Firestreak Missile Performance

[GUNDAM123dx]

All from Lightning F.53 Pilots Notes.

Maximum overload: 15G lateral acceleration and rate of roll 30°/sec

Motor Burn time: 1.9 sec

Max flight time: 13 sec

Seeker FOV: 7°

Seeker gimbal limit pre-launch: 0° unslaved; 5° slaved by AI23S (export version of AI23B), seeker "looking axis" parallel to A1 scanner axis

Seeker gimbal limit (post-launch): 30°

Warhead explosive mass: 19.3lbs/8.75kg

Not only High Explosive, there're also 0.25 ounce fragments with a fragmentaion beam of 50° inclined forward.

Proximity fuse range: 40ft/12m

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

And I missed this one too. Nice info

 

[CJGibson]

This Firestreak is on display at the Explosion Museum at Priddy's Hard in Gosport. Anyone know what the intake on the launch shoe is for and for whi aircraft this was intended. I can't find any photos of this on an aircraft.

Ta

Chris

 

[Dilandu]

This Firestreak is on display at the Explosion Museum at Priddy's Hard in Gosport. Anyone know what the intake on the launch shoe is for and for whi aircraft this was intended.

Compressed air connector for ground testing, maybe? The usual Firestreak launcher have a simple plug in this place:



If I recall correctly, the Firestreak seeker was cooled in flight by air, running through the ammonia coolant system. For ground testing the air must be pumped by external means, then. So presumably, on your photo launcher is fitted for compressor connection.

 

[SeaslugMk2]

AFAIK Firestreak was only fitted to Sea Vixens in the FAA…I shall wait patiently to be proved wrong….

SRJ

 

[TsrJoe]

Hmm that's different, iv looked at various Blue Jay/Firestreak launch shoes but so far none seem to have the fairing as fitted to the display example.
Any thoughts if it is a ram air intake or a mounting for a camera / sensor ?
Hmm, Venom/Sea Venom, Sabre, SR.53, Canberra, Hunter, Javelin, Sea Vixen, Lightning, so far nope

 

[Dilandu]

Any thoughts if it is a ram air intake or a mounting for a camera / sensor ?

It's clearly some replaceable part on standard shoe:



Same place, same system, just different plug installed in same slot.

 

[Hood]

I had no idea when Chris showed this to me but I've since had a rummage.

This could be a launch shoe for the Sea Vixen FAW.2. It could carry a mixed load out with the starboard pylons being modified for Firestreak with their separate cooling and heating system from the pure air system carried for the Red Tops (which in this case just fed the port-side pylons).
I think this might be a heater air intake - I've found this snippet in an A&AEE report:

 

[pathology_doc]

AFAIK Firestreak was only fitted to Sea Vixens in the FAA…I shall wait patiently to be proved wrong….

SRJ

IIRC a few Sea Venom FAW.22's also got fitted for it.

I can't remember which book I read that in, but Wikipedia seems to corroborate my dim memory.

de Havilland Sea Venom - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Hood]

Three Sea Venoms but only as a trials fit for development testing.

 

[JFC Fuller]

IIRC a few Sea Venom FAW.22's also got fitted for it.

I can't remember which book I read that in, but Wikipedia seems to corroborate my dim memory.

FAW.21s XG607, XG612, and XG662. They were modified at Christchurch, and the mod involved removing the cannon, rocket gear and associated wiring. The book De Havilland Venom and Sea Venom: the Complete History by David Watkins has more detail. Attached is a photo from the IWM of one of the aircraft, complete with Firestreak, onboard Victorious for trials.

 

[Pioneer]

FAW.21s XG607, XG612, and XG662. They were modified at Christchurch, and the mod involved removing the cannon, rocket gear and associated wiring. The book De Havilland Venom and Sea Venom: the Complete History by David Watkins has more detail. Attached is a photo from the IWM of one of the aircraft, complete with Firestreak, onboard Victorious for trials.

Thank you JFC Fuller

Would be interesting to know what was ascertained from the trials.

Regards
Pioneer