Date:	Friday 3 May 1957
Time:	day
Type:	Fairey Firefly U.8
Owner/operator:	RAE Llanbedr
Registration:	WM859
MSN:	F.8914
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants:
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	RAE Llanbedr, near Harlech, Gwynedd -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	RAE Llanbedr, Gwynedd (EGOD)
Destination airport:	RAE Llanbedr, Gwynedd (EGOD)
Confidence Rating:	Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources

Narrative:
Fairey Firefly U.8 WM859: Ordered as a Firefly AS.7 from Fairey Aircraft Ltd., Heaton Chapel, Stockport, Cheshire, but completed as a Firefly U.8 drone. Completed as such 31/3/1954. First flown 7/4/1954 at Ringway Airport, Manchester. Upon completion of painting and flight test programme, placed into short term storage at Ringway.

Delivered to RAE Aberporth 21/7/1954. Returned to Fairey Aircraft at Ringway Airport, Manchester 18/1/1955 for overhaul. In 1955-56, shuttled back and forth between Fairey Aircraft, Ringway Airport, Manchester and HMS Nuthatch, RNAS Anthorn RDU, Cumberland five times for modifications and storage as follows:

18/01/1955: Fairey Aircraft, Ringway Airport, Manchester (modifications)
01/04/1955: HMS Nuthatch, RNAS Anthorn RDU, Cumberland (short-term storage)
27/10/1955: Fairey Aircraft Ringway Airport, Manchester (modifications)
02/06/1956: HMS Nuthatch, RNAS Anthorn TDU, Cumberland (short term storage)
13/12/1956: Fairey Aircraft, Ringway Airport, Manchester (modifications)

Finally issued for service to RAE Llanbedr, near Harlech, Gwynedd 3/4/1957.

Written off (damaged beyond repair) 3/5/1957. Written off (damaged beyond repair) 3/5/1957 when crashed on landing at RAE Llanbedr, near Harlech, Gwynedd. Damage initially assessed as Cat.3(R) (serious but repairable damage). However later deemed to be Cat.5(c) (damaged beyond repair, suitable only for recovery of components) with effect from 19/6/1957.

Struck off charge as Cat.5(c) 19/6/1957. After recovery of components, sold for scrap to Minworth Metals at Castle Bromwich, Staffordshire in August 1958

1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.299)
2. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WM
3. Firefly U.8 WM859 (unpainted) at Ringway early April 1954: https://www.airhistory.net/photo/8289/WM859
4. Firefly U.8 WM858 (and WM859) at Ringway, Manchester 18/7/1954: https://www.airhistory.net/photo/18341/WM858
5. http://www.ukserials.com/losses_drones.htm
6. https://abpic.co.uk/pictures/view/1322800
7. https://www.airliners.net/photo/UK-Navy/Fairey-Firefly-U8/2021064/L

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
14-Sep-2020 17:34	Dr. John Smith	Added