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By the end of World War II the future of combat aircraft clearly lay with jet propulsion but it was to be several years before this new generation would reach a maturity that would enable them to be deployed in significant numbers at sea. In the meantime piston-engined fighters and strike aircraft remained in service and several new types, too late to see war service, were introduced. Some of these represented the ultimate development of the propeller-driven aircraft and had performance figures not far removed from those of the first jets. The great difference, of course, was that whereas the jets were only at the beginning of their development, the prop aircraft had more or less reached the limits of what was possible with their form of propulsion. Nevertheless, several piston-engined fighters and multi-role naval aircraft remained in front-line service almost to the end of the decade covered by this book. In the case of the Royal Navy, considerable effort was expended in their development as described in the following pages.
In the closing stages of World War II the standard British naval fighter was the Supermarine Seafire Mk.III, which had been developed from the land-based Spitfire Mk.VC. This was the first Seafire version to feature wing folding, although this was done manually, and a total of 1,263 were built and delivered from June 1943 onwards. By mid 1945 some eight squadrons of Seafire IIIs were deployed to the Far East for use aboard the carriers Indefatigable and Implacable of the British Pacific Fleet for the final operations against Japan. These two ships each had two hangar decks, although the headroom was reduced to only 14 feet (compared with 16 feet in the earlier Illustrious class) so that American aircraft with upward-folding wings such as the Corsair would not fit and only the Seafire could be accommodated. However, even by 1945 the Seafire Mk.III was bordering on the obsolescent and its performance, both in terms of speed and range, was generally well below that of the contemporary American-built Vought Corsair, which was used in large numbers by the British Pacific Fleet aboard its other carriers. The Seafire’s great redeeming feature was its performance at low levels and its blistering rate of climb up to medium altitudes, making it ideal for its primary role as an interceptor. But it lacked the load-carrying ability and range of the American aircraft and this made it less useful in offensive operations against the Japanese mainland. However, the Royal Navy Corsairs and Hellcats were all supplied on Lend-Lease and consequently had to be discarded when peace came, leaving the Seafire to soldier on. After the War, the Mk.III was quickly withdrawn from service and twelve were sold to the Irish Air Corps in 1947 while another forty-eight were transferred to the French Navy.
Fortunately by mid 1945 a better-performing Seafire was just coming into service in the shape of the Griffon-powered Mk.XV and this was basically similar to the RAF’s Mk.XII Spitfire. The naval version utilised a Mk.III airframe modified to accept a 1,750 hp Mk.VI Griffon engine, which naturally boosted performance, including an increase in maximum level flight speed from 359 to 392 mph, while the maximum rate of climb was now in excess of 4,000 feet/min. Initial production examples had an under fuselage arrester hook carried on an A-frame, which pivoted just aft of the wing trailing edge. However, later aircraft had a new sting-type arrester hook, which could also pivot laterally, and this was anchored to the base of the fuselage sternpost, which also carried the rudder. The incorporation of this resulted in a change of the rudder profile, making it slightly taller.
The first unit to equip with the Seafire XV was 802 Squadron based at Arbroath in May 1945. Later in the year examples were ferried out to the Far East to equip 801 Squadron, which was disembarked from HMS Implacable at RAN air station Schofields at the end of 1945. At this time the new aircraft was not cleared for deck operations and consequently was not embarked while the ship was in Australian waters. At home 805 and 806 Squadrons also received Seafire XVs in January 1946 and in that year the type was deployed aboard the light fleet carriers Venerable, Glory and Ocean, replacing the Lend-Lease Corsairs and Hellcats previously embarked. The Seafire XV was also selected by the Royal Canadian Navy to equip a planned force of two light fleet carriers. Two squadrons, 803 and 883, were formed in the late summer of 1945, although the latter was disbanded in February 1946 and only 803 Squadron was embarked aboard HMCS Warrior when she sailed for Canada in March 1946.
This increasing deployment of the Griffon-engined Seafire was suddenly halted in mid 1946 when it became apparent that there were major problems with the new engines when operated in the naval environment. These centred on the engine’s M ratio supercharger clutch, which was prone to slipping at high rpm and high manifold pressure - the very conditions used for carrier take-offs, and wave offs from baulked landings. Consequently the type was withdrawn from carrier operations until early 1947 when the problem was eventually overcome and the necessary modifications incorporated. This episode had unfortunate ramifications for the front-line squadrons operating from the light fleet carriers, which had been organised into Carrier Air Groups (CAG), each consisting of one squadron of Seafires and one of Fireflies. As a temporary expedient, some of the Seafire squadrons were equipped with Fireflies.
Immediately after the end of the War, in September 1945, yet another Seafire variant began joining the fleet. This was the Seafire F.XVII, which was a progressive development of the Mk.XV. The most obvious external difference was the adoption of a cut-down rear fuselage and the fitting of a clear-view bubble canopy (this modification had been extended to some of the last Mk.XVs built by Westlands). Other improvements included a strengthened rear spar (which permitted the carriage of wing-mounted stores), a 24-volt electrical system (instead of 12-volt) and provision for RATOG gear. Another important feature was the adoption of a long stroke undercarriage, which was better able to absorb the shocks imposed by a carrier landing and permitted American-style deck landings where the aircraft was flown straight onto the deck rather than flared for a more traditional, and softer, landing. Earlier Spitfires with unmodified undercarriages originally only intended for land-based operations were notoriously prone to bounce on landing with a resulting risk of missing the arrester wires and ending up in the crash barrier or, even worse, missing the barrier and hitting aircraft in the forward deck park.
