ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 242720
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| Date: | Monday 6 April 1953 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Fairey Firefly Mk 5 |
| Owner/operator: | 817 Sqn RAN |
| Registration: | VX387 |
| MSN: | F.8419 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | HMAS Sydney, off Perth, WA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | HMAS Sydney, Indian Ocean, Off Perth, Western Australia |
| HMAS Sydney, Indian Ocean, Off Perth, Western Australia | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Fairey Firefly FR.Mk.5 VX387: Delivered to the FAA RN (Fleet Arm Arm, Royal Navy) on 9/12/48 to RNAS Culham RDU. Transferred in January 1949 to HMS Sanderling, RNAS Abbotsinch AHU and embalmed for shipment to Australia. On 4/4/49 Delivered to King George V Docks, Glasgow, Scotland and embarked in HMAS Sydney. Coded "222/K" in anticipation of issued to 816 Squadron, RAN (Royal Australian Navy). However, it was only on 7/4/49 that Firefly VX387 was officially transferred to RAN charge
On 31/5/49 Landed at Jervis Bay and towed by road to HMAS Albatross, to RANAS Nowra for storage. Finally issued in July 1949 to 816 Squadron, RAN (still coded "222/K"). Damaged 19/8/49 when taxied into VX378 after landing on board HMAS Sydney. Pilot - Lieutenant Commander P.D. Lowndes - uninjured. Damaged again 13/10/49 when began to nose over, and propeller 'pecked deck' when landing on board HMAS Sydney. Pilot - Lieutenant R.E. Bourke, RAN - uninjured.
Offloaded from HMAS Sydney in February 1950, and returned to HMAS Albatross, RNAS Nowra NSW. Then returned to service with 817 Squadron (still coded "222/K")
Damaged 6/4/53: Tail oleo collapsed, aircraft pitched forward, and propeller hit deck, landing on board HMAS Sydney. Pilot - Lieutenant Commander D. Buchanan RAN - uninjured. At the time the carried was in the Indian Ocean, Off Perth, Western Australia. According to the official history of HMAS Sydney (see link #2):
"1953 began with the usual pattern of exercises, work-ups and flying operations in waters off the NSW coast. A port visit to Hobart was made in February in support of the Hobart Regatta before HMAS Sydney's crew readied itself for a deployment to the United Kingdom to participate in coronation celebrations for HM Queen Elizabeth II.
The ship embarked the coronation contingent in Melbourne from where she sailed, under the command of Captain H Buchanan, RAN, on 24 March bound for Fremantle. After fuelling in Western Australia, HMAS Sydney began the passage to England via Colombo, Aden, Suez, Port Said, Tobruk, Malta and Gibraltar before arriving at Portsmouth on 8 June 1953".
It is not clear in Firefly VX387 was ever repaired following its accident on 6/4/1953. The next entry on the aircraft's record card was on 19/3/56, when it was at Schofields, Sydney, NSW awaiting disposal. Struck off Charge as Cat.ZZ on 4/6/57, and sold for scrap through Department of Supply to FitzGibbons and Garthon.
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Mick Burrows & Lee Howard, Air Britain, 2004 p.266)
2. https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-sydney-iii
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/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Sep-2020 22:43 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 21-Sep-2020 10:55 | T.T.Taylor | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
| 07-Jun-2022 19:21 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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