Aeroplane Monthly 1989-08 / M.Oakey - Grapevine

Royal Navy Historic Flight Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 TF956 at Prestwick Airport on June 10, 1989, just a couple of hours before it was abandoned over the sea because of an undercarriage malfunction. A replacement is being sought.

Aeroplane Monthly 1988-11 / M.Gaines - Own goal

Two photographs showing battle damage to Sea Fury FB.11 VX691, the subject of this article. Although the damage appears fairly superficial in these views, such a large amount of wing structure was burnt away that the aircraft was subsequently robbed for spares and pushed over the side.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-03 / Personal album. Military

This Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 broke in half behind the pilot’s cockpit, leaving the pilot unharmed.

Aeroplane Monthly 1988-04 / Personal album. Military

The five photographs form a sequence illustrating the sudden end of Sea Fury WE716 while landing on HMS Indomitable. The Fury is landing on the extreme port side of the deck, top, and the rear fuselage has already sheared off as a result of too heavy a side load on the arrester hook. The tail came to rest on the deck. The uncontrollable Fury slides on its nose along the deck, thereby losing its propeller and hitting the steel triangular construction of the barrier.

Aeroplane Monthly 1988-04 / Personal album. Military

The skidding aircraft then hits the anti-aircraft guns, and at the same moment the port wing catches fire.

Aeroplane Monthly 1988-04 / Personal album. Military

The engine has broken away and is heading for the sea. The cockpit canopy has come away and already the pilot is preparing to release himself.

Aeroplane Monthly 1988-04 / Personal album. Military

With the rear fuselage, port wing and the engine ripped away, the remaining hulk of the Fury hangs precariously over the side of the carrier. The pilot is still in the cockpit, but not for long!

Aeroplane Monthly 1988-04 / Personal album. Military

With the ships tannoy screaming, “Jump on the deck! Jump on the deck!”, the pilot scrambles out of the cockpit and jumps clear. The burning wreckage was heaved over the side in double-quick time by the carrier's firefighters. Shortly afterwards, following a medical checkup, the pilot was airborne again, though later the same day he was found to have damaged a muscle in his neck.

Aeroplane Monthly 1986-02 / R.Williams - Sea Fury (3)

802 Squadron Sea Fury FB.11 WJ233 goes adrift aboard HMS Ocean off Korea in 1952. The squadron equipped with Sea Fury F.Xs in March 1948 and Sea Furies remained with the unit until replaced by Sea Hawks in February 1954.

Aeroplane Monthly 1988-04 / Personal album. Military

The kind of deck incident seen here was only too common. The main problem was for the pilot to evacuate the aircraft without harming himself. With the aid of ropes and helping hands, this pilot reached the deck safely - on HMS Indomitable, September 1951.

Aeroplane Monthly 1990-03 / Personal album. Military

A dramatic shot of Hawker Fury FB.11 VR941 taken after it overturned while landing on HMS Illustrious and caught fire. Miraculously, the pilot escaped. The Sea Fury entered FAA service in August 1947, with 807 Squadron. A total of 615 FB.11s was built and the mark first entered service with the FAA in May 1948, again with 807 Sqn. Powered by the 2,480 h.p. Bristol Centaurus 18, the Sea Fury was phased out of service from 1953.
Hawker Sea Fury VR941 ablaze on HMS Illustrious in 1949. One firesuitman is already in the flames under the inverted aircraft, helping the pilot. His colleague is about to assist. Amazingly the pilot was rescued, albeit with some burns but otherwise all right. Both firesuitmen were subsequently awarded a King’s Commendation for their part in the rescue.

Aeroplane Monthly 1974-08 / News Spotlight

The RN’s Hawker Sea Fury moments after coming to grief at Yeovilton on June 15, 1974. It is hoped repairs will be completed for the SBAC Show in September.

Aeroplane Monthly 1979-12 / R.Williams - The Navy's Northern Reservists (1)

Sea Fury T20 trainer VX287/210/ST of 1831 Squadron crashed after engine failure on take-off from Stretton on March 14, 1953.

Aeroplane Monthly 1980-03 / G.Skillen - Silent Sea Furies

Photograph, taken at Dunsfold in September 1964, depicts Sea Furies WE709, WJ288, WJ244 and VR930. All but WE709 have survived and are now in museums.

Aeroplane Monthly 1980-03 / G.Skillen - Silent Sea Furies

Sea Fury VR936, also at Lossiemouth in 1962 and later broken up at Lasham.

Aeroplane Monthly 1980-03 / G.Skillen - Silent Sea Furies

Sea Furies languishing at Lossiemouth in April 1962.

