de Havilland Venom NF.3
de Havilland · UK · first flew 1953 · fighter
The NF.3 is the improved two-seat night-fighter Venom, carrying American AI Mk.21 radar in a bulbous nose radome ahead of a Mosquito-style side-by-side cockpit — a wider, deeper-nosed silhouette than the compact single-seat FB marks.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11.17 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Twin fin |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Broad, bulbous nose radome housing American AI Mk.21 radar — deeper and rounder than the FB marks' slim gun nose; against the NF.2 the difference is shape, not length
- Side-by-side two-seat cockpit (pilot port, navigator starboard) under a wide canopy — Mosquito-style crew arrangement inherited from the Vampire NF.10, not tandem
- Clear-view canopy introduced with the NF.2A upgrade fitted as standard, over the widened two-crew nacelle
The bulbous radar nose and wide two-crew nacelle are the cues against all FB marks. Against NF.2: the difference is nose shape, not length — the NF.3's radome is rounder and deeper, and it carries the clear-view canopy (introduced on the NF.2A) as standard. Against Vampire NF.10 (same side-by-side layout): the Venom's thinner swept-leading-edge wing and wingtip tanks separate them. Twin booms remain the family signature.
Specifications
- The de Havilland Venom NF.3 has a length of 11.17 m (37 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.7 m (42 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1030 km/h (640 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown August 1953; 129 built. The NF.3 improved on the NF.2 by replacing the British AI Mk.10 radar with the more capable American APS-57 (AI Mk.21), standardising the clear-view canopy, and refining the tail. It served RAF night-fighter squadrons from 1955 until replaced by the Javelin from 1957.
Variants
NF.2 (first night-fighter Venom, British radar, no ejection seats), NF.2A (retrofitted improvements), NF.3 (American radar, ejection seats).
Where you'll see it
RAF night-fighter squadrons 1954–1957. No export orders for the NF marks. Preserved examples at de Havilland Aircraft Museum (Salisbury Hall).
Related aircraft
- de Havilland Venom FB.4
- de Havilland Sea Venom
- de Havilland Vampire T.11
- de Havilland Comet
- Aerfer Leone
- Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.12
- Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF.14
- Avia S-103
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