Senior Service Sting

摘要

De Havilland was quite confident the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) would acquire its new Hornet fighter for potential use in the Pacific. Long range and high performance, combined with twin engines specifically designed to eliminate excessive swing on take-off from carriers, enhanced its pedigree. In late 1944, Specification N.5/44 was issued and three early production Hornets were given naval modifications for evaluation. Changes included a folding wing (similar to that developed for the Sea Mosquito), a flush-fitting external V-frame arrester hook, a single catapult pick-up point below each wing and other specific maritime equipment. The main undercarriage legs were also modified to cater for the high sink rates typically experienced in carrier landings. Flying for the first time on April 19, 1945 the prototype (serial PX212) joined HMS Ocean steaming in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland.