ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 242717
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| Date: | Friday 16 February 1951 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Fairey Firefly FR Mk 5 |
| Owner/operator: | 816 Sqn RAN |
| Registration: | VX371 |
| MSN: | F.8403 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | HMAS Sydney, at sea, Eastern Australian Exercise Area -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | HMAS Albatross, RANAS Nowra, NSW, Australia |
| HMAS Sydney, at sea, Eastern Australian Exercise Area | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Fairey Firefly FR.Mk.5 VX371: Delivered to the FAA RN (Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy) RDU Culham 2/11/1948 for short term storage until 13/12/48 when delivered to HMS Sanderling, RNAS Abbotsinch AHU, Glasgow and prepared for issue to service to the RAN (Royal Australian Navy). Delivered on 4/4/49 to King George V Docks, Glasgow, Scotland and embarked in HMAS Sydney. Coded "206/K" in anticipation of issue to 816 Squadron, RAN (Royal Australian Navy). However, it was not until 7/4/49 that Firefly VX371 was officially transferred to RAN charge.
On 31/5/49, Landed at Jervis Bay and towed by road to RANAS Nowra for storage. Issued on 29/11/49 to Bankstown NSW (Fairey Clyde?) for ASH (Anti-Submarine Homing) Radar trials. Damaged 19/12/49 in a wheels up landing during trials at Bankstown, NSW. Pilot - Lieutenant Commander R.L. Davies RAN - uninjured. Removed 6/1/50 to Fairey Clyde at Bankstown, NSW for repairs.
Upon completion of repairs, issued on 8/9/50 HMAS Albatross, RANAS Nowra RDU, and on 13/9/50 finally issued to 816 Squadron, RAN as "206/K". Damaged 5/2/51 when propeller struck the wing of VX385 at RANAS Nowra. Quickly repaired and returned to service.
Written off 16/2/51: Crashed into the sea while attempting to land on board HMAS Sydney. Of the two crew, one was killed, one survived. Pilot, Lieutenant B.E. Smith RAN killed, Petty Officer Observer 2 Keith Bunning, RAN rescued. According to the official history of HMAS Sydney (see link #6)
"From January to August 1951 HMAS Sydney conducted further flying exercises and participated in war games in the eastern Australian exercise area. These were not without mishap and Sydney was to suffer her first fatal deck landing crash when a Firefly, with its starboard wing affected by funnel turbulence following a late wave off, clipped Sydney's island superstructure and fell overboard. The pilot Lieutenant B Smith, was killed and the observer rescued by HMAS Tobruk".
Wreckage of Firefly VX371 was presumably recovered, as on 2/8/51 it was Struck Off Charge as Cat.ZZ.
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Mick Burrows & Lee Howard, Air Britain, 2004 p.272)
2. https://www.airhistory.net/photo/188938/VX371
3. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/n1.htm
4. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VX
5. https://www.faaaa.asn.au/fairey-firefly-aircraft-histories/
6. https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-sydney-iii .
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Sep-2020 20:08 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 20-Sep-2020 20:08 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 20-Sep-2020 20:09 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Phase] |
| 20-Sep-2020 20:10 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 20-Sep-2020 20:11 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 20-Sep-2020 20:35 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source] |
| 21-Sep-2020 10:56 | T.T.Taylor | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Operator] |
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