After a little help please if anyone can. In Portland harbour Dorset a fuselage section from a Sea Vixen was deliberately sunk for diving and escape exercises. Firstly when was it sunk and secondly is it possible to trace the actual aircraft. This is part of a story we are following up in a wider context involving Sea Vixen losses in Lyme bay. Sadly I haven’t found the Yeovilton museum very responsive but I guess they must get inundated with various requests. Any help at all would be much appreciated.
https://www.facebook.com/theshipwreckproject
By: snafu - 30th June 2014 at 12:37
Searched for Glen Fruin and found this:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]229627[/ATTACH]
From http://www.helensburgh-heritage.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=799:a-short-history-of-ahbre-glen-fruin&catid=88:military&Itemid=462
By: scotavia - 30th June 2014 at 00:17
part 2 http://www.mcdoa.org.uk/images/Underwater_Escape_from_Aircraft_Trials_Glen_Fruin_1965%20_b.jpg
By: scotavia - 30th June 2014 at 00:16
The trials appear to have been at Glen Fruin near Gareloch Scotland
http://www.mcdoa.org.uk/images/Underwater_Escape_from_Aircraft_Trials_Glen_Fruin_1965%20_a.jpg
By: grahame knott - 29th June 2014 at 19:46
Thanks Snafu seems like a possible contender much appreciated.
By: snafu - 29th June 2014 at 16:42
Had a little time to do some checking in Fleet Air Arm Fixed-Wing Aircraft since 1946 (Air Britain):
XJ483 had an undercarriage collapse on landing, HMS Ark Royal, Cat HZ (heavy damage, possible beyond economic repair) 26/2/1965.
To HSA Chester 27/3/1965 for damage assessment and conversion to FAW2; declared beyond economic repair and deleted from the conversion contract.
To Yeovilton by road 4/10/1965.
Nose section to A&AEE by 23/3/1966-12/1969; used in blower tunnel tests, then later underwater ejection systems trials (location not given).
Remainder reduced to spares and produce at Broughton 25/3/1966, carried out 18/11/1966.
Not saying that this is the one you are looking for, just that it is the only one shown to have been involved in trials underwater. From memory a Scimitar was involved in earlier underwater ejection trials but that was in the Mediterranean; this Sea Vixen might not have been sunk off Portland, but none of the other Sea Vixens were indicated to have gone on to the sort of exercises you mention.
Sign In
June 25, 2014 at 11:11 am