The FB.Mk 4 was the final standard fighter-bomber configuration to be adopted by the Royal Air Force. This variant incorporated a new de Havilland Ghost 105 series turbojet engine and an ejection seat as standard for the single crew. Two-hundred fifty of this type were produced in all. The FB.Mk 50 became an export fighter-bomber mark and saw deliveries to both Iraq and Switzerland with production totaling fifteen units in all. Another export fighter-bomber mark proved to be the FB.Mk 54 which was taken on by both Venezuela and Switzerland and numbered twenty-two units. Italy became another operator of the Venom line and New Zealand eventually operated British Venoms for a time.
Total Venom production was around 1,000 aircraft.
For the Royal Air Force, the Venom operated across some twenty-eight total squadrons during her service life. These were pressed into service during the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960) which pitted pro-Western forces against emerging communist threats in Southeast Asia (resulting in a British Commonwealth victory). From there, Venoms were to play a role in the upcoming Suez Crisis (1956) which saw a combined force of British, French and Israeli against Egypt when Egypt attempted to nationalize the Suez Canal. RAF Venoms were pulled from frontline service during 1962, having completed a decade of faithful service. The last examples of operational Venoms were retired through the Swiss Air Force in 1983, signaling the end of the line for the storied British jet fighter.
The "Sea Venom" (detailed elsewhere on this site) became a direct offshoot of the Venom line, navalized for service on British carriers. Operators of this type also included Australia and France (as the "Aquilon").
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