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Date: | Wednesday 17 September 1958 |
Time: | day |
Type: | Fairey Firefly U.9 |
Owner/operator: | 728B Sqn FAA RN |
Registration: | VT463 |
MSN: | F.8347 |
Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
Location: | Mediterranean Sea, off Hal Far -
Malta
|
Phase: | En route |
Nature: | Military |
Departure airport: | HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far, Malta |
Destination airport: | |
Confidence Rating: | Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Narrative:Fairey Firefly U.9 VT463: By July 1955 in storage at HMS Nutcharch, RNAS Anthorn ADU. On 29/9/55 Transferred to permanent C(A) (Controller (Air) charge and delivered 2/3/56 Fairey Aircraft, at Hamble, Hampshire for reconditioning. Upon completion of work delivered on 3/1/57 to Fairey Aircraft, at Ringway Airport, Manchester for conversion to U.9 drone. First flight as Firefly U.9 drone was on 22/10/1957 at Ringway Airport, Manchester.
Stored at Ringway Airport, Manchester until delivered on 11/2/58 HMS Blackcap, RNAS Stretton AHU, in Cheshire. By May 1958 in service with 728B Squadron FAA RN, at HMS Falcon, RNAS Hal Far, Malta. Damaged 23/5/58 in a wheels up landing after damage to starboard undercarriage. On this occasion, the Firefly drone was being test flown by a crew of two - Lieutenant P.A. McKern (pilot) and Pilot Officer D.B. Barr.
Written off 17/9/58 when Shot down and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea, off Hal Far, Malta. Cause unknown (shot down by missile or anti-aircraft gunnery practice?)
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Mick Burrows & Lee Howard, Air Britain, 2004 p.266)
2.
http://www.ukserials.com/losses_drones.htm 3.
http://www.adf-serials.com.au/n1.htm 4.
http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VT 5.
https://www.faaaa.asn.au/fairey-firefly-aircraft-histories/ 6.
http://www.aviationinmalta.com/MilitaryAviation/AccidentsMilitary/19501959/tabid/651/language/en-US/Default.aspx .
Revision history:
Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
19-Sep-2020 22:34 |
Dr. John Smith |
Added |
19-Sep-2020 22:35 |
Dr. John Smith |
Updated [Source, Narrative] |
20-Sep-2020 15:01 |
TB |
Updated [Operator, Operator] |