mystery sea fury photo
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Interesting photo. Pity there is no code visible on the vertical tail surface. That would help narrow the search down.
The style of dress worn by the deck crew would seem to indicate summertime in the northern hemisphere or the tropics. ‘Chiefy’, visible between the prop blades, has a white top on his cap and what appears to be an officer, just in front of him, looks to be in shirt sleeve order.
The aircraft code on the u/c door mentioned in post #10 might not be a code. I think it could be a handle on a piece of equipment being carried by one of the deck crew standing there.
Of the three accidents mentioned in post #16, it is unlikely to be any of those. The 7 June 52 accident happened on the airfield at Culdrose when the stbd wing folded on take off and the aircraft, VW710, rolled and skidded upside down along the runway.
The incident involving VW711 on 31 March 52 occurred when the aircraft was en route from Vengance to Lee. Engine trouble meant the aircraft force landed. I cannot find a location but would think it unlikely to be the aircraft in the OP’s photo.
The last accident referred to involving VW718, happened near Crail airfield. The aircraft had been practicing RP attacks on the airfield when it came down a short distance to the NNW of the field.
Several other Sea Furies had barrier engagements. Those were:
VW713, serving with 807 NAS aboard HMS Theseus. On 23 March 51, suffered partial engine failure, and caught No.9 wire in an emergency landing with the prop going into the barrier. I believe the ship was at that time in Far Eastern waters.
The style of dress worn by the deck crew would seem to indicate summertime in the northern hemisphere or the tropics. ‘Chiefy’, visible between the prop blades, has a white top on his cap and what appears to be an officer, just in front of him, looks to be in shirt sleeve order.
The aircraft code on the u/c door mentioned in post #10 might not be a code. I think it could be a handle on a piece of equipment being carried by one of the deck crew standing there.
Of the three accidents mentioned in post #16, it is unlikely to be any of those. The 7 June 52 accident happened on the airfield at Culdrose when the stbd wing folded on take off and the aircraft, VW710, rolled and skidded upside down along the runway.
The incident involving VW711 on 31 March 52 occurred when the aircraft was en route from Vengance to Lee. Engine trouble meant the aircraft force landed. I cannot find a location but would think it unlikely to be the aircraft in the OP’s photo.
The last accident referred to involving VW718, happened near Crail airfield. The aircraft had been practicing RP attacks on the airfield when it came down a short distance to the NNW of the field.
Several other Sea Furies had barrier engagements. Those were:
VW713, serving with 807 NAS aboard HMS Theseus. On 23 March 51, suffered partial engine failure, and caught No.9 wire in an emergency landing with the prop going into the barrier. I believe the ship was at that time in Far Eastern waters.
Last edited by Fournierf5; 31st Jan 2022 at 11:04.
A bit of thread creep, but I was stationed at Biggin Hill in 1954 when the station hosted the annual ROC "Recognition Day". Among the visitors was this Sea Fury the only one I ever saw close up. ISTR the large 'C' on its tail indicated it was based at RN airfield at Culham not far from Abingdon.
I recall also watching the RNHF Sea Fury suffer a ground loop and u/c collapse at Yeovilton in 1974. (Tail wheel lock not engaged IIRC).
( BTW apparently not all Invasion stripes during the 1956 Suez Crisis were Yellow and Black.. Due to local paint shortages some were White and Black)
( BTW apparently not all Invasion stripes during the 1956 Suez Crisis were Yellow and Black.. Due to local paint shortages some were White and Black)
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Thanks to lauriebe and Fournierf5's excellent additional insight and deductions and consequently enabled further searching that I have done, I agree that it is most likely 713 on Theseus, "invasion" stripes or not. Just a shame I can't find a clear picture of the deck to show "500" painted in precise proximity to the line. It is unlikely that another carrier would have had truly identical paint.
VX302 was built as a T.20, and then exported to Germany as a target tug. It was one of the a/c imported by Doug Arnold and eventually returned to Germany where it is being restored to it's target tug markings by Air Fighter Academy at Bremgarten
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Thanks forcall the replies. Sorry I've been a bit quiet, trying to stop buildings blowing away after Saturdays gale.
All the information is much appreciated , although I'm still no closer to finding out how the photo got into mums collection. The maritime history of our family mum had traced back to Napoleon being exiled to Elba, Scott and Shackleton, through to the search for the North West passage and of course the whaling, North and South, before and after the wars. But there's nothing I can find about carrier ops. I can only surmise that it must have been a friend and not relative who sent the photo. But its great to have all the information and it will go on the back of the photo further future generations.
Thanks again.
All the information is much appreciated , although I'm still no closer to finding out how the photo got into mums collection. The maritime history of our family mum had traced back to Napoleon being exiled to Elba, Scott and Shackleton, through to the search for the North West passage and of course the whaling, North and South, before and after the wars. But there's nothing I can find about carrier ops. I can only surmise that it must have been a friend and not relative who sent the photo. But its great to have all the information and it will go on the back of the photo further future generations.
Thanks again.
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Somewhere I have a photo I took of VX302 being run up outside Doug Arnold's hangar at Blackbushe as N613RD (?) in about 1985 just before it headed Stateside. Mystery is how I came to be there without being told to "go away"...
First saw TF956 being displayed at Greenham Common in 1976, assume Pete Sheppard was at the helm in those days...
First saw TF956 being displayed at Greenham Common in 1976, assume Pete Sheppard was at the helm in those days...
Gnome de PPRuNe
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I did get one look round the hangar in September '78 and saw the Griffon Spits still partially entombed in wooden crates I think - summat like "the boss isn't here but be as quick as you can in case he returns unexpectedly..."
Yes, Doug's Rolls Royce was always prowling around airside... those were heady days spotting at Blackbushe in the 80's, there was always something exotic parked up there. Sea Fury's, Ju52's, Mosquito, Comet, CASA 2111's, etc etc (apologies for thread drift).
Gnome de PPRuNe
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continued drift... Yep, Jeff Hawke's Hanover Street B-25s were there amongst various WoGB heavies on the southern side on that occasion. Farnborough Week, well worth a cycle up from North Camp before attending the afternoon display!
"M" on the tail represents Merryfield I assume?
...sadly. We'd had some Wyverns (Wastelands) during RAF days, plus some Sabres (Wastelands again). But in RN times, we only had the ocasional Sea Hawks and Gannets, but mostly Sea Venoms and the odd Meteor TT. Although I did once see a Dominie sitting on the grass near the Wastelands hangar.
At various times there were other interesting aeroplanes there too - a Welkin, Hamilcar X and the deflected jet Meteor...
How I wish I'd had a camera!
Last edited by BEagle; 2nd Feb 2022 at 09:22.