800 Squadron FAA display team.

If it was a ‘red painted’ Sea Hawk, then it was on 26 August 1957 when the 738 Squadron’s solo display pilot, Lt D P W Kelly, failed to recover from a loop during a team rehearsal for the SBAC show and was killed when his aircraft (Sea Hawk FGA 6, XE381) crashed into a railway embankment near Arundel Sussex.

There was another accident on 1 September 1958, when Sea Hawk FGA 6 XE462 of 800 Squadron crashed at the diversion airfield at Blackbushe during SBAC display after its saddle tank caught fire; Lt Roger Dimmock ejected and suffered a broken leg.

Take your pick?

DW

Kelly wasn’t actually part of any squadron at the time of his death. He was loaned back to Ford from HMY Britannia especially for the show. This is why his headstone (in Clymping churchyard opposite the air station) has ‘HMY Britannia’ on it.

“What is your particular interest in the 1955 team?”

DW

Interest is with Raymond Lygo, I’ve got a couple of his flying suits, would have liked a photo of him leading the team.:)

If it was a ‘red painted’ Sea Hawk, then it was on 26 August 1957 when the 738 Squadron’s solo display pilot, Lt D P W Kelly, failed to recover from a loop during a team rehearsal for the SBAC show and was killed when his aircraft (Sea Hawk FGA 6, XE381) crashed into a railway embankment near Arundel Sussex.

There was another accident on 1 September 1958, when Sea Hawk FGA 6 XE462 of 800 Squadron crashed at the diversion airfield at Blackbushe during SBAC display after its saddle tank caught fire; Lt Roger Dimmock ejected and suffered a broken leg.

Take your pick?

DW

i cant remember the year but i do remember one of the red painted Sea Hawks falling out of the formation and the pilot ejecting this was at one of the Farnborough air shows i think the pilot broke a leg on landing
Brian

What is your particular interest in the 1955 team?

DW

That’s the one DW. Thanks for all your efforts.

I wonder if there are any opening of Schiphol Airport photo’s around. I’ll have to have a Google.

🙂

Do you mean this particular team?

In November 1954, 800 Squadron was formed at RNAS Brawdy with Sea Hawk FB.3s. The Commanding officer was Lt Cdr R D Lygo and in due course an aerobatic team was formed consisting of the CO, Lt M Darlington, Lt A R Campbell, Sub Lt Morse and Lt A J Leahy, DSC; the team was later joined by Lt B R Toomey. The team operated as Box Four formation with a singleton filling in between manoeuvres.

Despite carrying out a full operational work-up, followed by embarkation in HMS ‘Ark Royal’ in September 1955 for deployment to the Mediterranean, the squadron took part in ten air displays, including the the International Air Display at Ypenburg for the opening of Schiphol Airport at Amsterdam on 30 May.

1955.

30 May: International Air Display, Ypenburg. Sea Hawk FB.3. *
25 Jun: RNAS Culdrose Air Day. ( Now flying Sea Hawks FGA.4s)
20 Aug: National Air Races, Coventry.
21 Aug: ROC Display.
27 Aug: RNAS Anthorn Air Day.
4 Sept: ROC Display.
10 Sep: Kete Navy Day.
17 Sep: RAF Valley Battle of Britain Display.
17 Sep: RAF Chivenor Battle of Britain Display.
19 Dec: RNAS Hal Far Air Display.

* After a 50-aircraft flypast by representative types of the Netherlands Naval Air Service and the Royal Navy, 12 Sea Hawks smoothed themselves across the sky, and then split to present a brace of formation fours in a well timed, vapour-punctuated piece of aerobatic show-business. 800 Squadron (Lygo) and 807 Squadron (Hutton). Credit: Flight.

While embarked in HMS ‘Ark Royal’, now equipped with Sea Hawk FGA.4s (in June 1955), displays were carried out at RNAS Hal Far, Malta, in late 1955.

9 July 1955: Lee-on-Solent.

22 July 1955: Brawdy Air Day: restrictions on aerobatics following an accident at Lossiemouth (on 22 July?) when a wing came off a Seahawk. Routine limited to strafing attacks and flypast.

19 August 1955: Lossiemouth.

20 August 1955: Six aircraft of team at National Air Races at Baginton, led by CO. “First afternoon act of the programme was a potent, polished performance by six Seahawks of 800 Squadron, who burst in to begin a superb show, formation runs by four machines plus low individual cross-over beat-ups.” 20,000 crowd.

27 August 1955: Anthorn.

12 September 1955: display over HMS ‘Harrier’ (Kete)

17 September 1955: BoB display at Valley; returned BY and displayed at Chivenor.

DW

Thanks for the reply Mothminor. The photo’s are interesting, but sadly don’t have any dates. The Flight page is brilliant, again a bit late for me (I’m after the 1955 team, the one led by Raymond Lygo) but a great article, and what a splendid photo!

I think the Flight archive is the most useful site for historic aviation on the internet, and it’s free!

Thanks again:)

A few on here –

http://aerobaticteams.net/royal-navy-red-devils.html

and a great article with photos here –

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1958/1958-1-%20-%200239.html