1953 Queen's Coronation Flypast TBM?
 

I am trying to verify that our AS-3 (TBM) Avenger BuNo 53503 participated in this fly-over. It was stationed on the HMCS Magnificent at this time, and the "Maggie" was there. Anybody have further leads on this? Of course the pilot officer's name, etc. would be wonderful.

According to "Coronation Wings" by Eric Bucklow there was no TBM in the flypast. This booklet lists every aircraft and pilot involved in the Coronation review at Odiham on 15 July 1953.

Of course this is sad news. Might there have been multiple flypasts or events? Was there any RCN/AF aircraft listed? The TBM was then called an "AS3" in RCN parlance for its anti-submarine role. I was told that this flypast was a limited event, with just a few aircraft representing each of the Commonwealth nations. Yet further research talks about a large 600 a/c flypast that was nearly hampered by weather. I have also seen where the Queen visited Oldiham after the June 2 coronation.

There was a Royal Navy review done on June 18, 1953 too, perhaps this was "our" event?

This report in Flight Magazine at the time has Magnificent as part of the Spithead Naval review with Avenger squadrons RN 815 and RCN 881 in the flypast.

firefly | eagle | 1953 | 0756 | Flight Archive




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The RCN and Avengers get a mention in the commentary of this newsfilm but no pictures

British Pathe - SPITHEAD REVIEW 1953

1953 Coronation Flypast
 

The now-defunct 'British Aviation Review' listed the following at Lee-on-Solent on 13 June 1953:

No.VS881 Squadron, RCN:

Avenger AS.4 53322 "314", 53420 "343", 53489 "304", 53496 "339", 53505 "315", 53610 "303", 53626 "328", 53687 "313", 86821 "335".

Static Display: 53732 "316".