De Havilland Sea Vixen - Operators

Operators

United Kingdom
  • Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm
Sea Vixen FAW.1 units
Squadron/ Flight From First on carrier To Codes Comment
700 Sqn Y Flight 01958-11-01November 1958 Never 01959-07-022 July 1959 ? Intensive Flying Trials Unit (IFTU) based at RNAS Yeovilton. Reformed as 892 Sqn.
892 Sqn 01959-07-022 July 1959 01960-03-033 March 1960
Ark Royal		 01965-01-011965 208-219 Flew from: Ark Royal, Victorious, Hermes and Centaur (late 1963 to mid-1965, the fourth and last commission of the ship)
890 Sqn 01960-02-011 February 1960 01960-07-01July 1960
Hermes		 01966-01-011966 240-254 Flew from: Hermes and Ark Royal. Disbanded 1966, reformed September 1967 initially with four FAW.1, and converting to FAW.2.
893 Sqn 01960-09-099 September 1960 Ark Royal 01964-01-011964 455-468 Flew from: Victorious, with short periods on: Ark Royal and Centaur.
899 Sqn 01961-02-011 February 1961 ? 01965-01-011965 485-489 Sea Vixen HQ Sqn Yeovilton, with short periods on: Eagle. 899 was the first squadron to evaluate and operate Sea Vixen FAW2 aircraft
766B Training Sqn 01959-10-01October 1959 1964 Eagle post refit trials 01965-01-011965? 710-722 1962 renamed Naval Air Fighter School; provided a/c and crews for "Fred's Five" aerobatic team, all of whom were instructors on 766 squadron.
Sea Vixen FAW.2 units
Squadron/ Flight From First on carrier To Codes Comment
13 JSTU 01964-04-01April 1964 Never 01966-02-01February 1966 13 Joint Service Trials Unit (13 JSTU). Red Top trials at Hatfield and Boscombe Down.
899 Sqn 01963-12-01December 1963 01964-12-01December 1964
Eagle		 01972-02-01February 1972 120-127
130-137		 Flew from: Eagle.
Last operational carrier embarked Sea Vixen squadron
766 Sqn 01965-07-077 July 1965 Never? 01970-02-1010 February 1970? 700-707
710-717
720-727		 Naval Air Fighter School, Yeovilton
893 Sqn 01965-11-044 November 1965 01966-04-1919 April 1966
Victorious		 01970-07-01July 1970 240-247
250-257		 Flew from: Victorious, Yeovilton, RAF Akrotiri, then Hermes.
892 Sqn 01963-01-011963 Hermes 01968-10-01October 1968 301-315 Flew from Hermes. 1968 Simon's Circus aerobatic team from this squadron performed at Farnborough Air Show.
890 Sqn 01967-09-01September 1967 Never 01971-08-066 August 1971 750-755 Trials and operations unit at Yeovilton with mix of FAW.1 and FAW.2.
For a short period 1964-5 Ark Royal.
FRU 01971-08-066 August 1971? Never 01972-12-011 December 1972 750-755 Fleet Requirements Unit (FRU). When 890 Sqn disbanded some aircraft passed to Fleet Requirements Unit (FRU), Yeovilton. FRU became Fleet Requirements and Air Defence Unit (FRADU) on 1 December 1972.
FRADU 01972-12-011 December 1972 Never 01974-01-01January 1974 750-755 Fleet Requirements and Air Defence Unit (FRADU). Retired Sea Vixen on grounds of cost. Jan 1974.
  • De Havilland Aviation one former Royal Navy aircraft flown as a promotional and display aircraft

Read more about this topic:  De Havilland Sea Vixen