Fairey Swordfish III NF389

NF389 is another 'Blackfish'. It was delivered to the Royal Navy in April 1944, but was transferred to the RAF a year later. Returning to Navy charge at RNAY Donibristle in September 1946, NF389 later became a part of the RNAS Arbroath Station Flight.

It remained in Scotland for over a year, until a move south to RNAS Gosport occurred in September 1948. It was now a part of the Aircraft Torpedo Development Unit (ATDU) fleet.
It underwent servicing at Hamble over the winter of 1950/1, and returned to the ATDU in early May, now based at RNAS Culdrose. NF389's last operational posting was with the Torpedo Trials Flight at St Merryn from August 1952 until March 1953. It was then retired, and issued to 781 NAS (Navy Air Squadron) at RNAS Lee-on-Solent for show purposes.

In spring 1959, NF389 was specially painted (as aircraft 5B of 825 Squadron) to star alongside LS326 in the film 'Sink The Bismarck!' She continued as a display aircraft into the early sixties, but her flying career was sacrificed in order to keep LS326 flying. It was placed on display at Lee-on-Solent, and remained on show for over twenty years.

Airshow Bookings for NF389
[courtesy of the RNHF]

NF389 will NOT be available for the 2005 airshow season.

In 1990 NF389 was moved to Brough, and was used as a source of spares and templates for the restoration of Swordfish W5856. Following the completion of the project, NF389 was given some restoration and a new paint scheme complete with D-Day stripes. It was then moved to RNAS Yeovilton where it was used for static displays.

Following a period of storage and being used as a source of spares for LS326 and W5856, a decision was made to restore NF389 back to flying condition. BAe at Brough would undertake the project, and NF389 would be completed as a Mk.III aircraft, complete with an Air to Surface Vessel (ASV) Mk XI radar system mounted underneath the fuselage. The aircraft will be painted midnight black with "D-Day Stripes", representing one of the seven Swordfish aircraft that flew with 819 Squadron during 1944/5.
It will also be named "City of Bristol" in honour of the part played by the citizens of Bristol in producing the magnificent Bristol Pegasus engine, and fin honour of the RNHF's current links with British Aerospace and Rolls Royce.

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