Dates

Event

Constructed as a Firefly AS.5.
At Hayes, Middlesex

1 June 1949

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Navy with s/n WB271.

1 June 1949

Transferred to RNAS Culham.
RNAS Culham was an Aircraft Receipt and Dispatch Unit for the Royal Navy.

July 1949

Transferred to 814 NAS, RNAS Culdrose and HMS Vengeance.

Circa 1950

Assigned to RNAS Anthorn, Cumberland for storage.

1951

Transferred to RNAY Fleetlands.
For maintenance and preparation for possible use in the Korean War.

November 1951

Transported by ship.
Shipped out to the Far East on aboard the Light Fleet Carrier HMS Warrior as deck cargo.

Circa 1952

Assigned to RNAS Sembawang, Northern tip of Singapore for storage.
Was re-assembled and placed into storage.

11 February 1952

Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Australian Navy with s/n WB271.

11 February 1952

Transferred to 816 NAS, HMAS Sydney.

Markings Applied: 242, K

Markings Applied: 264, K

Circa 1954

Converted to a Firefly TT.5.
At Brain and Brown Ltd, Avalon, Victoria.

After 1954

Transferred to 723 NAS, NAS Nowra, NSW.

From 1954 to 1956

Markings Applied: 899, NW

By 1958

Transferred to 725 NAS, NAS Nowra, NSW.

1958

Markings Applied: 889, NW

After 1962

Assigned to NAS Nowra, NSW for storage.
Placed into open storage.

1966

Struck off Strength/Charge from the Royal Australian Navy.

Circa 1967

To 814 NAS, HMS Victorious.

1967

Transported by ship.
Brought back to the UK on HMS Victorious during 1967.

Circa 1967

To Fleet Air Arm Museum RNAS Yeovilton.
Presented to the Fleet Air Arm Museum for display.

Photographer: Charles Daniels Collection / San Diego Air and Space Museum Archive

1972

Restored.
Restored to a flying condition.

December 1972

First post-restoration Flight.

By December 1972

To Royal Navy Historic Flight, R N A S Yeovilton, Yeovilton, Somerset, England.
View the Location Dossier

After December 1972

Markings Applied: 204, R
Painted to represent a 812NAS aircraft of HMS Glory during the Korean War.

23 June 1973

Photographer: Peter Nicholson
Notes: Six months after being restored to flying condition, the Royal Navy Historic Flight Firely AS.5 attended the 1973 Woodford Airshow.

20 May 1978

Photographer: Peter Nicholson
Notes: Firefly AS.5 of the Royal Navy Historic Flight in the markings of 812 Naval Air Squadron on display at the 1978 Biggin Hill Airshow.

22 July 1981

Photographer: Robert Nichols
Notes: at RNAS Culdrose Air Show

22 July 1981

Photographer: Robert Nichols
Notes: at RNAS Culdrose Air Show

18 July 1992

Photographer: Robert Nichols
Notes: at RNAS Yeovilton Air Day

11 September 1992

Photographer: Unknown
Notes: Photographed at RAF Cosford.

21 April 1997

Restoration started.
Departed RNAS Yeovilton to under-go a full rebuild at BAe Dunsfold.

2000

Restoration continued.
When Dunsfold was closed in 2000 WB271 was moved back to RNAS Yeovilton and work was continued by a team of 4 BAE-Systems employees on temporary deployment.

Circa February 2003

First post-restoration Flight.
At RNAS Yeovilton. Aircraft displayed at RNAS Yeovilton in May 2003.

12 July 2003

Crashed.
Lieutenant Commander Bill Murton, 45, and Neil Rix, 29, were killed while crewing the Fairey Firefly naval aircraft when it came down near the Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire, on the eastern side of the M11 at about 1430hrs. The aircraft was taking part in the Flying Legends Air Show at Duxfords, near Cambridge, when it went into a nosedive from which it never recovered. Mr Murton was the Commanding Officer of 727 Squadron based at Roborough, Plymouth, Devon.