ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 241055
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| Date: | Tuesday 27 November 1956 |
| Time: | 15:15 LT |
| Type: |  Fairey Firefly AS Mk 5 |
| Owner/operator: | 851 Sqn RAN |
| Registration: | VX381 |
| MSN: | F.8413 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | Jervis Bay, off Callala, Shoalhaven, NSW -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | HMAS Albatross, RNAS Nowra, NSW |
| HMAS Albatross, RNAS Nowra, NSW | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Fairey Firefly AS.5 VX381: "266/NW" 851 Squadron, RAN (Royal Australian Navy). Written off (destroyed) 27/11/1956 when ditched into Hare Bay, Jervis Bay, NSW due to a mid air collision at about 2,000 feet above Huskisson, NSW, with another Firefly WD887 "260/NW", also of 851 Squadron RAN.
On 27 November 1956 four Fireflies from 851 Squadron, part of the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Australian Navy, based at HMAS Albatross at RANAS Nowra, NSW, were part of a training mission to familiarise crews with a navigation technique that allowed them determine the wind speed and direction and thereby return to the aircraft carrier after a mission. After the training off Jervis Bay, the four aircraft were to rendezvous near Huskisson before flying back to Albatross. Fireflies VX381 and WD887 were flying circles in opposite directions when they had a mid-air collision, during which the starboard wingtip of VX381 collided with WD887 that then tumbled and crashed into Jervis Bay near Huskisson. At approximate coordinates 35'015083" South, 150'73855" East
Firefly VX381, with about seven feet of the starboard wing missing, ditched in Hare Bay about three miles from the collision point. The pilot - Sub Lieutenant John David Eagles RN and trainee observer Midshipman Donald Debus RAN - managed to escape from their Firefly, which sank in about 15 seconds. After climbing into their life rafts, they were winched to safety by a Sycamore helicopter from RANAS Nowra. The two crew of Firefly WD887 - Lieutenant Arthur Arundel RN and trainee observer Midshipman Noel Fogarty RAN - were killed when their aircraft crashed into Jervis Bay. Despite lengthy searches at the time their bodies were never found. The location of Firefly WD887 also remained undiscovered for many years.
Determined to find the missing Firefly, and with some help from two English backpackers, Greg Stubbs made telephone contact with the surviving pilot David Eagles who, after his service with the RAN, had returned to the UK where he forged a distinguished career in aviation. When Eagles visited Australia in February 2016, he met Stubbs and narrowed down the crash site of WD887. After many years of searching, in March 2016, Greg found WD887 which had broken-up on impact, about 3.5 km from Moona-Moona Creek
Reportedly, around one third of VX381’s wing tip was broken off, though it was still able to fly north-east for a short time during which the pilot made a Mayday radio call before ditching it in Hare Bay where it sank within minutes.
VX381 was formally Struck Off Charge as Cat.ZZ on 14/6/1957. The wreckage of VX 381 was located by accident in 1983 in 10-12 metres of water, and is now a popular "target" for recreational divers.
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.272)
2. http://fishingstatus.com/home/details/IndexID/943041
3. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=VX
4. https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/maritimeheritageapp/ViewSiteDetail.aspx?siteid=2387
5. https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/resources/heritagebranch/maritime/aircraftlossesnsw.pdf
6. https://www.faaaa.asn.au/fairey-firefly-anecdotes/
7. https://www.facebook.com/1544822212400301/posts/fairey-firefly-vx381-jervis-baywhilst-undergoing-navigational-training-on-27-nov/1727884867427367/
8. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/n1.htm
9. https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/4043419
10. https://news.navy.gov.au/en/Dec2016/Events/3393/Firefly-tragedy-remembered.htm#.X1ezyHlKjIU
11. https://www.michaelmcfadyenscuba.info/viewpage.php?page_id=128
12. http://pages.rediff.com/vx381-fairey-firefly-wreck/905913
13. https://www.townandcountrymagazine.com.au/story/4315904/commemoration-to-mark-60th-anniversary-of-jervis-bay-firefly-crash-photos/
14. https://www.southcoastregister.com.au/story/4057341/missing-aircraft-wreckage-found-in-jervis-bay-photos/
15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callala_Bay
Media:
VX381 Fairy Firefly wreck from Aengus Moran on Vimeo.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Sep-2020 16:56 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 08-Sep-2020 19:36 | Xindel XL | Updated [Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator] |
| 10-Jun-2022 02:04 | Ron Averes | Updated [Location] |
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