Late in 1946 the aircraft carrier HMS Theseus visited Auckland, New Zealand. During this visited she offloaded two damaged RN aircraft – a Seafire XV and a Fairey Firefly Mk.I. These two aircraft lay around a couple of NZ military establishments for several years before finally being scrapped in the 1950s.
The Seafire has been provisionally identified as SW853, but the Firefly has always been an unknown.
Several photographs of these two aircraft have now come to light, and there is evidence that the Firefly was MB385.
Can a Fairey expert tell us if this was a Firefly serial, and is there some history of this aircraft out there?
Discussion on these aircraft (with photographs ) is available at
http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=Airshows&action=display&thread=7084
and
http://rnzaf.proboards43.com/index.cgi?board=Airshows&action=display&thread=7087
By: flyernzl - 1st September 2008 at 22:50
No intention to annoy the Aussies, but I did mean RN – correction made to the original post.
So it seems that MB385 is a Firefly serial – thanks – any other info on this aircraft’s history?
By: Mark12 - 1st September 2008 at 22:34
Air Britain FAA Fixed Wing Aircraft since 1946:-
‘MB385 – Allocated to New Zealand April 1947’
Mark
By: wieesso - 1st September 2008 at 22:16
Several photographs of these two aircraft have now come to light, and there is evidence that the Firefly was MB385.
Can a Fairey expert tell us if this was a Firefly serial, …
I’m not a Fairey expert but according to Bruce Robertsons book MB385 is a Fairey Firefly I serial (batch MB378 – 419).
By: Bager1968 - 1st September 2008 at 22:04
The very first Fireflies in the RAN were transfered on 28 August 1948, and embarked in HMAS SYDNEY at King George V Docks Glasgow, Scotland on 04 April 1949.
Thus, your 1947 firefly could only have been from the RN, not the RAN.
One of the RAN Fireflies has a history that might help, a little:
Aircraft Ser; Aircraft Type; Cn No.; Aircraft History
VT504; FR5; F8388; Known to have been with 820 Squadron embarked in HMS THESEUS as 227/T and later with 812 Squadron before being sold to the RAN. Delivered to King George V Docks, Glasgow, Scotland on 04 April 1949 and was embarked in HMAS SYDNEY.
Note that Australian serials are different from RN serials.
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September 1, 2008 at 9:32 pm