Once the problems with the Griffon supercharger were solved, the Mk.XVII supplemented and eventually replaced the Mk.XV in the front-line squadrons, and a total of 232 of this variant were built (compared with a total of 384 Seafire XVs). In the summer of 1947 the first RNVR squadrons were formed and all of these (1830, 1831, 1832 and 1833 Squadrons) operated Seafire XVIIs at various times. With the introduction of newer types the Seafire XVII was eventually relegated to the training role and the Royal Navy’s last Seafire unit was 764 Advanced Training Squadron based at Yeovilton, which was still flying Mk.XVIIs until it was disbanded in November 1954.
Despite its longevity, the Mk.XVII was not the end of the Seafire development line. The basic Spitfire design underwent a continuous process of evolution almost from the day of the flight of the first prototype in 1936 and the pace of such changes accelerated rapidly under the stimulus of war conditions. To improve performance more powerful versions of the original Rolls-Royce Merlin were fitted, and these in turn gave way to the later Rolls-Royce Griffon. Armament was increased, constant speed propellers of three, then four and five blades were fitted to absorb the increased power, while the steady addition of new military equipment inexorably drove up the weight of the aircraft. It was recognised at an early stage that a strengthened wing and undercarriage would be needed to cope with this but while Spitfires were urgently needed in all the war theatres there was neither the time nor the resources to implement such a change on the production lines. Eventually, following trials with a single Spitfire Mk.XX prototype, the definitive F.21 entered production in 1944, production deliveries to the RAF commencing in September of that year. The Spitfire F.21 featured the new much-strengthened wing fitted with new ailerons, which together much improved manoeuvrability, particularly at the higher altitudes. The standard armament was now four 20 mm Hispano cannon and a lengthened and stronger undercarriage was fitted. This featured larger wheels and tyres, necessitating a slight bulge in the outer undercarriage doors, which now completely covered the wheels when retracted. The well known elliptical outline was retained, but production aircraft had the tips rounded off so that the overall span was increased by only an inch.
The Admiralty had naturally kept a close eye on these developments and a naval version designated Seafire F.45 was ordered under Specification N.7/44. The prototype was in fact a converted F.21 (TM379) modified to naval standards by Cunliffe-Owen. The most obvious change was the addition of a stinger-type arrester hook faired under the lower edge of the rudder. However, no wing folding was provided, limiting use of production F.45s to shore-based units, the first being 778 Squadron in November 1946 - two years after the original specification was issued. Subsequently some aircraft were fitted with cameras and designated FR.45. One potential problem was the enormous torque generated by the 2,035 hp Griffon 61 engine and rudder area was increased to help counteract this on take-off. Although not used operationally at sea, carrier trials were conducted aboard HMS Pretoria Castle and some 239 landings were made with only minor incidents. One Seafire F.45 was tested with a six-bladed contra-rotating propeller and two more were fitted with the more powerful Griffon 85, also driving a contra-rotating propeller. The success of these installations led to the Seafire FR.46. Although the first few were completed with five-bladed single propellers, production eventually reverted to the contra-rotating installation. The FR.46 was basically a naval equivalent of the RAF’s Spitfire F.22 and featured the cut-down rear fuselage and tear drop canopy, although it was still regarded as an interim type with no provision for wing folding. Only twenty-four were produced and they mostly went to training and RNVR units (781 and 1832 Squadrons), although three were allocated to the Empire Test Pilots’ School.
The final Seafire variant, and in fact the very last of the famous Spitfire line, was the FR.47, which finally incorporated wing folding, the hinge being outboard of the guns. Initially it was done manually with a jury strut to secure the wings when folded but eventually hydraulic power folding was incorporated and the strut was no longer necessary. With wings folded the overall height was only 13 feet 10 inches, well within the hangar capacity of all British carriers including the light fleets, and the folded span was 25 feet 5 inches. The main armament of four 20 mm Hispano cannon was carried but these were a new short-barrelled version, which provided a recognition feature to distinguish it from the earlier FR.46. In theory three 500 lb bombs could be carried, one under the centre fuselage and one under each wing, but in practice it was rare to carry more than two and these were quite often the lighter 250 lb bombs. Both versions had the taller fin and rudder assembly derived from that fitted to the contemporary Spiteful/Seafang (described later). The FR.46 and FR.47 both carried two heated cameras, one vertical and one oblique, and these were the reason for the FR (fighter reconnaissance) designation. One distinguishing feature of the FR.47 was the chin intake of the carburettor immediately behind the propeller spinner, which resulted in a cleaner nose profile. However, it was discovered that wash from the contra-rotating propellers interfered with the airflow through the intake and reduced engine performance. Consequently later production aircraft had the carburettor intake moved back to the traditional position under the rear of the engine cowling almost in line with the wing leading edge. In all, a total of ninety Seafire 47s were produced, the last being delivered in March 1949. This was the very last of the illustrious Spitfire line as the RAF’s last Spitfire F.24 had been delivered in February 1948, a total of over 22,000 Spitfire/Seafires having been produced since 1936.
