"A visit to VL - 11th June 1999"

"This web-page gives a photographic record of a recent visit to the Royal Navy Historic Flight's facilities at RNAS Yeovilton. With the location of the Flight's hangar I took the chance to explore the fire dump and storage areas. Anyway ... here are the photos ...


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Here is the first and oldest resident of the RNHF, Swordfish II LS326. This photo was taken a day before te aircraft was due to fly out to BAe Woodford to take part in their air-day. She had just returned from a fabric replacement programme at RNAS Lee-On-Solent and had recently been adopted by the City of Liverpool. As you can see the first photo shows it with wings neatly folded, but the second and third shows them half spread, this was because her "mandrolic" systems were put into operation so moir could peak into the cockpit! Lovely aircraft, and the smell of that doped fabric


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The second Stringbag, actually a Mark I, was enjoying a bit of a rest, as her workload had recently eased with the arrival of LS326 back from Lee-on-Solent. W5856 also has an adopted city ... this time the city of Leeds. Its colour scheme looks very nice when up close, although there is no better thing then seeing them in the air ... fantastic. Both shots show her with wings neatly folded ... her mandrolic systems were put into operation later, as shown below ...


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This is me in the rear gunners position in both the RNHF Stringbags. I was trying not to shoot up the tail, but to hit the Sea Harrier that was carrying out endless VTOL landings and take-offs outside. The cockpits were very well laid out and were both identical, no doubt to stop pilots from getting confused when they fly each aircraft.


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This is the sight that all Sea Fury lovers in the UK would love to see . . . an airworthy Sea Fury back with the RNHF. Grounded due to a major engine problem, it was awaiting a fully repaired unit at the time of my visit. The black and White stripes brought back memories of the RNHF's first Sea Fury FB.11 TF956 that was written off eleven years ago.


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In 1992 the RNHF acquired VZ345, a potential replacement Hawker Sea Fury T.20. The original plan was for this aircraft to be rebuilt by British Aerospace at Brough, but major problems were later identified which prevented this from occurring. In 1995 it had moved to BAe Brough with VR930, and it was used for spares. It returned to Yeovilton in 1998 and retains her spares ship role. Given this aircraft's recent history, an accident twisted the fuselage and buckled the fin in 1985; it is highly unlikely that it will ever take to the air again, without a sponsor who is willing to shell out a VERY large sum. She was minus her engine on the time of the visit, it was away with VR930's to help provide a working engine.


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One of the two Chipmunk hacks on charge with the RNHF is this one, T.10 WK608. She is currently the only one active as the other was in storage and tucked away in the far corner of the hangar. At the time of the visit the pilot was getting familiar with the Yeovilton display line, as he was about to take part in an event to be held at the base.

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This aircraft is Gloster Meteor TT.20 WM292, and it used to serve with ... yes you guessed it the FRADU, or Fleet Requirements Unit (FRU) as it was then known. The aircraft had recently arrived from Bruntingthorpe at the time of my visit. Looks a nice scheme ... and when it is has a bit of a dusting up it will look even better!


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Stored in an enclosed compound, located behind the RNHF hangars were two Sea Hawks. These airframes were a bit problematic in getting a good shot of them due to the fencing, but I am pleased with the results. This pictured Sea Hawk is a FGA.6, and it served with the Royal Navy as XE339. As you can see she is in a bit of a state, but she donated valuable parts in getting the RNHF's Sea Hawk back up in the air again in 1996.


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This is one of the rarest Sea Hawks left surviving the world today ... a FGA.4 variant that was never modified to FGA.6 specification. Stored alongside XE339 in the enclosed compound, it too donated valuable parts in getting the RNHF's Sea Hawk back into airworthy nick. Today they sit there awaiting their fate ... perhaps if someone will a few million wants to plough it into the RNHF, and then it could finance one of these machines being put back in the air again. Any offers ...


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As the fire dump was in close distance I thought I would go up and have a look at all the wrecks and hulks. Both these helicopters were used in the frontline with the Royal Navy at one time. Now they are just remains. Both are Westland Wessex HAS.1s, serials XP157 and XS128. There were a few scorch marks around the first airframe, but both are still recognisable.


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Next to catch the attention of the cameraman were these sorry remains of two Lynx aircraft. I believe that one of them was a prototypes while the other was a test rig. I have no idea which is which!


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The last two hulks on the dump were of two Sea/Harrier jump jet airframes. The SHAR cockpit has a specific purpose; it gives the station's fire crews specialist training in releasing a pilot quickly in an emergency. Being mounted on a trailer is a huge benefit, as it can be towed and used anywhere on the airfield. A recent visit to the base found it to be near the Fire Station. The Harrier GR3 was on charge with the Aircraft Engineering School for a time and was moved onto the dump in 1996. It remains complete, obviously as the other older hulks have not expired yet.

My thanks go to Bryan Wood and the RNHF team for allowing my father and I visit.

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