ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 242807
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| Date: | Friday 6 November 1953 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Fairey Firefly Mk 5 |
| Owner/operator: | 816 Sqn RAN |
| Registration: | WB316 |
| MSN: | F.8534 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | HMAS Sydney, Western Korean Waters, off Kure -
 Japan
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | HMAS Sydney, Western Korean Waters, off Kure |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Fairey Firefly FR.5 WB316: Delivered 8/9/49 to the FAA RN (Fleet Air Arm, Royal Navy) at RNAS Culham RDU. Transferred 3/11/49 to HMS Sanderling, RNAS Abbotsinch AHU. On 22/8/50 shipped to the Far East on board HMS Warrior, arriving on 15/9/50 at RNAS Sembawang AHU, Singapore.
First issued for service in October 1950 to 810 Squadron FAA RN on board HMS Theseus. Damaged 15/10/50 due to engine failure - Con rod broke in flight – made successful deck landing on HMS Theseus. Pilot III R.C. Grant uninjured. Withdrawn from service in July 1951 to RNAS Sembawang AHU, Singapore.
Transferred in January 1952 to 817 Squadron RAN (Royal Australian Navy) on board HMAS Sydney.
Returned to FAA RN charge early in July 1952 to RNAS Sembawang AHU, Singapore. Shipped on 25/7/52 to UK on board HMAS Vengeance, arriving 28/8/52 at RNARY (Royal Navy Aircraft Yard) Fleetlands, Hampshire for refurbishment. Upon completion of work delivered in July 1953 to HMS Sanderling, RNAS Abbotsinch AHU. Shipped to Far East at an unknown date (probably in August 1953) as arrived on 25/9/53 at RNAS Sembawang AHU in Singapore.
Returned at an unknown date in 1953 (probably in October 1953) to RAN (Royal Australian Navy) charge with 816 Squadron on board HMAS Sydney.
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 6/11/53: Ditched after engine cut on catapult HMAS SYDNEY Pilot - Lieutenant L.R. Corich + unnamed observer rescued uninjured by destroyer’s "plane guard" escort vessel. At the time the carrier was in Western Korean Waters, off the coast of Kure, Japan, en route to the coast of Korea. According to the official history of HMAS Sydney (see link #5):
"Following the commemorations [to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II] the carrier crossed the Atlantic Ocean calling at Halifax (Canada), Baltimore (USA), Kingston (Jamaica), Colon (Panama), Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Auckland (New Zealand) before arriving back in Sydney on 14 August 1953.
After her arrival back in Australia, a maintenance and leave period was followed by exercises in Queensland waters before Sydney again deployed for Korean waters during the post armistice period. The passage to Northeast Asia saw her cross the Great Australian Bight en route to Fremantle where she took on fuel, fresh water and supplies before continuing her passage via Singapore and Hong Kong. She arrived at Sasebo on 16 November and after spending several days there proceeded to Kure before beginning patrol work in western Korean waters. Sydney departed for Australia on 4 May 1954 and arrived in Fremantle, via Hong Kong and Singapore, on 2 June 1954. After landing her aircraft at NAS Nowra later in the month, Sydney became a general service training ship.
WB316 was formally Struck Off Charge on 21/1/54 as Cat.ZZ
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.278)
2. https://www.faaaa.asn.au/fairey-firefly-aircraft-histories/
3. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WB
4. http://www.adf-serials.com.au/n1.htm
5. https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-sydney-iii
6. https://www.navy.gov.au/history/squadron-histories/816-squadron-history
Media:
Side view of HMAS Sydney berthed at Finger Jetty, Kure Harbour.
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 23-Sep-2020 21:09 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 23-Sep-2020 21:18 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 24-Sep-2020 07:46 | Fanda | Updated [Operator, Operator] |
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