09/30/2011. Fundamentally a redesigned and improved Type 151 Jockey and, indeed, initially known as the Jockey II, the Type 279, for which Vickers adopted the name Venom, was intended to meet the requirements of Specification F.5/34. Other contenders were Bristol 146, Gloster G.38, and Martin-Baker M.B.2. Powered by a 625 hp Bristol Aquila AE.3S nine-cylinder sleeve-valve radial engine enclosed by a longchord NACA cowling, the Venom was a highly sophisticated aircraft, with a metal monocoque fuselage, its stressed skin being affixed by countersunk rivets.

The Venom had a sideways-hinged engine mounting and it was unique in having 90° deflection flaps. A battery of eight 0.303 in (7.7 mm) machineguns was mounted in the wings from the start of test flying. First flight took place at Brooklands on June 17, 1936, pilot was Mutt Summers. The Venom proved exceptionally maneuverable, with outstanding roll rate and turning radius, but it lacked the power to compete seriously with its contemporaries, and, as no sufficiently compact British air-cooled radial of adequate power was available for installation, it was scrapped in 1939.

This aircraft was 'Class B' registered. 'B' registrations were used on aircraft for tests, experiments, CoA-qualifying, CoA-renewal, demonstrations. In this case the 'O' was used by Vickers from December 1929 until December 1947, the '10' dignified the tenth aircraft used by Vickers for 'B' activities. The 'PV' was added by the manufacturer and stood for 'Private Venture'.

Span: 32 ft 9 in (9.98 m)
Length: 24 ft 2 in (7.36 m)
Height: 10 ft 9 in (3.27 m)
Wing area: 146 sq.ft (13.56 sq.m)
Loaded weight: 4,156 lb (1,885 kg)
Max speed: 312 mph (502 kmh) at 16,250 ft (4,955 m)
Climb: 3,000 ft (915 m)/min
Service ceiling: 32,000 ft (9,755)