Despite coming on the scene when the emphasis was beginning to turn to jet combat aircraft, the Seafire 47 had a very respectable performance. Apart from a top speed of 451 mph at 20,000 feet, it had an initial rate of climb of 4,800 feet/min and a service ceiling of over 43,000 feet. These were very creditable figures matched by very few other production piston-engined fighters and barely matched by some of the first-generation jets. An interceptor for fleet defence, the Seafire was still an effective aircraft but its potential for offensive use was limited by its restricted range when carrying any significant payload. In addition, the original Spitfire airframe had never been intended for carrier use and despite constant improvements and strengthening, there were always problems with the strains caused by arrested landings, as well as handling difficulties associated with the outward retracting narrow track undercarriage. Admittedly, the introduction of contra-rotating propellers on the last-generation Seafires considerably eased some of the problems associated with flying from carrier decks.
The FR.47 entered service in February 1948, equipping 804 Squadron, which was initially based at RNAS Ford but subsequently embarked on the light fleet carrier HMS Glory. The only other frontline squadron to receive the new version was 800 Squadron at Donibristle in April 1949 prior to embarking in the HMS Triumph for a deployment to the Far East. Here 800 Squadron’s Seafire 47s became the only examples of the post-war variants to see action, initially in support of British troops fighting communist guerrillas in Malaya during late 1949 and early 1950. A sterner test came with the outbreak of the Korean War where Theseus and her air group of Seafires and Fireflies were heavily committed from the outbreak of hostilities in June 1950 until the following September. By this time her battered air group had an effective strength of only eleven aircraft. Losses from enemy action were few but attrition and accidents had taken their toll, including overstressing of some Seafire rear fuselages. When Triumph returned to the UK in November 1950, the Seafires were disembarked and the frontline career of the Seafire was ended. However, others continued to serve with second-line units and the last flying examples served with 1833 RNVR squadron at Bramcote until 1952.
The continued development of the Spitfire and Seafire in World War II had brought the problems of high-speed flight into sharp focus. One reason for the longevity of the basic Spitfire design was RJ Mitchell’s foresight in specifying and designing a very thin wing with a thickness/chord ratio of only 9 per cent at the tips. This was substantially less than its early contemporaries and during and after the War some Farnborough-based Spitfires achieved velocities in excess of Mach 0.9 in a series of trials involving vertical dives. However, these were not without excitement and drama as well as significant damage in some cases, including a lost propeller in one instance. Interestingly, similar trials with Mustangs and Thunderbolts failed to achieve such high speeds due to their much-increased drag at high speeds. However, aerodynamic design had advanced considerably since the mid 1930s when the Spitfire was first designed and in particular the benefits of a laminar flow wing with maximum thickness set further back, at around 40 per cent main chord, were becoming apparent in the context of high-speed flight. Accordingly Supermarine began work on the design of such a wing in late 1942 with the intention of marrying it to the Spitfire airframe. It was hoped that such a combination would result in a faster aircraft with improved manoeuvrability and the Air Ministry issued Specification F.1/43 for a fighter equipped with a laminar flow wing, ordering three prototypes from Supermarine. These were given the Type number 371 and named Spiteful in recognition that the overall changes had resulted in a new aircraft. From the start provision was made for a naval version and the two-spar wing was designed such that a wing-folding mechanism could be incorporated if required. Another feature that had positive implications for naval use was a complete redesign of the undercarriage, which now retracted inwards and increased the wheel track by some four feet. The Seafire had always suffered from its narrow track undercarriage, which was never intended for carrier use.
In 1944 the laminar flow wing was fitted to a modified Spitfire Mk.XIV (NN660) and this aircraft first flew on 30 June, piloted by Jeffrey Quill, Supermarine’s Chief Test Pilot. Unfortunately this aircraft was destroyed in an accident on 13 September 1944 and the first production standard Spiteful did not fly until 8 January 1945. Flight testing revealed that although the new wing conferred some benefits at high speed, there were significant handling problems at low speeds and a considerable amount of work was required to rectify this situation. Despite this, initial orders were placed for 188 Spitefuls, these being either F.14s with a Griffon 69 engine driving a five-blade Rotol propeller or F.15s with a Griffon 89 or 90 and a six-blade contra-rotating Rotol propeller. A third version was the Spiteful F.16 with a Griffon 101 driving a Rotol five-blade propeller. The sole example of this version is recorded as having reached a speed of 494 mph in level flight while on test from Boscombe Down in 1947. This was the highest level speed ever recorded by a British propeller-driven aircraft and was only exceeded by the American experimental XP-47J Thunderbolt, which attained 504 mph as early as August 1944. Despite this level of performance, only seventeen Spitefuls were completed before all production contracts were cancelled at the end of the War, and not all of these were flown.
