Firefly WB271

Paul Rix, the brother of Neil Rix the engineer, posted eloquently on a thread here about his brother and Bill Murton. The thread which ran to several pages is worth the read if you can find it.

Made no less poignant by the fact that two of the contributors to that thread are no longer with us.

Regards,

kev35

pagen01 – beautifully put. WB271 was always one of my favourite aircraft on the display circuit, and after the loss a few years before of RR299 I was heartbroken at what happened at Duxford. I seem to remember the brother of the poor chap who was in the back seat posted on the forum in the aftermath of the accident. Tragic stuff.

The photo in the first post is lovely – one of my favourites, though, was an air-to-air of WB271 flying over Duxford arriving for Legends, which I think was published in A*roplane M*nthly.

Oh for a benefactor who could donate a Firefly to the RNHF.

it’s strange but
if someone find these wrecked (p38 mossie firefly b17) plane 30/40
years later we are all happy…..
and no one want these goto the smelter!

There was something about WB271 that made it that bit special in my eyes, it just felt like a nice pure veteran aircraft, rescued by people that cherished it for what it was, and the parent service showing a great deal of respect for it.
I always remember the shock of hearing about the tragic accident at Duxford, it was one of those aircraft that I always thought would be around.

I certainly wouldn’t expect any part of the aircraft to have remained, both for the service reasons highlighted, and for the sake of the family whos loss must have been far greater than the machine.

Lovely picture in the first post.

Gorgeous looking aeroplane – was really pleased to hear that the US one was coming to the UK – does anyone know to where or whom…or when?

TT

I clearly recall seeing the wreckage of WD901/CF-BDH laid out on the floor of CWH’s hangar at Mt.Hope after that aircraft crashed into Lake Ontario during the 1977 CNE airshow. A very sad sight. Years later I was surprised to find the tailcone structure and the two external wing tanks from BDH stored in the loft at the back of the hangar. The aft-fuselage section seems to have migrated east eventually to join the project then under longterm work in Maine…

I’d missed WD840 having moved to DX. This was, I think, the former Bob Diemert aircraft (CF-CBH) that had been flying in the seventies with a Merlin engine out of a York…? Only time I ever saw it was the bare airframe inside the hangar at the Lone Star museum in Galveston, Texas. A well-travelled Firefly for sure.

S.

So glad that’s not a recent shot!

I don’t think they’ve started work on the one at Duxford yet, but I believe one is being overhauled in America prior export to Britain (it was sold by Platinum Fighter Sales recently)

Ahh, you’re right!! Seems to be WD840, seen here while in service!

‘ghouls’ was the word he used not mine, i think they had a lot of requests to look around the RNFSAIC hanger but only allowed flight safety courses to go inside and even then we were escorted all the time,very interesting but desperately sad.

RR299 went to Hanningfield Metals, such as it was. It was processed quite quickly, although a few bits made it out; I was presented with some at the museum, which went straight on the fire. Too soon.

I guess after a crash there is a wanting to see or touch something more tangible that holds a direct connection to the loss of the crew rather than just having a bit of a famous aircraft to hide away. When ive been in contact with relations of aircrew lost in crashes ive sometimes taken them to crash sites which is very emotional in its self. When a small part of that aircraft is produced the emotions go of the scale. its not always about the macarbre, sometimes its far deeper

Totally understand that, it’s a tangible link to their loved ones final moments, something touched by them and nothing macabre at all, it gives them something of substance to hold and remember them by.

I think i am right in saying that next year at legends marks the tenth anniversary of the sad loss of the aircraft and its crew.

the other comment i do remember was the investigator mentioning that a 30g harness is no damn good if the seat is not able to take that load and would break up,although it was obvious that accident was not survivable in any way.

I seem to remember that when the Mossi RR299 crashed its remains were in a scrapyard for a long time after but not one easy to get into for obviouse reasons..

I guess after a crash there is a wanting to see or touch something more tangible that holds a direct connection to the loss of the crew rather than just having a bit of a famous aircraft to hide away. When ive been in contact with relations of aircrew lost in crashes ive sometimes taken them to crash sites which is very emotional in its self. When a small part of that aircraft is produced the emotions go of the scale. its not always about the macarbre, sometimes its far deeper

I can confirm, to put all conjecture to bed, that in line with RN policy on aircraft in which there have been fatalities the wreckage was scrapped (shredded) a while ago.

not long after the accident i was on a flight safety course at the RNFSAIC and was shown the wreck, the investigator showing us round the hanger said it was policy to scrap airframes that were involved in fatals as there were many ‘ghouls’ who wanted a part so it would be rendered unidentifiable before sale for scrap, sad to see there was a teddy bear still on the wreck placed by a wellwisher that the team didnt have the heart to move.

ARCo have either paint stripped or restored one of the firefly wings. It is currently in a plastic wrapping in H3.

I don’t think they’ve started work on the one at Duxford yet, but I believe one is being overhauled in America prior export to Britain (it was sold by Platinum Fighter Sales recently)

Do the RNHF have any plans to replace her?
She was my favourite from the fleet and quite unique.

I believe it was scrapped after the Naval Inquiry into the crash. A great shame.