Royal Netherlands Navy Sea Hawk Mk 50
In the early 1950s, the Royal Netherlands Navy sought to modernize its fleet air arm. Having acquired the aircraft carrier HNLMS Karel Doorman (the former British HMS Venerable), 22 Sea Hawk Mk.50 aircraft, were purchased for her air wing. The Sea Hawk Mk.50 was essentially equivalent to the British FGA.6 variant, optimized for fighter and ground-attack roles.
These aircraft were delivered between 1957 and 1958, and manufactured by Armstrong Whitworth, which handled much of the Sea Hawk production.
The Dutch Sea Hawks were primarily operated by 860 Squadron of the Naval Aviation Service (Marine Luchtvaartdienst, or MLD) where they served in fighter, ground-attack, and reconnaissance roles. Armament consisted of four 20mm Hispano cannons, along with bombs and rockets for ground-attack missions.
During its service, the Dutch Sea Hawks participated in various NATO exercises and contributed to the alliance’s maritime defence posture in the North Atlantic and European waters. They also served during the Dutch de-colonisation of the East Indies (Indonesia).
In 1961, the role of the Karel Doorman shifted fully to anti-submarine warfare. As a result, the Sea Hawks were relocated to Valkenburg Naval Air Base for land-based operations. The Royal Netherlands Navy phased out the Sea Hawk by October 1964.
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