As already related, the Royal Navy was being equipped with the Seafire XV at the end of the War and as early as October 1943 Supermarine had proposed fitting the new laminar flow wing to this version, the resulting aircraft being designated Type 382. However, at the time the Admiralty preferred to prioritise other projects and it was not until early 1945 that Specification N.5/45 was issued to cover production of a navalised Spiteful to be known as the Seafang, orders being placed in May for 150 aircraft. An interim prototype was quickly produced by fitting a Spiteful F.14 with a sting arrester hook for carrier trials but the true Seafang 32 prototype did not fly until June 1946. This fully navalised aircraft had hydraulic wing folding and was powered by the Griffon 89 engine driving a six-bladed contra-rotating propeller. A distinguishing external feature was the deeper engine cowling with the lip of the air intake immediately below the propeller hub, as in the Seafire 47. As with the Spiteful, the centre fuselage was slightly deeper than the standard Spitfire/ Seafire, which allowed the cockpit to be raised in order to improve the pilot’s view over the nose. The result of all these changes was to produce an aircraft that was much more suited to carrier operations than the basic Seafire. Test flights and deck landing trials (aboard HMS Illustrious in May 1947) confirmed that the pilot’s view of the flight deck on approach was very good, the contra-rotating propeller eliminated issues connected with torque on take-off or in the event of a wave off, and the wide track undercarriage with long stroke oleos was much better suited to the carrier environment.
Despite the success of these trials the Seafang was not ordered in quantity, the Admiralty preferring to stick with developments of the Griffon-engined Seafire pending the introduction of jet fighters, which were by now a very realistic prospect. In all, ten interim Seafang 31s were delivered, these being fitted with an arrester hook and long stroke undercarriage, but no folding wing mechanism, while a further eight fully navalised Seafang F.32s were delivered. Of the latter only two were actually completed and flown, the others being in dismantled condition. Nevertheless the Spiteful and Seafang represented the ultimate British piston-engined fighter designs and the experience gained with the laminar flow wing was of crucial importance in developing the first generation of naval jet fighters.
While Supermarine persevered in the post-war years with Seafire and Seafang developments powered by the liquid-cooled in-line Rolls-Royce Griffon engine, the rival Hawker company was working on a new naval fighter powered by the Bristol Centaurus air-cooled radial engine. This was the Sea Fury, which eventually entered service in 1947 and went on to entirely replace the Seafire in frontline squadrons. The origins of the Sea Fury could be traced back to the Typhoon and Tempest fighters developed for the RAF, which in turn had come from Specification F.18/37 for a twelve-gun interceptor powered by a new generation of twenty-four cylinder liquid-cooled in-line engines then becoming available. One aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce Vulture engine flew as early as October 1939 and this version was named the Tornado. Although the various prototypes provided valuable data and acted as test beds for a variety of other engines, the Tornado never entered service due to problems with the Vulture engine. However, the Napier Sabre-powered version, the Typhoon, was more successful (although even the Sabre engine itself was not without problems), and it was eventually produced in large numbers for the RAF. Entering service in the summer of 1942, as an interceptor it was not an outstanding success despite a top speed of over 400 mph. However, it was later to find its true role as a ground attack and close support aircraft where its good low-level performance and hard-hitting armament of four 20 mm cannon and eight 60 lb rockets or two 500 lb bombs wrought havoc amongst German ground forces, particularly in the battles following the Normandy invasion in June 1944.
Trials with the early Tornado and Typhoon prototypes led to a proposal for a version of the latter with a new thinner wing of elliptical planform and this together with other changes and improvements resulted in a new type known as the Tempest. The original design, the Tempest Mk.I, was to be powered by a Napier Sabre IV cooled by radiatiors inset into the inboard wing leading edges. Other versions were planned with Centaurus, Griffon or Sabre II engines and in fact it was the Tempest Mk.V powered by the latter that was the first to fly, in September 1942. In this version the twenty-four cylinder Sabre engine was cooled by an annular radiatior in a prominent housing under the nose as on the Typhoon. Again produced in large numbers, the Tempest entered RAF squadron service in April 1944 and subsequently played an important role in the closing stages of the war in North West Europe. The Centaurus radial-engined version eventually saw service as the Mk.II but was not operational until 1946.
By the standards of 1939/40 when Typhoon and Tempest development began to gather pace, the airframe and engine combination was much larger and heavier than the contemporary Spitfires and Hurricanes. Accordingly Hawkers later reviewed the design and proposed a so-called Tempest Light Fighter in which the wing centre section was deleted in order to reduce span, and various other changes were made throughout the airframe. Specification F.2/43 was issued to cover this design and work commenced to build prototypes of the aircraft intended for service with the RAF. The power unit was to be a Bristol Centaurus XII air-cooled radial engine and the installation of this was to be much influenced by experience gained in testing a captured Focke-Wulfe FW.190 in 1942. At the time the German fighter was markedly superior to the Spitfire Mk.V and barely matched by the Mk.IX, which was rushed into service as a stopgap. In 1943 the Admiralty issued Specification N.7/43 and Hawker suggested that this could be met by the F.2/43 design with modifications for naval service. This proposal was accepted and development of both versions proceeded apace with responsibility for naval modifications being delegated to Boulton Paul Aircraft Ltd. The prototype F.2/43 flew in September 1944 powered by a Centaurus XII but other prototypes were subsequently flown with Griffon and Sabre engines (one of the latter achieved a speed of 485 mph in 1947). By the end of 1944 the name Fury had been adopted for the RAF version and the naval variant naturally became the Sea Fury.
