Sea Vixen takes to the skies (From Bournemouth Echo)
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Sea Vixen takes to the skies
10:12am Monday 3rd August 2009 in
THE mighty Sea Vixen took off from Bournemouth Airport for a flypast with its new pilot.
Lieutenant Commander Matt Whitfield, from near Shaftesbury, headed for the Isle of Sheppey with two Hawk T1 trainers.
The 37-year-old led a flypast to mark the 100th anniversary of the navy’s first purchase of an aircraft – an airship.
He is a serving officer in charge of fixed wing flying at the Royal Navy air base in Yeovilton, Somerset, and will fly the Vixen at this year’s Bournemouth Air Festival.
The Vixen is owned by De Haviland Ltd, based at Bournemouth Airport, and is a two-engined supersonic bomber built in 1963 for use on aircraft carriers.
It is the only flying example in the world and was piloted by Brian Grant until he retired after last year’s inaugural air show.
Lt Cdr Whitfield said: “It’s enormously rewarding and a phenomenal honour to be able to fly it. Physically, it’s a lot of hard work, but it’s a delight – it’s very, very powerful.”
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Comments(6)
Goffee
says...
12:19pm Mon 3 Aug 09
Chris...
says...
5:43pm Mon 3 Aug 09
Did not have one carrier borne accident with the SV whilst onboard, but did with the Buccs and Gannets. Although 892 Sqdn did have an accident onboard prior to me joining in Capetown.
At first sighting, a weird looking aircraft, with its two tails, and double tail fins. The pilot sat quite high in the aircraft an to the left, with the crew members/observer sat in a cramped lower seat position to operate his equipment such as radar direction etc. He would have had limited visual opportunities with a metal plate above to remove prior to ejection, sometimes hinder.
Goffee, accident rate of aircraft carrier borne aircraft was around 35%.
By the way Mr. Echo the Vixen was not Supersonic, only having a Max Speed of Mach0.91, 690mph. It had a climbing rate of 46m per second, with a range of 1270km with internal tanks full.
EGHH
says...
5:48pm Mon 3 Aug 09
X Old Bill
says...
7:08pm Mon 3 Aug 09
Very impressive display and looks the part, as since 2007 it is in the original 899 squadron colours, from when Yeovilton was its home station.
The 'crew' seat does have a perspex window, but the only view is straight up! more of a skylight.
And another 'by the way to Mr Echo': While it has hard mounts for various items of stores and ordnance it was listed as a 'fighter' rather than a bomber
Old Boscombe Lad
says...
4:31am Wed 5 Aug 09
Happy Days.
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FLYPAST: Sea Vixen pilot Lt Cdr Matt Whitfield at Bournemouth Airport. Picture: Sally Adams. ID: 8899942.
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BrianBrain says...
10:50am Mon 3 Aug 09
You really should go and see Dehaviland's as the facts relating to its performance and its capabilities are truely stunning.
You almost wonder why it was replaced. It is still hook authorised for aircraft carrier landings (not that we have any) it has to shut down one engine to land due to ground effect on the wing keeping it airborne its rate of climb is as far as I recall higher than the replacment air frame and it is very capable of extreem manovering at altitude due to its wing design a true wonder of engineering and I for one am very glad they have a new pilot for it as it would be a great shame if she became grounded.