Hawker Sea Fury FB11

Hawker Sea Fury
Hawker Sea Fury FB11 of the Royal Navy Historic Flight, which contains many classics, including the fabulous Fairey Swordfish. Hawker Sea Fury 111-Q was built in early in 1948 entering service with the Fleet Air Arm the same year. She had a chequered career, suffering one or two unfortunate accidents and incidents, including an in flight engine failure in 2001. But skillful handling brought the Sea Fury down with the minimum possible damage.

In the caring hands of volunteers and staff at Royal Navy Historic Flight, she was returned to full airworthiness and can be seen at several major air shows every year. Perhaps the most appropriate place to see her would be at RNAS Yeovilton where a Royal Navy airshow takes place every July. And whilst you are down there for the show, visit one of the worlds great aviation museums also at Yeovilton. Hopefully, some time soon I shall have a few pages just for this magnificent museum.

Some say the Hawker Sea Fury was the first piston engined aircraft to shoot down a jet, a Mig 15 in Korea, but I am not convinced. See Messerschmitt Me262 for other views on this subject.
Hawker Sea Fury
Hawker Sea Fury FB11, now bearing the US Civil registration N19SF and the name Argonaut was built in 1947 and entered service with the Royal Canadian Navy the same year, bearing the code TG114. This Sea Fury is actually an agglomeration of several Sea Furies to produce this fabulous aircraft. The biggest difference from the original Sea Fury is the change of powerplant from the original Bristol Centaurus to the US equivalent, the Pratt & Whitney R2800 an engine of remarkably similar characteristics but with the added bonus of much improved reliability.

I am told that the present owners (since the 1970's) of this aircraft are aces at Sea Fury restoration and engine swaps. So any of you wondering how to keep your Sea Fury flying right should look them up, at www.SandersAircraft.com Fortunately I don't have Sea Fury problems, so I probably won't avail myself of their services, but you never know. Perhaps one day!

This aircraft has smoke generators in the wing tips. The pilot, something of an ace, maneuvers to create smoke rings in the sky and then loops back through them. Show off!!
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