Canadian Warplanes 5: Fairey Firefly

Fairey Firefly

(RCN Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

Fairey Firefly Mk. V, RCN. ca. 1949.

The Firefly was designed by Fairey Aviation, UK, in 1940 to meet a British Admiralty requirement for a carrier borne, fighter reconnaissance aircraft. The Firefly prototype first flew in December 1941 from Fairey’s Great West Aerodrome, (now Heathrow Airport). Successful flight trials were completed by the end of 1942 and the first production aircraft, Mk. Is were delivered to the Royal Navy in March 1943.

Fireflies went into squadron service in October 1943 and later saw action in July 1944 against the German battleship Tirpitz, in Norway, when flying from HMS Indefatigable. From January 1945 onwards, the main area of operations for the Firefly was the Far East. Flying from HMS Indefatigable and HMS Implacable, they fought against the Japanese in Sumatra, the Caroline Islands and in the waters surrounding Japan. Later, Fairey Fireflies served with the Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, during the Korean War.

A total of 64 Fairey Fireflies served with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), between 1946 and 1952. Based at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, they were flown from the aircraft carriers HMCS Warrior and HMCS Magnificent by No. 825 and 826 Squadrons. The Mk. V anti submarine version was ordered in 1949 to meet a NATO role for the RCN in anti submarine warfare. Firefly Mk. Vs operated in this role until late 1950, when they were replaced by Grumman Avengers.

Manufacture of the Fairey Firefly ceased in April 1956, after 1,702 aircraft had been produced. About 20 Fireflies survive. (Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum)

Fairey Firefly FR Mk. 1, (29), (Serial Nos. DK445, DK485, DK535, DK537, DK545, DK555, DK560, DK561, DK563- DK565, DK569, MB566, MB579, MB588, MB668, MB748, PP402, PP408, PP411- PP413, PP426, PP431, PP456, PP457, PP460, PP462, PP467), T Mk. I (3), (Serial Nos. DT975, MB433, MB443), T Mk. II (1), (Serial No. MB694), FR Mk. IV (13), (Serial Nos. TW741, TW753, VG963, VG966, VG971, VG979, VG997, VH123, VH126, VH128, VH129, VH131, VH143), AS Mk. V (11), (Serial Nos. VH125, VH130, VH134- VH142), for a total of 57 aircraft.

Detailed records of all known RCAF and Allied aircraftflown by Canadians may be viewed on line in the Canadian Aircraft SerialsPersonnel Information Resource (CASPIR). The CASPIRwebsite is researched, coded, maintained entirely by Canadian Warplane HeritageMuseum(CWHM) volunteers with only one staff assisting periodically. This workhas taken several years, and is unlikely to be finished as continuing researchleads to “new finds” and rediscovered Canadian aviation heritage and history. The CWHM volunteer team looks forward to continuing to update and correctthe record as additional information and photos are received. Check here.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3222713)

Fairey Firefly AS Mk. V, RCN, Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, 1949.

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(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3222712)

Fairey Firefly AS Mk. V, RCN, Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, 1949.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3222714)

Fairey Firefly AS Mk. V, RCN, Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, 1949.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3241480)

Fairey Firefly AS Mk. V, RCN, 1949.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3205701)

Fairey Firefly F.R. Mk. I (Serial No. MB579), coded AB-U, of No. 826 Squadron piloted by Lieutenant-Commander(P) J.W. Roberts after hitting No. 2 Barrier aboard HMCS Magnificent, 18 Feb 1950.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3199011)

Fairey Firefly F.R. Mk. I (Serial No. PP412), coded AB-K, taking off from HMCS Magnificent, November 1949.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3205699)

Fairey Firefly F.R. IV (Serial No. VH143) of No. 825 Squadron piloted by Lieutenant(P) J. Burns hitting No. 2 Barrier aboard HMCS Magnificent, 3 September 1948.

(Dave Tyre)

Fairey Firefly catapult launch. HMCS Warrior, c1947, Caribbean ops.  The actual name of the catapult in this ship was "accelerator".  Unlike more modern ships, this was a complex hydraulic system requiring regular repair.  The guy with the flags is the Flight Deck Officer who directs the actual launch when receiving clearance from Flyco.  Once he drops the green flag, it takes several seconds to fire the accelerator.  Bridles and hold-backs were still issues being resolved during this era. (Photo from J. Tyre collection).

(Dave Tyre Photo)

Fairey Firefly in full deck run launch, HMCS Warrior, c1947.  Caribbean.  These launches were the preferred method if wind over the deck was sufficient. (As aircraft became heavier and payloads increased catapult launches became predominant and, by the 1970s, the only way to get airplanes aloft).

