The Venom was the third single seat jet fighter type to enter RAF service. It was developed during the late 1940s to be operated as an interim solution between the first generation of British jet fighters – straight-wing aircraft such as the Gloster Meteor and the Vampire – and later swept wing, combat aircraft, such as the Hawker Hunter.

The Venom FB1 and FB4 single seat models equipped RAF squadrons in Germany, Near East, Middle East and the Far East and saw operational service in Malaysia, Suez, Oman and South
Yemen(Aden). A two seater version was adopted as a night fighter by the RAF and also by the FAA. It was withdrawn from front line operations by the British services in 1962.

The Venom also proved to be popular on the export market and was sold in substantial numbers to Iraq, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland and Venezuela. The Swiss, who built 250 of the aircraft under license, continued operating the Venom until 1983.

Tangmere’s cockpit (J1649) is one of twenty four built by the Swiss as specialist reconnaissance/fighter bomber aircraft with high level and low level cameras. Inside you will find instrumentation calibrated in metric measurements and signage in French.