Syd Beck’s Military Museum – Sea Venom WZ904/N4-904

A DH-diversion of note at Syd’s museum is the Sea Venom FAW.53 N4-904. This aircraft was used for Ikara missile trials/testing. A couple of items of special equipment can be seen on the aircraft, including the mounting bracket for an Ikara fin that can be seen indicated in the photo below. I understand that the aim was to investigate vibration of the fin by filming it during flight, a camera being fitted in the Venom’s gun bay. The gun bay door was fitted with a transparency. The little piece of documentation I have found so far is a couple of pages in AP 4360C for Mod (RAN) 58, relating to attaching the fin to the port boom. The text mentions that Mod (RAN) 61 applies to fitting the fin to the starboard boom. It would be interesting to know more about these trials if anyone has more information.

 On the subject of Ikara trials, there is interesting information on the Adastra website.

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