To ‘Gild the Lily’, slightly:

A number of Sea Venom FAW.20s were relegated to instructional airframes for use at various Naval-training establishments. However, the majority were passed to the AHU at Abbotsinch, where they languished in long-term storage until being sold for scrap between 1958 and 1963.

A few redundant airframes were also used for fire practice but several were given a temporary reprieve when they formed the basis of the conversion of the navy’s “top secret, experimental aircraft” – the DH “Vennet” – which was also variously referred to as the “Fairey Nuff” or “Sea Snipe”. Preparing for the 1961 Open Day, the engineers of No.12 Hangar at Abbotsinch, under the direction of the AEO, Lt Ted Cottle decided to build a spoof aircraft. The conversion involved removing the tail booms and tip tanks from a surplus Sea Venom, while the rudders of two Fairey Gannets were fixed to the boom attachment points and connected to the rudder pedals by adapting the control cabling. Dummy missiles were also fitted, together with an extended nose, into which a standard tubular office chair – or “pilot’s” seat – was bolted to the cockpit floor.

The “Vennet” was described as the Fleet Air Arm’s ‘latest rocket-powered, high-altitude fighter, capable of flying over Mach 3’ and would be making its maiden test flight in front of the public during the forthcoming Air Day. As an “experimental aircraft” it was kept at a discreet distance from the crowd line when the pilot, Lt Paul Stevenson taxied to the main runway and accelerated away at 90 knots. With smoke and flames pouring from the condemned Ghost engine, a bemused public was told that the aircraft had developed an “engine failure” and because of repeated trouble with the “super-heat ignition system” the test flight would have to be abandoned!

The following year, the technicians of 10 Hangar produced the “Vennett Mark II” as a successor for the Mark 1 for the 1962 Air Day. With Sea Venom and Gannet airframes again used as the basis for the conversion, the main alterations included the fitting of wing-tip ramjets, modified rudders, a nose-type intake and the addition of two guided weapons. The “aircraft” was painted white indicating the strike role with a yellow “P” on the fuselage. Unfortunately, the “ultrasonic version of the previous supersonic world beater” failed to take off for the planned Air Race and was returned to the hangar for further modifications!

In November 1961, Abbotsinch was asked to investigate the conversion of older aircraft into a modern type for the Fleet Air Arm’s Display in the Royal Tournament, as the Service aircraft would prove too heavy for the floor of the Earl’s Court Stadium. With the technical expertise behind them from their early conversions, it was decided that the simplest method was from Sea Venom to Sea Vixen. Four Sea Venoms were selected, with the work being completed by March 1962 and the airframes being transported to Portsmouth by lighter. Dubbed “Mini-Vixens” or “Vixettes”, three of the replicas were known to have worn the spurious markings “XJ601: 241/H”, “XJ602: 247/H” and “XJ603: 246/H”.

One ‘Vixette’ (‘XJ601:241/H’) was known to have been displayed at the entrance to RNAS Lee-on-Solent to advertise it’s Navy Day. I also asked one or two of chaps involved with the conversions what happened to them and said they were “disposed of locally”. Whatever that means?