sea Hornet F.20, ''TT 213'', was acquired by the
RAAF
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
from the
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply (MoS) was a department of the UK government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. A separate ministry, however, was responsible for aircr ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. The aircraft was used by the
Aircraft Research and Development Unit
The Royal Australian Air Force's Aircraft Research and Development Unit (ARDU) plans, conducts and analyses the results of ground and flight testing of existing and new Air Force aircraft. ARDU consists of three test and evaluation flights ...
(ARDU), at
Laverton, Victoria
Laverton established in 1886, is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, south-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Cities of Hobsons Bay and Wyndham local government areas. Laverton recorded a population of ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
from 1948 to 1950. It was mainly used for evaluation and tropical trials. Through 1956 and 1957, the majority of the retired Hornets were scrapped, having deteriorated badly due to the weather during storage.
[Birtles 1967, pp. 8–9.]
Surviving aircraft
As of 2017, Sea Hornet F.20 ''TT193'' was under restoration to flying condition by Pioneer Aero Ltd at Ardmore, New Zealand.
Variants
;Hornet F.1
:Fighter version, 60 built.
;Hornet PR.2
:Photo-reconnaissance version, five built.
;Hornet F.3
:Fighter version, 132 built.
;Hornet FR.4
:Fighter-reconnaissance version, 12 built.
;Sea Hornet F.20
:A navalised version for service on British aircraft carriers, 79 built.
;Sea Hornet NF.21
:
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
night fighter powered by Merlin 133/134 engines, 72 built.
;Sea Hornet PR.22
:Photo-reconnaissance version, 23 built.
Operators
;
*
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
used one Sea Hornet F.20 for evaluation and tropical trials.
;
*
Royal Canadian Air Force
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...
operated briefly one former Royal Navy Sea Hornet F.20 (TT193) in 1948 for test purposes. It was operated by CEPE Canadian Experimental and Proving Establishment, at RCAF Namao, Edmonton, Alberta, in company with a Hawker Sea Fury. When surplused, it was purchased by Spartan Air Services and operated until one of the engines failed. It was scrapped sometime in the 1950s.
[Milberry 1984, p. 73.]
;
*
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
**
No. 19 Squadron RAF
Number 19 Squadron (sometimes written as No. XIX Squadron) is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was the first squadron to operate the Supermarine Spitfire. It currently operates the UK's Control and Reporting Centre from RAF Boulmer. No. 1 ...
(1946–1951)
**
No. 33 Squadron RAF
Number 33 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Westland Puma HC.2 from RAF Benson, Oxfordshire.
History
First World War
No. 33 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed from part of No. 12 Squadron at Filton on 12 January 1916. ...
(1951–1955)
**
No. 41 Squadron RAF
No. 41 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the RAF's Typhoon Test and Evaluation Squadron ("TES"), based at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Its official title is "41 TES". The squadron was formed in 1916 during First World War as part of the Royal ...
(1948–1951)
**
No. 45 Squadron RAF
Number 45 Squadron is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force. The squadron, which was established on 1 March 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps, currently provides flying training using Embraer Phenom T1s and operates under the command ...
(1952–1955)
**
No. 64 Squadron RAF
No. 64 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was first formed on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. It was disbanded on 31 January 1991 at RAF Leuchars.
History
1916 to 1919
No. 64 Squadron Royal Flying Corps w ...
(1946–1951)
**
No. 65 Squadron RAF
No. 65 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
First World War
The squadron was first formed at Wyton on 1 August 1916 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps with a core provided from the training station at Norwich. It served as a trai ...
(1946–1951)
**
No. 80 Squadron RAF
No. 80 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1969. It was operative during both World War I and World War II.
Establishment and early service
Founded on 1 August 1917 at RAF Montrose, equipped ...
(1951–1955)
**
No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit RAF
No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit was a Royal Air Force Operational Conversion Unit which was active between 1946 and 1991.
Operational history
It was first formed on 15 August 1946 at RAF Molesworth under No. 11 Group RAF, No. 11 Group of RAF ...
*
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
:
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
**
703 Naval Air Squadron
703 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy was formed as a long-range catapult squadron on 3 March 1942 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent. During the Cold War, it was reformed as an experimental trials unit, and then as a helicopter traini ...
**
728 Naval Air Squadron
728 Naval Air Squadron (728 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was formed in 1943 as a Fleet Requirement Unit, operating from airfields around the Mediterranean before settling for most of its existence in Malt ...
**
736 Naval Air Squadron
736 Naval Air Squadron (736 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy. It was most recently recommissioned at RNAS Culdrose on 6 June 2013 to fly the BAE Systems Hawk T1, following the disbandment of the Fleet Requirements and Aircraft Di ...
**
738 Naval Air Squadron
738 Naval Air Squadron (738 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was initially active from 1943 to 1945 as a training squadron for USA aircraft types used by the Fleet Air Arm. Reformed in 1950, it continued to for ...
**
739 Naval Air Squadron
739 Naval Air Squadron (739 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was formed as the Blind Approach Development Unit for the Fleet Air Arm, operating with Fulmar and Swordfish aircraft, at RNAS Lee-on-Solent (HMS Dae ...
