Date:	Monday 26 June 1950
Time:	day
Type:	Fairey Firefly FR Mk 4
Owner/operator:	TFU RAF
Registration:	TW718
MSN:	F.6054
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	near RAF Bovingdon, Hertfordshire, England -   United Kingdom
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Test
Departure airport:	RAF Hendon, Middlesex
Destination airport:	RAF Defford, Worcestershire
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Fairey Firefly FR.4 TW718: Delivered to the FAA RN (Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy) 22/1/1947 at RNAS Culham RDU. First issued for service 2/9/1947 to 787 Squadron FAA RN on charge with the CS(A) (Controller (Air) Ministry of Supply). Returned to Fairey Aircraft at White Waltham 9/9/1948 for night flying trials or re-designed exhaust flame dampers. To "C" Squadron A&AEE Boscombe Down for further trials of same dampers from 6/12/1948, Returned to Fairey Aircraft at White Waltham upon completion of trials 14/12/1948.

Transferred to the TFU (Telecommunications Flying Unit) at RAF Defford, Worcestershire for trials of ASH (Anti-Submarine Homing) Radar equipment in January 1949. Sustained damage in a forced landing at RAF Defford due to coolant leak on 21/1/1949.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 26/6/1950: Engine failure en-route between RAF Hendon and RAF Defford. Engine stalled during forced landing into a field adjacent to RAF Bovingdon, Hertfordshire; port wing dropped at very low altitude, and aircraft hit hedge. Undercarriage torn off, aircraft cartwheeled and caught fire. Both crew survived, but were seriously injured.

Crew of Firefly TW718:
Lieutenant Commander S M De Longsden, RN (pilot)
Group Captain T R Rodgers RAF (Observer)

Struck Off Charge 9/10/1950 as Cat.ZZ. Wreckage recovered to HMS Daedalus, RNAS Lee-on-Solent 12/10/1950 for accident investigation. Remains dumped at HMS Siskin, RNAS Gosport by April 1951.

1. Fleet Arm Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.255)
2. Last Take Off; A Catalogue of RAF Aircraft Losses 1950 to 1953 by Colin Cummings p.64

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
26-Dec-2020 19:08	Dr. John Smith	Added
15-Feb-2021 10:11	Angel dick one five	Updated [Operator, Operator]
30-Apr-2021 21:11	TB	Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Operator]