What if

Picture Post => Current and Finished Projects => Aircraft => Topic started by: TomZ on November 04, 2023, 05:53:32 AM

Title: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: TomZ on November 04, 2023, 05:53:32 AM
De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53307754432_e3275a87f1_b.jpg)

When in the middle of the 1950s the De Havilland Sea Vixen was flying, the design team at De Havilland started thinking about a transport derivative of the design. They planned to create a fast executive transport for the high end of the market. The new aircraft was designated DH-120 and soon the name Vixliner was chosen.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53307754472_59e3661eec_b.jpg)

The DH-120 used the wings, tail and engine section of the Sea Vixen and married that to a new front fuselage which seated 7 to 15 passengers depending on the seating arrangement.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53307754492_02c8e266f0_b.jpg)

The aircraft first flew in 1959 and test flight progressed rather rapidly. Unlike the Sea Vixen the Vixliner was not supersonic, attaining a maximum speed of 975 km/h in level flight. However the fuel consumption was rather high which limited the range of the aircraft 10 arounf 1800km.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53309094805_9400c69d76_b.jpg)

This limited range, the high fuel consumption and the rather high price led to little interest from the market and in 1965, it was decided to stop further development of the DH-120. De Havilland shifted its focus to the DH-125 which showed much more potential.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53308978159_a617140140_b.jpg)

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53308978194_57bede3754_b.jpg)

Model: Revell Sea Vixen & A-Model HFB-320 1/72

TomZ
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Steel Penguin on November 04, 2023, 06:34:20 AM
that is a very good looking airframe  :thumbsup:
very sleek and still rather futuristic.
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: PR19_Kit on November 04, 2023, 06:53:07 AM
What a wonderful looking machine Tom, excellent work, both on the idea itself and the build!

I KNEW I'd seen that cockpit somewhere as soon as I saw the first pic, but couldn't bring it to mind before reading about it.  :thumbsup:

A twin-Avon powered biz-jet would tend to be a bit heavy on fuel for sure!  :o
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Old Wombat on November 04, 2023, 08:44:43 AM
Not only good lookin' but oddly plausible! :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: su27rules on November 04, 2023, 08:45:33 AM
Fantastic, so nice!!
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: chrisonord on November 04, 2023, 09:17:15 AM
That is absolutely brilliant :wub:
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Rheged on November 04, 2023, 09:51:57 AM
Tomz, I'm currently working on a whiff-augmented history of the DH Sea Vixen.   Please may I incorporate this previously unknown variant in the finished article?
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: ericr on November 04, 2023, 10:56:43 AM
 :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:

very elegant (the Vixen way)

Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: uncletain on November 04, 2023, 11:29:15 AM
That's great  :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:
Very elegant
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: TomZ on November 04, 2023, 12:10:23 PM
Quote from: Rheged on November 04, 2023, 09:51:57 AMTomz, I'm currently working on a whiff-augmented history of the DH Sea Vixen.   Please may I incorporate this previously unknown variant in the finished article?

Of course! No history of the Sea Vixen is complete without the famed VixLiner!
Incorporate away!

TomZ
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Rick Lowe on November 04, 2023, 12:18:52 PM
Very nice! Well done. :thumbsup:  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: kitbasher on November 04, 2023, 12:45:20 PM
Yay!  Fantastic build.  Sea Vixen version of the Mystery Jet (https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/jet-craft-and-other-dh-vampire-executive-jet-projects.1936/).
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: loupgarou on November 04, 2023, 01:46:58 PM
A beautiful aircraft indeed!
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: dwomby on November 04, 2023, 04:47:07 PM
What a great idea and really well executed.

David
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Wardukw on November 04, 2023, 09:15:14 PM
Tom mate not only have you knocked the ball clean into the next county but it also ricocheted of a rubbish bin and took out a parking warden .

Ironman would be proud to have this for certain  ;D
Absolute perfection 🥰
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Scotaidh on November 05, 2023, 01:58:01 AM
Very nice!   :thumbsup:

Not for nothin', but I've always disliked the part of the backstory where one has to explain why this incredible idea failed to become the success we all wish it had been ... I understand that every heel has its Achilles tendon, every Eden its snake, but since this is all Whiffery anyway, can't it be a perfect world - just once?   :banghead:

I know it's not a realistic yearning on my part - but realists have to live in the "real world" and, quite frankly - that's boring.
 ;D  ;D
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: NARSES2 on November 05, 2023, 02:05:44 AM
Absolutely marvellous Tom  :bow:  :bow:
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: TomZ on November 05, 2023, 02:06:55 AM
Quote from: Scotaidh on November 05, 2023, 01:58:01 AMNot for nothin', but I've always disliked the part of the backstory where one has to explain why this incredible idea failed to become the success we all wish it had been ... I understand that every heel has its Achilles tendon, every Eden its snake, but since this is all Whiffery anyway, can't it be a perfect world - just once?  :banghead:
I know it's not a realistic yearning on my part - but realists have to live in the "real world" and, quite frankly - that's boring.

Noted.
My next back story will be a story of brilliant successes full of highlights and achievements!  ;D  ;D  ;D

TomZ
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: zenrat on November 05, 2023, 02:40:55 AM
Fab.
 :wub:
 :thumbsup:

I feel these would become popular with young well heeled city types for whom the high fuel bills would not be a hinderance to ownership.  The private jet equivalent of the 80's Porsche.
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Nick on November 05, 2023, 05:36:26 AM
Looks like it came out of a comic book - Tintin or Buck Danny  :thumbsup:

Very nice and quite plausible given the MJ-III Mystery Jet plans
https://www.vintagewings.ca/stories/vampires-of-las-vegas
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Glenn Gilbertson on November 05, 2023, 10:39:29 AM
Mad but wonderful - what a beauty! :thumbsup:
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: VincentC on February 05, 2024, 10:24:45 AM
Remarkably elegant
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: loupgarou on February 06, 2024, 12:33:24 PM
Quote from: zenrat on November 05, 2023, 02:40:55 AMFab.
 :wub:
 :thumbsup:

I feel these would become popular with young well heeled city types for whom the high fuel bills would not be a hinderance to ownership.  The private jet equivalent of the 80's Porsche.
Yes, that - beautiful - plane was in advance for its time. Now, or in recent years, with all the super-rich that don't know how to spend all their money (read arabs or Musk, Zuckerberg etc) it would be a success story.
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: The Rat on February 06, 2024, 02:43:39 PM
Once again, I'm late to the party. Gorgeous.  :wub:
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Paper Kosmonaut on February 09, 2024, 02:32:01 AM
What a great idea and execution. It looks absolutely realistic. 100 points.
Title: Re: De Havilland DH-120 Vixliner
Post by: Dizzyfugu on February 09, 2024, 02:45:21 AM
Elegant! Reminds me of my "Mystery Jet" kitbashing a while ago, like the next (and bigger) generation. Nice!  :thumbsup:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/293/31213496123_18db08d46f_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/PyejWg)
1:72 Jet Craft Ltd. 'Mystery Jet 160 Landaulet'; G-AZRE, based at Manston (Kent, UK), 1975 (Whif/Kitbashing) (https://flic.kr/p/PyejWg) by Dizzyfugu (https://www.flickr.com/photos/dizzyfugu/), on Flickr