(Dave Tyre)

Hoisting and ranging aircraft in preparation for flight ops, HMCS Warrior, Caribbean circa 1947. British-design carriers mounted hangar elevators on the ship's centerline, through the flightdeck. This kept the ship relatively stable as the centre of gravity shifted, particularly in rough weather. (In contrast, USN carriers moved aircraft elevators to the ships sides.)  (Photo from J. Tyre collection)

(RCN Photo)

HMCS Warrior, turned into the wind to launch Firefly squadrons, 1947.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3205207)

RCN Supermarine Seafires with a Fairey Firefly, over MacNab's Island and the entrance to Halifax Harbour, 25 November 1947. Seafire (Serial No. PR451), coded P (top) flying in No. 803 Squadron. It and would eventually fly with No. 883 Squadron coded as VG-AA-J, and it survives today in the Military Museums, Calgary.

(RN Photo)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1, Royal Navy, ca 1944.  

(RN Photo)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1 landing, Royal Navy, ca 1944.

(RCN Photo via Bruce Dealhoy)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1, HMCS Magnificent.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3205700)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1, (Serial No. PP412), landing on HMCS Magnificent, 17 November 1949.

(RCN Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1, on board HMCS Warrior.

(RCN Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1, RCN, on board HMCS Warrior.

(RCN Photo)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1, RCN, on board HMCS Warrior.

(RCN Photo)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1.

(RCN Photo via Larry Vipond)

This is what happens when a pilot gets a last second wave-off to his landing on HMCS Magnificent. In those days, before the angled flight deck was developed by the Royal Navy, an aircraft on approach to the flight deck was with power off. If it got a wave-off, the pilot had to ram the throttle wide open which could create a "torque stall" which is what was going on with the Firefly in the photo. In other words, the pilot had no control over the aircraft and as you can see in the second photo, he ended up in the drink. The pilot was rescued by the escorting destroyer acting as "plane guard". Later on, helicopters were used as plane guards . . . much less expensive. (Larry Vipond)

(RCN Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1, RCN.

Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3524812)

Damaged Firefly Firefly (Serial No. DK-561),  1 August 1947. (

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3199292)

Faiery Firefly Mk. I being loaded with 3-inch rockets armed with a 60-lb practice warhead head, RCN, 4 May 1949.

(RCN Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

Fairey Firefly Mk. 1, RCN.

(Library & Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4820989)

Fairey Firefly Mk. I, HMCS Warrior, before 1948.

(Library & Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4950855)

Fairey Firefly Mk. I, HMCS Warrior, before 1948.

(RCN Photo via Dave Tyre)

Fairey Firefly FR Mk 1, gets a "wave off", HMCS Warrior, 1946.

(RCN Photo via Dave Tyre)

Fairey Firefly FR Mk 1, on deck, HMCS Warrior, 1946.

(RCN Photo via Mike Kaehler)

Fairey Firefly Mk. I, RCN (Serial No. MB579).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3199297)

Ordnance instruction. School of Naval Aircraft Maintenance. Qualifying course for Air Riggers. L to R: CPO A/M (RN) W. Whiteley (Instructor); OSFMS H. O'Meara; OSFMS T. Sandilands. Loading 11 1/2 lb. practice bombs into a Firefly aircraft, 5 May 1949. This Firefly PP462 is the one currently at the Shearwater Aviation MUseum after serving in the RCN and then being shipped off to Ethiopia and flying back to Shearwater in a C-130. (Barrie MacLeod)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, (MIKAN No. 3207101)

Air mechanics replenishing oxygen supply of Fairey 'Firefly' F.R.I aircraft of the 18th Carrier Air Group, R.C.N. (Left to right): T. Morton, G. Burr, 26 August 1949.

(Paul Mitcheltree Photo)

Fairey Firefly F.R. Mk. I, RCN (Serial No. PP462), AB-J.

(Paul Mitcheltree Photo)

Fairey Firefly F.R. Mk. I, RCN (Serial No. PP462), AB-J.

(RCN Photo courtesy of the Shearwater Aviation Museum)

Fairey Firefly Mk. V formation, RCN.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3525105)

Naval armament techs (A/M) E.A. Whylem (left) and K.E. Martin (centre) pull a 20-mm gun from the wing of an RCN Fairey Firefly MK. V, while F.G. Tucker guides the gun out from the leading edge of the wing. Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, 7 Oct 1948.

(Library & Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3194865)

Fairey Firefly FR Mk. IV, RCN (Serial No. TW753), No. 825 Squadron, damaged after swerving off the flightdeck of HMCS Magnificent at sea.

(Author Photo)

(Author Photo)

Fairey Firefly Mk. V, Canadian Warplane Heritage, lost at the Toronto Air Show, Aug 1977, shown here visiting CFB North Bay, Ontario a few days earlier.

(Aldo Bidini Photo)

Fairey Firefly ASR.5 (Serial No. VH142), Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, 14 June 2013.

(Balcer Photo)

Fairey Firefly ASR.5 (Serial No. VH142), Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, 15 June 2008.

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