Even before the first flight, orders for 200 Furies and 200 Sea Furies were placed in April 1944. However, the RAF orders were cancelled by the end of the war in 1945 and Sea Fury orders were reduced to only 100 aircraft, all to be produced by Hawker instead of being shared with Boulton Paul as originally planned. In the meantime the first Sea Fury prototype (SR661) flew on 21 February 1945 powered by a Centaurus XII driving a four-bladed propeller. This aircraft was navalised to the extent that it was fitted with an arrester hook to allow deck-landing trials to take place but it had non-folding wings. Two further prototypes, SR666 and VB857, flew on 12 October 1945 and 31 January 1946. Both of the latter were much more representative of what was to be the production standard with folding wings (although initially manually operated) and five-blade Rotol propellers. Inevitably flight testing revealed a number of problems, the most serious of which were a series of engine failures caused by lubrication difficulties and it was only due to the skill of the Hawker test pilots that none of the prototypes were actually lost. The necessary modifications were eventually applied to a new version of the engine, the Centaurus XVIII, which was to power all production aircraft. There was also a serious problem with the rudder controls. This was eventually cured by a combination of a locking tailwheel, adjusted spring tab settings, and explicit instructions in the pilot’s handling notes. Finally, the prototypes and early production aircraft experienced problems during deck-landing trials with the arrester hook and a lengthened and stronger hook eventually provided the solution.
The first of fifty production Sea Fury F.Mk.10s flew in September 1946 and was subsequently employed in deck-landing trials aboard HMS Victorious. Other aircraft went to various trials and test units and several were employed by the A&AEE at Boscombe Down for the clearance weapons and external stores. These included bombs of up to 1,000 lb (one of which could be carried under each wing), napalm tanks, smoke floats, depth charges and mines. Tests were also carried out with underwing rocket launchers and eventually a maximum of sixteen 3 inch rockets with 60 lb warheads could be carried on eight duplex zero-length launchers. The fixed armament comprised four wing-mounted 20 mm Hispano Mk.5 cannon. Finally, instead of ordnance, 45- or 90-gallon drop tanks could be fitted to the underwing attachment points.
Sea Fury F.Mk.10s did reach some frontline units where they were used mainly for training and familiarisation pending the introduction of the definitive production version, the FB.Mk.11. Early production F.Mk.10s had featured a four-bladed propeller and few were fitted with powered wing folding. In the FB.Mk.11 both hydraulic wing folding and a five-bladed propeller were standard and the Fighter Bomber (FB) designation reflected a change in role whereby the Sea Fury was now seen as a multi-role aircraft, considerably enhancing the striking power of the carrier air groups. RATOG had been tested on the earlier aircraft and provision for its use was now standard.
The first operational Sea Fury unit was 807 Squadron based at Eglinton where FB.Mk.10s briefly replaced Seafires in September 1947. However, by February of the following year the squadron began receiving the newer FB.Mk.11 and later embarked in HMS Theseus for a while before deploying to the Far East and later becoming heavily involved in Korean War operations. The squadron continued to fly Sea Furies until 1954. A similar story could be told of other Royal Navy frontline squadrons including 802 and 804 Squadrons, which both served in Korea and retained their Sea Furies until March and January 1954 respectively. Other squadrons included 801 Squadron, which operated Sea Furies from March 1951 until January 1955, including a period aboard HMS Glory off Korea. Unusually, the Sea Furies had replaced de Havilland Hornet twin-engined fighters. One of the last frontline units to receive Sea Furies was 810 Squadron, which reformed in 1954 and subsequently embarked in one of the new light fleet carriers, HMS Centaur, before disbanding after twelve months in March 1955.
The Sea Fury also served with several second line and training units, including 736, 738, 759, 764 and 778 Squadrons, and many of these also flew a two-seat Sea Fury T.Mk.20. This version had been developed by Hawker for the export market but aroused Admiralty interest and sixty were eventually ordered and delivered. The most obvious feature of this version was a second bubble canopy for the instructor who was provided with a prominent periscope sight so that he could monitor the students’ gunnery exercises. For this purpose only two 20 mm cannon were fitted. In most respects, however, the T.Mk.20 was similar to the operational versions, although it was not intended for carrier use and therefore was not fitted with an arrester hook. As well as regular Royal Navy squadrons, the Sea Fury also served in significant numbers with some of the RNVR squadrons, including 1831 at Stretton, 1832 at Culham and Benson, 1833 at Bramcote, 1834 at Benson, and 1835 and 1836 also at Culham and Benson. In most cases these retained their Sea Furies until 1955.
The widespread adoption of the Sea Fury by the Royal Navy inevitably led to it equipping the Commonwealth navies that had decided to operate aircraft carriers in the post-war period - Australia and Canada. In the case of the RAN, two Sea Fury squadrons were formed in England in August 1948 and April 1950, these being allocated numbers in the Royal Navy squadron sequence, 805 and 808. Both of these units served in Korea aboard the light fleet carrier HMAS Sydney, and also in the British carrier HMS Venerable. A third RAN squadron, 850, was briefly formed for Korean operations in January 1953 but was disbanded in August 1954, shortly followed by 808 Squadron the following October. 805 Squadron soldiered on with its Sea Furies until 1958 and even after that a few aircraft were retained for training and target towing until as late as 1962.
