John Beattie lives in Somerset and used to fly the Royal Navy Historic Flight's aircraft. He began his RNHF career on the Swordfish in 1986, and progressed through the Firefly onto the Sea Furies. He was later appointed CO of the RNHF and carried out the first flight test on Swordfish W5856. He retired from the Fleet Air Arm in 1994. 

He lent me these excellent photos of the RNHF and other interesting aircraft to put on my site. Since leaving the Navy John still takes an active part in airshows, when he is not flying his Chipmunk he flies for Kennet Aviation, flying their Venom, Piston and Jet Provosts, Venom, Skyraider, and their Westland Wasp.

1.	2.
DHC Chipmunk T.10 WK634 served with the RNHF	Fairey Firefly WB271 adopts the carrier stance
3.	4.
One of the prototype Sea Furies, SR661	A Sea Fury T.20, taken air-to-air
5.	6.
T.20 WG655 on the ground at Yeovilton	WG655 starting up at Yeovliton
7.	8.
TF956 taxies in following a flight	FB.11 TF956 at a air-show in 1988
9.	10.
FB.11 TF956 pictured inside the RNHF's hangar at Yeovilton, undergoing undercarriage retraction tests
11.	12.
Swordfish W5856 is captured close-up	W5856 on a early flight in 1993
13.	14.
Fairey Firefly WB271 pictured airborne	Another great shot of WB271
15.	16.
Hawker P.1052 VX272 on flight trials	WV908 airborne in the late eighties
17.	18.
WG655 again airborne, lovely sight!	Once again, hidden away in the clouds
19.	20.
WG655 spreading its wings at VL	WG655 undergoing maintenance inside the RNHF hangar
21.	22.
An FRU-operated Sea Fury, WG596	A Sea Fury FB.11 shows off her armament
23.
Sea Fury WG655 and her two arch enemies
24.	25.
Hunter F.4 XF310, fitted with Fireflash missiles	A FRADU GA.11 sweeps in with Harley light on
26.
A BAe selection comprising a Harrier GR.5 and F/A2, Hunter T.8M and HS.125

[Back to top of page]

My thanks go to John Beattie for loaning me some of his collection of photographs.

If you recognise that any of the images shown above were taken by you, and you want a credit or want the image removed, feel free to send all details to my e-mail address which can be found here and I will quickly sort the problem

Pages by Mark Russell. 1998-2004