ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 240217
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| Date: | Saturday 3 August 1957 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | Westland WS-51 Dragonfly HR.5 |
| Owner/operator: | HMS Eagle Ship's Flt |
| Registration: | WH989 |
| MSN: | WA/H/65 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | HMS Eagle, North Sea, near Lossiemouth, off Scottish Coast -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | HMS Eagle, North Sea |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Westland WS-51 Dragonfly HR.5 WH989: First flown at Westland Helicopters, Yeovil, Somerset 14/1/1953. Delivered 27/2/1953 to the FAA RN (Fleet Air Arm Royal Navy) at the AHU (Aircraft Holding Unit) as RNAS Gosport. Posted 26/3/1953 to RNAS St, Merryn, Cornwall to join HMS Illustrious as part of that carriers Station Flight.
To 705 Squadron, RNAS Gosport for short term loan 3/12/1954. To RNAY Donibristle for overhaul 25/5/1955 for overhaul (delivered from Gosport by road). Returned to 705 Squadron 5/3/1956, this time at HMS Daedalus (RNAS Lee-on-Solent) as "531/LS".
Next returned to HMS Daedalus (RNAS Lee-on-Solent) 15/6/1956 for modifications, including upgrade to Dragonfly HR.5 standard. After short term storage, issued to HMS Eagle Ship's Flight (as "974/J") on 1/7/1957.
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 3/8/1957: Ditched into the sea off the coast of Scotland after engine failure while performing plane guard duties off HMS Eagle. According to eyewitness reported from the crew, the carrier spent the period 2-3/8/1957 sailing from the English Channel off Sussex to the North Sea off Lossiemouth, Morayshire (see below). Both crew survived, and were rescued by a boat from HNS Eagle. (Total flying time on airframe 660.20 hours)
Crew of Dragonfly WH989:
Lieutenant A.W.Webb RN (pilot)
Pilot Officer D.Greenland, RN (Observer/Winchman)
Taken from the official book of HMS Eagle Third Commission Feb 1957 - May 1959.
The Work Up August 1957...
Another Friday, the 2nd August, saw us away at last for our work-up. We had little time left before 'Strikeback', (huge NATO exercise) so Bank Holiday Monday found us off Ford embarking our squadrons in such poor visibility that the pilots at times lost the ship on the down-wind leg of the circuit. For most of them this was their introduction to carrier flying, but they all did their deck-landing qualification and landed on in a day. Our squadrons consisted of 803 and 806 Sea Hawks, 894 Sea venoms, 813 Wyverns, 814 Gannets, and 849 'A' Flight Skyraiders. It was the first experience of this sort of thing for most of the ship's company, too, and there was no lack of spectators in the 'Goofers' positions.
And so to the seas around Lossiemouth, where it is always fine weather at this time of year - or nearly so. But the Lossiemouth weather of August 1957 was a nightmare for a carrier working-up in a hurry. We gave up our visits to Invergordon and Lossiemouth in order to make up for lost flying days, but consoled ourselves with the prospect of a visit to Rosyth later...we did however go into Cromarty to pick up crew and stores! She then went to Rosyth and we went back to Invergordon to prepare for the Fleet Review by Queen Elizabeth on HMY Britannia in September 1957.
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Helicopters Since 1943 (Lee Howard, Mick Burrow & Eric Mayall, Air Britain, 2011 p.27)
2. http://www.ukserials.com/losses-1957.htm
3. https://planetrace.co.uk/1950-1959_26.html
4. http://www.rotorspot.nl/product/ws51.php
5. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WH
6. http://www.thecromartyarchive.org/picture/number585.asp
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Aug-2020 17:29 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 18-Aug-2020 17:32 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Narrative] |
| 19-Feb-2021 10:07 | Gerard76 | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Operator] |
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