The Royal Canadian Navy had planned to form a two-carrier force for Pacific operations but the war ended before these plans could be implemented. However, the light fleet carrier HMS Warrior was loaned for a period and 803 Squadron was transferred to the RCN, initially with Seafires and then with Sea Furies in August 1947. Subsequently this squadron served aboard HMCS Magnificent and operated Sea Furies until June 1954. In 1951 the sqadron was redesignated VF-870, in conformity with the US Navy system. A sister squadron, 883, was also formed with Seafires and re-equipped with Sea Furies in September 1948, becoming VF-871 in 1951 and retaining its aircraft until as late as August 1956.
It was not only the Commonwealth navies who evinced an interest in the Sea Fury. The Royal Netherlands Navy had placed orders as early as October 1946 for ten F.Mk.50s, which were basically identical to Royal Navy F.Mk.10s. The Dutch aircraft were delivered in 1948/9 and were followed by a further twelve FB.Mk.51s, which corresponded to the British FB.Mk.11. Finally a further twenty-five FB.51s were produced under a licence agreement by Fokker. The early examples were allocated to the GVO (Gevechtsvliegopleiding), the fighter pilot combat school based at Valkenburg. As further aircraft became available two shore-based squadrons, No. 1 and No. 3, were formed, together with 860 Squadron, which subsequently served aboard the carrier HMNS Karel Doorman. This was an ex-British Colossus class light fleet carrier that had been purchased in 1948 and replaced the ex-British escort carrier HMS Nairana, which had also been named Karel Doorman in Dutch service. The Dutch Navy had in fact planned to operate two carriers, which accounted for the relatively large Sea Fury orders, but the funds never became available. The second HMNS Karel Doorman had a long career with the RNN and was modernised in 1955-8, subsequently being sold to Argentina in 1968. Under its new name Veinticinco de Mayo, she was still in service at the time of the Falklands War and was one of the ships threatening the Royal Navy task force, although in fact she did not come into action and her squadrons eventually operated from shore bases due to problems with the catapults. The Sea Fury remained in service with the RNN until the late 1950s, operating on many occasions from Royal Navy carriers alongside their British counterparts.
Apart from the Netherlands, the Sea Fury had considerable success in the export market with several shore-based air forces, including Iraq and Pakistan, but this aspect of the aircraft is not relevant to this book. Even so, no fewer than 615 Sea Fury FB.Mk.11s were built to Royal Navy contracts (in addition to the fifty F.Mk.10s) but these figures included around 100 supplied to the Australian Navy and another seventy-four to the Canadian Navy. Undoubtedly the Sea Fury was an outstanding success in its role as a naval fighter and represented the pinnacle of piston-engined development before ultimately being superseded by the new generation of jet aircraft. Even then it proved a match in some circumstances, one famously shooting down a MiG-15 over Korea in August 1952. Much of its success was due to the soundness of the basic Hawker design with its strong airframe, rugged wide-track undercarriage, powerful radial engine and superb manoeuvrability and handling. During the intensive Korean War operations the Sea Fury maintained a very high serviceability rate and losses due to deck-landing incidents in difficult conditions were relatively few. Certainly, the aircraft was much better able to put up with the stresses of day-to-day carrier operations than the thoroughbred Seafire that it largely replaced.
Despite its excellent performance, the Sea Fury was not quite the fastest piston-engined fighter to serve with the Royal Navy. That honour went to the graceful de Havilland Sea Hornet F.Mk.20, which, powered by twin Rolls-Royce Merlins, could achieve a maximum speed of 467 mph at an altitude of 22,000 feet, just in excess of the Sea Fury’s 460 mph and Seafire FR.47’s 452 mph. The original de Havilland DH.103 Hornet was developed for the RAF and was intended for long-range operations in the Pacific. Full-scale development commenced in mid 1943 with the prototype flying in July 1944. De Havilland had always considered the possibility of a naval version and this was one reason why opposite-handed engines and high drag flaps were incorporated from the start, while the wing design had provision for wing folding. Naval interest resulted in Specification N.5/44 and three early production Hornets were taken in hand for modification to naval standards by Heston Aircraft Co. Ltd. The first of these (PX212) flew in April 1945 but, like the second prototype, did not feature the Lockheed hydraulic wing-folding mechanism that was finally incorporated in the third prototype (PX219). This latter aircraft was immediately employed in deck landing trials commencing in August 1945, these proving very successful despite it being the Royal Navy’s first carrier-capable single-seat twin piston-engined aircraft. The most significant problem to arise was a weakness with the undercarriage torque links when stressed by side loads, and ultimately the undercarriage legs were redesigned. The handed inward-rotating propellers completely eliminated torque-induced handling problems (although a single-engined landing was a different affair!) while the twin-engined layout with the pilot seated well forward in the slim fuselage gave an unprecedented view of the deck on approach.
