Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 VR930

Hawker Aircraft Ltd, at their Kingston-Upon-Thames factory built Sea Fury VR930. It was assembled at Langley airfield and test flown on 23rd February 1948, and was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm on 8th March at RNAS Culham.

Between May and December 1948 the aircraft saw service with 802 NAS (Navy Air Squadron), based at RNAS Eglinton as aircraft '110' with the port code 'Q'. Following this the aircraft was placed into storage. It remained in reserve until August 1953, and was housed with various Aircraft Holding Units, based at Anthorn, Abbotsinch, Sembawang and Fleetlands. It also underwent a major (Category 4) repair at RNARY Donibristle, Between August 1953 and July 1954 she flew 284 hours with 801 NAS, before going to RNAY Fleetlands for overhaul.

On the completion of this work, that resulted in VR930's airframe life being reset to zero hours, it was again held in reserve at Anthorn and Lossiemouth. In November 1959 it was posted to the Fleet Requirements Unit at Hurn, where it remained in use until January 1963, logging 828 hours flying time. Throughout her active flying life the aircraft had flown an absolute total of almost 1280 hours.

Struck off Navy Charge and offered for disposal, VR930 joined the ever-increasing Colerne Collection near Swindon. It remained here until 1976, when the airfield was forced to close, and all the aircraft were dispersed.
VR930 was bought back by the Navy, to be used as a source of essential spares to keep TF956 and WG655 airworthy, and as a reserve exhibit for the Fleet Air Arm Museum. Following periods of storage at Wroughton, Boscombe Down and RNAS Lee-On Solent, the aircraft moved to Yeovilton in 1990.

Airshow Bookings for VR930
[courtesy of the RNHF]

No dates for the 2005 airshow season have been confirmed by the RNHF.

Sufficient sponsorship funds were found in 1994 to allow British Aerospace to restore VR930 back to flying condition. It was moved by road to BAe Brough in June 1994 where a restoration programme began.
This precise rebuild was nearing completion in the early stages of April 1997, and the aircraft was re-united with its 802 NAS colours. It was officially handed back to the Historic Flight on 21st May at a ceremony held at BAe Brough. After further restoration work at Brough, including an overhaul of the aircraft's propeller VR930 was delivered back by road to Yeovilton on 12th September, and ground runs commenced in November 1997.

Sadly a major setback hit the Sea Fury in March 1998, when it suffered an engine failure when ground running. The Bristol Centaurus had to completely rebuilt once more as a result by Ricardos at Shoreham. The unit returned to Yeovilton in pristine condition in June 2000 and was duly re-fitted to the airframe. The aircraft made a welcome appearance on static display at RNAS Yeovilton's 2000 Air Day and engine runs commenced in late July, and work was re-started to get the aircraft serviceable.

On March 1st 2001 VR930 took her first flight in nearly 40 years at RNAS Yeovilton. Steve Noujaim, who regularly displayed the late Paul Morgan's Sea Fury FB.11 WH588 on the UK airshow circuit, flew it. VR930 conducted further flights during April and debuted at Biggin Hill on June 2nd, flown by Cdr Phil Shaw. Unfortunately the aircraft suffered what transpired to be engine failure, this time in flight, at Yeovilton in August 2001. Phil Shaw then made a textbook precautionary landing.

The engine was removed and sent to Ricardos for its third overhaul, and it returned to Yeovilton in June 2004. Ground runs then started, but a problem with the sleeve valve timings meant that the engine had to be taken apart and re-assembled. This problem took a few weeks to address, but the team forged on in the hope that VR930 would fly before the end of the season.
Ground runs were again re-started throughout August and early September, using special high-octane fuel that will help keep the Centaurus in tip-top shape.

On Monday 13th September VR930 was test flown, in the capable hands of Dave Mackay. Further flights were completed during the week, with Paul Stone in the pilots seat. On Thursday 16th, Paul validated his display routine over Yeovilton in front of the Commodore. On the 18th, it made its first ever display at its home base at the Air Day, and at the end of a hectic week, appeared at Biggin Hill the following day.
It also appeared at Duxford and Brough in October.

The Roar of the Centaurus will be heard once more over Somerset :)

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