Bit of a shame really.. as when it came into Dx slung underneath an HC-53 ‘Jolly Green Giant’, its then owners OFMC declared its intention to return it to airworthy condition. I just wonder that if Mark Hanna had not been killed it may have progressed someway towards that goal.. we shall never know.!

Incidentally i remember the day when i sat parked in Grange Road which overlooks the entire airfield, and into sight came two HC-53’s of which one had a red Hawker Sea Fury slung underneath (D-CACY?), having flown all the way from Germany. Its sights like that that make you sit up in disbelief, and curse the fact that i did’nt have a camera handy.. i never learn.!

I thought it was Guy Black (Aero Vintage) who did the deal??? The Battle moved to Duxford after Mr Church was killed.

Well does it really matter who and when?? The fact remains it was swopped for yet another MKIX Spitfire. Anyone visiting a UK airshow would think that it was only Spits and Spit pilots that were fighting during WW2, god knows how many Battle pilots and crews were lost or are still around today.
I PERSONALLY would love to have seen that Fairey Battle flying as a tribute to those forgotten crews who were, through no fault of there own, given such totally inadequate equipment and basically sent to there deaths without a decent fighting chance.

I realise that todays operaters of warbirds do so with more than a passing eye on money generated from airshows etc to help with the enormous running costs of said aircraft, but what would you rather see; yet another airshow formation of Spitfires (lovely as they are), or a lone Defiant, Battle, Walrus or Beaufighter etc…?

I think as the fighter collection has found the problem is not necessarily one of restoring a Beaufighter, but finding enough spares to keep it in the air for a worthwhile period of time.
I personally was very dissapointed when the late Charles Church swopped a (what i am led to believe) very potentially airworthy Fairey Battle with a museum in Belgium for a MkIX Spit.
I can still remember the Battle outside at Dx, part restored and suffering from the elements. And to think of how many brave souls went to war in one of those against far superior opposition, knowing full well that there was a good chance of them not returning, what a fitting tribute to them a flyer would be…

Thanks for the update Brian, i personally have got three different articles that say it was VZ783 that had the underwater ejection (possibly all quoted from the same source), but either way i’m sure one of us is correct. Nice to know there are others out there who have an interest in the ‘dragon’.;)

cheers,
Rob.

Bri,

If you go into ‘manage attachments’ when replying it will let you attach any pics on to your reply from your computer.
I would love to see any pics of Ford especially any of the Wyverns that were based there. The sound there Python engine made was best described as an evil howl cum wine, quite appropriate..!

Many thanks for posting these Brian.. pics of what could possibly have been the last surviving Wyvern S.4.! Any other pics, especially Wyvern from my point of view, would be most welcome.!

Incidentally VW873 was used as a trials machine before being roaded into Arbroath on 21/10/55 and used for instructional purposes. It was then written off charge and relegated to fire fighting duties, and scrapped in late 1963.