Despite the end of the Pacific War in September 1945, a production order was placed and eventually some seventy-eight Sea Hornet F.Mk.20s were produced, the type entering service in late 1946 with 703 Trials Squadron at Lee-on-Solent. The first operational squadron was 801, which reformed at Ford in June 1947 and subsequently served aboard HMS Implacable and HMS Indomitable with the Home Fleet. Considering the pace of some post-war development programmes, the fact that the Sea Hornet was in service less than two years after the flight of the first prototype is an indication of the priority accorded to this aircraft. The Royal Navy now had a very potent long-range strike fighter, which was armed with four 20 mm cannon and could carry two 1,000 lb bombs. Apart from the basic F.Mk.20, a further forty-three Sea Hornet PR.22 photographic reconnaissance versions were ordered, these being basically similar to the fighter version but with the cannon armament removed and three cameras mounted in the lower fuselage, although the wing hardpoints were retained and could be used for either bombs or drop tanks. With a slightly lighter all-up weight, the PR.22 was no faster but had a better rate of climb, higher service ceiling (37,000 feet) and a longer range (2,050 miles).
Although the Sea Hornet was a great pilot’s aeroplane, its size and complexity meant that it was unsuitable for deployment aboard the light fleet carriers that provided the backbone of the Royal Navy’s carrier force in the decade after World War II. In addition, the single-engined Sea Fury was capable of carrying out most of the same mission profiles and consequently 801 Squadron’s Sea Hornets were retired in March 1951. Re-equipped with Sea Furies, the squadron deployed to Korea the following year. Nevertheless, the graceful twin-engined fighter remained active with Fleet Requirements Units (728 at Malta and 771 at Hurn), as well as training squadrons at Culdrose. The last unit to fly the single-seat Sea Hornet was 728 Squadron at Malta, which used them as late as 1956.
However, another version of the Sea Hornet had a slightly longer operational life, this being the two-seater NF.Mk.21 night fighter. The single-seat fighters such as the Seafire and the later Sea Fury were not radar-equipped and could only act as day interceptors but wartime experience showed the need for a radar-equipped night fighter and this requirement had been partially met by a night fighter version of the single-engined Firefly (described later). However, the concept of a two-seat radar-equipped version of the Sea Hornet held promise of better performance and accordingly Specification N.21/45 was issued. In practice the necessary modifications were not easy to incorporate in the very slim fuselage of the original single-seat fighter, which had been designed to have the minimum cross-section area. The fitting of the radar was not too much of a problem, the ASH radar scanner being contained in a thimble radome at the front of an extended nose fairing, which rather spoilt the aircraft’s good looks. The radar navigator was housed in a cramped rearward-facing compartment level with the wing trailing edge and was provided with a small one-piece blister canopy. The tailplane span was increased and, in view of the night fighter role, flame dampers were fitted over the exhaust manifolds. A secondary role of this version was to act as a leader of a strike formation of single-seaters with the navigator responsible for guiding the force to its target and then back to the mother ship.
All these modifications, together with the installation of an arrester hook and other naval equipment, were carried out on the prototype NF.Mk.21 (PX230), which was an RAF Hornet F.Mk.1 converted by Heston Aircraft. This aircraft, which flew on 9 July 1949, did not have folding wings but this was incorporated in the second aircraft (PX239). PX239 also had an extended dorsal fin fillet, a feature that was retrospectively applied to all versions of the Hornet, both RAF and Royal Navy. Surprisingly the modifications and extra equipment had little effect on performance and the NF.Mk.21 was only 5 mph slower than the single-seaters while the quoted rate of climb and service ceiling were both improved, possibly due to the fitting of different Merlin engines (133/134). Carrier trials, including night operations, were successfully carried out aboard HMS Illustrious in late 1948 by which time some seventy-eight NF.Mk.21s had been ordered and subsequently 809 Squadron was reformed at Culdrose with Sea Hornet night fighters. Despite being the most complex carrier-based aircraft in service, the squadron’s first sea deployment was aboard the light fleet carrier HMS Vengeance for short periods in 1950 and 1951. This was mainly because the larger carriers were usually retained in home waters and were often utilised for training, trials and testing. It was not until the first of the new fleet carriers, HMS Eagle, commissioned in 1952 that the squadron found a more permanent home. However, its remaining career was relatively short and in May 1954 it was disbanded. Other NF.Mk.21s had been allocated to training squadrons (including 728, 762, 771, 787 and 792) and after its withdrawal from frontline service several examples remained in use for radar observer training and fleet requirements until around 1956. Unfortunately no examples of either the single- or two-seat Sea Hornet were preserved and its absence is noticeable in the otherwise comprehensive collection of aircraft from this period at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton.