Aviation Historian 18 / G.Skillen - National Treasure?

With wings folded and canopies open, the Sea Furies quickly began to deteriorate in the North Sea air. Four of the examples stored outside - VR936, VW583, WE728 and WJ224 - and all of those stored in the hangar had operated with the Fleet Requirements Unit at Hurn during 1955-60, serving as ‘‘high-speed targets” for Royal Navy ships.

Aviation Historian 18 / G.Skillen - National Treasure?

Having accrued nearly 838 flying hours, all in the UK, since entering FAA service in 1950, VX683 was one of the more weary Sea Furies and had been at Lossiemouth since October 1957.

Aeroplane Monthly 1980-03 / G.Skillen - Silent Sea Furies

Sea Fury VW583, seen at Lossiemouth in April 1962, was later broken up at Lasham.

Aviation Historian 18 / G.Skillen - National Treasure?

Still maintaining the type’s purposeful stance despite its somewhat battered appearance, Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 TF968 stands in the heather at Lossiemouth on April 13, 1962. This veteran of the Korean conflict was struck off charge and scrapped in 1963.

Aviation Historian 18 / G.Skillen - National Treasure?

Sea Fury FB.11 WJ296 was one of several at Lossiemouth which had already had its distinctive Rotol five-bladed propeller removed when the author visited. It had accrued a mere 54hr 50min flying time when it arrived at Lossiemouth in July 1957 for long-term storage. It was sold to local scrap dealer David Bond & Co in June 1963.

Aviation Historian 18 / G.Skillen - National Treasure?

The line-up of 16 Sea Furies left outside to brave the elements at Lossiemouth, some from as far back as 1957. What price such a potential treasure-trove today?

Aeroplane Monthly 1980-03 / G.Skillen - Silent Sea Furies

Sea Fury VW586, partially stripped at d Lossiemouth in April 1962, later met its maker at Lasham.

Aviation Historian 18 / G.Skillen - National Treasure?

As all the Sea Furies stored outside were to be scrapped, it is curious that VW586 has had its standard Fleet Air Arm scheme of Extra Dark Sea Grey upper surfaces and Sky undersides removed, although the outer panels of the wings have retained their original underside colour, along with roundels and serials.

Aeroplane Monthly 1980-03 / G.Skillen - Silent Sea Furies

Sea Fury WE683, previously of Nos 802 and 1831 Sqns, at Lossiemouth in April 1962.

Aeroplane Monthly 1993-08 / Personal album. Military

Believed to be the former WH593, Sea Fury G-9-38 stands minus its Centaurus engine in amongst other doomed aircraft.

Aeroplane Monthly 1993-08 / Personal album. Military

Hawker Sea Fury G-9-37, thought to have been WM592, is believed to have been one of 18 Furies delivered to the Royal Netherlands Air Force base at Deelen in October 1964 for use on fire practice.

Aeroplane Monthly 1993-08 / Personal album. Military

Sea Furies G-9-44, G-9-38 and G-9-47 may be recognised in this collection of airframes at Dunsfold in May 1963.

Aeroplane Monthly 1993-08 / Personal album. Military

Sea Fury T.20 VZ352 as G-9-49 is believed to have gone to the RNethAF at Deelen in 1964.

Aeroplane Monthly 1993-08 / Personal album. Military

Hawker Sea Fury T.20 VZ364, still in the markings of its last unit, with Hunter F.4 WT775 in the background.

Другие самолёты на фотографии: Another planes on the photo: Hawker Hunter - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1951

Aeroplane Monthly 1980-03 / G.Skillen - Silent Sea Furies

The well-known two-seat Sea Fury WE825 at Church Crookham in March 1965, carrying the instructional serial number A2372. This aircraft was still at Lasham in 1970.

Aeroplane Monthly 1979-05 / Hawker Sea Fury FB 11 /Preservation Profile/ (73)

Arriving at Camden Airport, October 1969, for restoration.

Aviation Historian 18 / G.Skillen - National Treasure?

The final ignominious end for the majority of the Sea Furies photographed by the author at Lossiemouth in April 1962 - the Staravia Ltd scrapyard at Lasham in Hampshire. Seen here are the empennages of VX694 (total flying hours 347hr 40min) and TF968 (324hr 30min).

Aeroplane Monthly 1981-11 / News Spotlight

The mortal remains of Spencer Flack's Sea Fury FB.11 seen just short of RAF Waddington's runway on August 2, 1981, where it crashed as a result of oil pressure problems. The owner/pilot escaped serious injury.