Date:	Thursday 25 August 1960
Time:	day
Type:	Fairey Firefly U Mk 9
Owner/operator:	728B Sqn FAA RN
Registration:	WB410
MSN:	F.8607
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far -   Malta
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far, Malta
Destination airport:	HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far, Malta
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Fairey Firefly U.Mk.9 WB410: Built as Firefly FR.Mk.5, and delivered as such 1/3/1950. Delivered to Fairey Aircraft at Hamble, Hampshire 23/5/1955 for overhaul and recommissioning. Upon completion of this work, selected for conversion to Firefly U.9 drone, and ferried to Fairey Aircraft at Ringway Airport, Manchester 16/4/1956. First flown as a Firefly U.9 drone 13/12/1956 at Ringway

Delivered to RAE Llanbedr, Harlech, Gwynedd 9/7/1957 coded "K". Returned to Fairey Aircraft at Ringway Airport, Manchester 31/12/1958 for overhaul. Upon completion, delivered to HMS Heron, RNAS Yeovilton, Ilchester, Somerset to be ferried by the (Short Brothers & Harland Ltd-operated) Yeovilton Ferry Flight to HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far, Malta. Arrived Hal Far 5/10/1959 and recoded "596/HF" with 728B Squadron FAA RN

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 25/8/1960 Crashed during landing at Hal-Far, after ship gunners failed to shoot it down. Aircraft landed at Hal Far without tail hook being lowered, and ran off the end of the runway. Undercarriage collapsed, and aircraft deemed damaged beyond economic repair.

Formally Struck Off Charge as Cat.ZZ on 30/8/1960

1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Le Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.283)
2. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WB
3. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1232486
4. https://www.airhistory.net/photo/8753/WB410
5. http://www.aviationinmalta.com/MilitaryAviation/AccidentsMilitary/19601969/tabid/652/language/en-US/Default.aspx
6. http://www.ukserials.com/losses_drones.htm
7. https://www.airliners.net/photo/UK-Navy/Fairey-Firefly-U9/1708002

Fairey Firefly U9 WB410: It wears the red/yellow drone scheme during a (piloted) test flight at Ringway Airport, Manchester (MAN/EGCC) on 21-06-1959:

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
12-Sep-2020 19:52	Dr. John Smith	Added
13-Sep-2020 16:58	Allach	Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Narrative, Operator]