ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 241482
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| Date: | Monday 15 October 1956 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: |  Fairey Firefly U.8 |
| Owner/operator: | RAE Llanbedr |
| Registration: | WM892 |
| MSN: | F.8947 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | 3 miles from RAE Llanbedr, near Harlech, Gwynedd -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | RAE Llanbedr, Gwynedd (EGOD) |
| RAE Llanbedr, Gwynedd (EGOD) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
Fairey Firefly U.8 WM889: Ordered from Fairey Aircraft Ltd., Heaton Chapel, Stockport, Cheshire as a Firefly AS.7, but completed as a Firefly U.8 drone. First flown as such at Ringway Airport, Manchester 22/5/1955.
Retained by Fairey Aircraft at Ringway Airport, Manchester from 31/3/1955 and placed into short-term storage. Delivered to RAE Llanbedr, near Harlech, Gwynedd 28/6/1955.
Written off (destroyed) 15/10/1956: Made an emergency landing approximately 3 miles (5,000 yards) short of the runway at RAE Llanbedr, near Harlech, Gwynedd due to engine failure. Aircraft caught fire on impact. Both crew survived; although the Firefly U.8, by its very nature, could be flown without anyone on board, on this occasion, it was being flown with a crew of two:
Flight Lieutenant D.Oliver RAF (pilot) - survived but seriously injured 15/10/1956, awarded George Cross (see below)
Senior Aircraftsman D.S. Armitage RAF (Observer) - survived and rescued, but seriously injured 15/10/1956
Both crew were seriously injured due to burns injuries from the burning fuel in the aircraft. The pilot (Flight Lieutenant Oliver) was awarded the George Medal for rescuing the Observer (SAC Armitage) from the burning wreckage.
Wreckage recovered to 54 MU on 12/11/1956 for accident investigation and components recovery. Formally Struck Off Charge as Cat.5(c) on 7/3/1957. Remains sold for scrap to Minworth Metals Ltd., Castle Bromwich, Staffordshire in August 1958
Sources:
1. Fleet Air Arm Fixed Wing Aircraft Since 1946 (Ray Sturtivant, Lee Howard & Mick Burrows, Air Britain, 2004 p.300)
2. http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WM
3. http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_fairey_firefly_U8.html
4. http://www.ukserials.com/losses_drones.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 14-Sep-2020 23:36 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
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