**
759 Naval Air Squadron
759 Naval Air Squadron (759 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land ...
**
771 Naval Air Squadron
771 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm was formed on 24 May 1939 at Lee-on-Solent as a Fleet Requirements Unit with 14 Fairey Swordfish TSR biplanes. The Squadron carried out various exercises with ships and provided towed targets for naval a ...
**
778 Naval Air Squadron
778 Naval Air Squadron (778 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.
History
During the Second World War the squadron was a Service Trials Unit (STU) initially based at RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire, England before moving ...
**
787 Naval Air Squadron
**
792 Naval Air Squadron
792 Naval Air Squadron (792 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm and was originally formed at RNAS St Merryn (HMS Vulture) in August 1939 as an Air Target Unit, equipped with six Blackburn Skuas. The squadron disband ...
**
801 Naval Air Squadron
801 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) was a Fleet Air Arm squadron of the Royal Navy formed in 1933 which fought in World War II, the Korean War and the Falklands War.
Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force
The squadron was formed on 3 April 1933 as part ...
**
806 Naval Air Squadron
806 Naval Air Squadron (806 NAS) was a fighter squadron in the Fleet Air Arm that existed from February 1940 to December 1960 and saw active service in the Norwegian campaign, the Dunkirk evacuation and the Malta Convoys.
History
Formation
A ...
**
809 Naval Air Squadron
809 Naval Air Squadron (809 NAS) is a squadron of the Fleet Air Arm of the United Kingdom. It was first formed in 1941 and flew in the Soviet Union, the Mediterranean and the Far East during the Second World War. After active service during the S ...
**
1833 Naval Air Squadron
1833 Naval Air Squadron (1833 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm between 1943 and 1945 and then again from 1947 to 1957.
First creation
The squadron was first formed on 15 July 1943 at the US Naval Air Station at ...
Specifications (Hornet F.1)
See also
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography
* Birtles, Philip J. ''The De Havilland Hornet (Profile Publications No. 174)''. Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1967.
* Bowman, Martin W. ''Sting of the Hornet''. ''Air Classics'', Vol. 33, No. 6, June 1997.
* Bridgman, Leonard, ed. "The D.H. 103 Hornet" ''Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II''. London: Studio, 1946. .
*
Brown, Eric (Captain, CBE DSC AFC RN). "Viewed from the Cockpit: Sea Hornet Supreme". ''
Air International
''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd.
History and profile
The magazine was fir ...
'', Vol. 23, No. 4, October 1982, pp. 192–199.
* Buttler, Tony. ''de Havilland Hornet and Sea Hornet (Warpaint Series no. 19)''. Newcastle, UK: Hall Park Books, 2000.
* Buttler, Tony. ''de Havilland Hornet & Sea Hornet''. ''Aeroplane Monthly,'' Vol. 10, Autumn/Fall 2003.
* Buttler, Tony. ''Type Analysis: de Havilland Hornet and Sea Hornet''. ''International Air Power Review Monthly,'' Vol. 33, No. 6, June 2005.
* Buttler, Tony, David Collins and Martin Derry. ''Hornet and Sea Hornet''. Stamford, UK: Dalrymple and Verdun Publishing, 2010. .
* Caruana, Richard. ''The De Havilland Hornet'' ''Scale Aviation Modeller International,'' October 2002, pp. 943–951.
* Clark, J. H. ''Forties Favorites 5 – de Havilland D.H 103''. ''Aeroplane Monthly'' (Article first appeared in ''The Aeroplane,'' 25 January 1946), Vol. 15, No. 9, September 1987.
* Cooper, Lewis G. ''The Hornet File''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Publications, 1992. .
* Hall, Alan W. ''Aircraft In Detail: de Havilland DH.103 Hornet''. ''Scale Aircraft Modelling,'' Vol. 12, No. 8, 8 May 1990.
* Jackson, A.J. ''De Havilland Aircraft since 1909''. London: Putnam, Third edition 1987. .
* Malayney, Norman, ''Canada's Only Sea Hornet'', Canadian Aviation Historical Society Journal, Fall, 1994, pages 86–89.
* Milberry, Larry. ''Sixty Years: The RCAF and Air Command 1924–1984''. Toronto: Canav Books, 1984. .
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* Moss, Charles J. "Aeronautical Engineering: Bonding with Redux." ''The Aeroplane'' No. 329, 20 September 1946.
* White, Ian. ''End of the Line: DH Hornet – Last of the Fleet Air Arm's Piston Night-fighters''. ''
Air Enthusiast
''Air Enthusiast'' was a British, bi-monthly, aviation magazine, published by the Key Publishing group. Initially begun in 1974 as ''Air Enthusiast Quarterly'', the magazine was conceived as a historical adjunct to '' Air International'' maga ...
'' 111, May/June 2004, pp. 50–55.
* Wixey, Ken. ''Ahhhh! Hornet!'' ''FlyPast,'' No. 156, July 1994.
External links
Hornet and Sea Hornet
a 1946 ''Flight'' article on the Hornet's Merlin 130 engines
Article about the engine failure on TT193
{{Authority control
1940s British fighter aircraft
Carrier-based aircraft
Hornet
Hornets (insects in the genus ''Vespa'') are the largest of the eusocial wasps, and are similar in appearance to their close relatives yellowjackets. Some species can reach up to in length. They are distinguished from other vespine wasps by th ...
Low-wing aircraft
De Havilland Mosquito
Aircraft first flown in 1944
Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft
Aircraft with counter-rotating propellers