As already mentioned the backbone of the naval fighter force from 1948 onwards until the coming of the jets was the Hawker Sea Fury. Its constant stablemate throughout this period was the Fairey Firefly two-seat single-engined fighter reconnaissance aircraft. The Firefly was originally designed to meet Specification N.5/40, which required a high-performance multi-role aircraft capable of acting as a fighter when required. The prototype flew in December 1941 powered by a 1,730 hp Rolls-Royce Griffon and flight testing quickly confirm the basic soundness of the design and it proved to have the necessary good low-speed handling characteristics vital for safe carrier operation. This was partly due to the adoption of area-increasing Youngman flaps, which could be fully retracted when not required. It was also found that with these flaps in the take-off position, dogfighting manoeuvrability was much improved to the extent that it could out turn a Spitfire at low speeds. The Firefly FR.1 began to equip frontline squadrons from late 1943 onwards and made its operational debut in the course of a series of attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz in July 1944. Subsequently three squadrons served with the British Pacific Fleet in action against Japanese forces in the closing stage of the war. Also with the BPF was one squadron equipped with Firefly NF.1 night fighters. The original night fighter variant was the NF.2, which was extensively modified to carry an AI.Mk.X radar. However, only a few were delivered before it was realised that the radar could be mounted in a pod under the standard Firefly, resulting in the NF.1 variant. In all over 850 Mk.1 Fireflies were delivered, including some trainer versions and thirty for the Netherlands Navy.
Production of the FR.1 continued until 1946. Although the Far East squadrons were soon disbanded, at home many of the Barracuda strike squadrons were re-equipped with the Firefly, which, for all practical purposes, was now regarded as the Royal Navy’s standard strike aircraft. However, the Mk.1 Firefly was soon to be displaced itself by a new and much improved version of the Firefly, the FR.4. This had a more powerful Griffon 74 engine (prototypes had a Griffon 72), which featured a two-stage supercharger and gave an increase of almost 500 hp, a four-bladed Rotol propeller being fitted to absorb this extra power. There was also a significant number of aerodynamic changes of which the most obvious was the removal of the chin-mounted cooling radiators to forward extensions of the wing centre section so that the nose profile became much more streamlined. The wingtips were clipped, reducing the wing span by almost 12 feet and improving the rate of roll, and the leading edge of the fin was extended to increase stability. Finally, all aircraft were equipped with two underwing pods, of which the port one provided additional fuel capacity while the starboard one contained the radar antenna, which was previously an optional fitting to be carried in an awkward under fuselage pod. The net result of all these changes was a sparkling increase in performance with the maximum speed rising from 316 mph to 376 mph, although other parameters were very similar.
Development of this version was carried out by four converted Mk.1s starting in mid 1944 but the first production FR.4 did not fly until May 1945. With the run down of squadrons after the War it was not until the autumn of 1947 that the first operational units were formed (Nos 810 and 825 Squadrons) at Eglinton, Northern Ireland. Some 160 FR.4s were delivered, the last on 9 February 1948. Of these forty were destined for the Netherlands Navy where they equipped no fewer than five squadrons at various times, including Nos 2 and 4, which were embarked on the Karel Doorman for several deployments. However, the most important post-war Firefly variant was the Mk.5. This variant was produced in several specialised versions based on the standard FR.5, which filled the day fighter reconnaissance role and also acted as a light strike aircraft, while the NF.5 night fighter carried an air-to-air radar in the starboard underwing pod. The third version was the AS.5, which was optimised for the anti-submarine search role for which the Firefly was increasingly used in the later stages of its operational career. A total of 325 Mk.5s were built from December 1947 onwards, the last being delivered on 19 May 1950, and fourteen of these were for the Netherlands Navy. Although there was little external difference between the Mk.4 and 5, the latter introduced power wing folding, a modification introduced in January 1949 and subsequently extended to all Mk.5s.
By this time the Firefly had evolved into a very competent multi-role naval aircraft well suited to carrier operations by virtue of its excellent handling characteristics. Approaches to land on benefited from the Fairey-patented high lift Youngman flaps, which retracted completely into the wing when not in use. During the Korean War this was clearly illustrated by some extremely creditable performances by the squadrons embarked on the light fleet carriers. For example, during her initial deployment, Fireflies aboard HMS Theseus made over 1,300 deck landings without accident while maintaining an exceptionally high serviceability rate. Altogether five Royal Navy Firefly squadrons (810, 812, 821, 825, 827) participated in operations off Korea, together with one Australian squadron (817). The last Fireflies to see action were those of 825 Squadron, flying off HMS Warrior, which supported ground operations against communist forces in Malaya in 1954.
By that time virtually all Royal Navy Mk.5s had been replaced by a new version, the Firefly AS.6, which was a specialised anti-submarine aircraft in which the gun armament was removed, although underwing loads could include sonobuoys and depth charges. The prototype flew on 23 March 1949 and this version entered service with 814 Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton in January 1951. A total of 133 AS.6s were built, the last being delivered in September 1951, and they became the Fleet Air Arm’s main anti-submarine aircraft until the turboprop Gannet (also produced by Fairey) became available in 1955. By the time of the Coronation Review in 1953, no fewer than five squadrons flew the Firefly AS.6 as well as several RNVR units. The anti-submarine role grew increasingly important during the early days of the Cold War and this resulted in a further specialised version of the Firefly, the AS.Mk.7, which is described later. Rather ignominiously the last stage of the career of the Firefly, an aircraft which had seen action in World War II and had subsequently formed the backbone of the Royal Navy’s post-war carrier groups, was as an unmanned target aircraft. Forty of these were converted Mk.5s, which were designated Firefly U.9, while the U.8 was a modification of the AS.7 of which thirty-four were new build. The last of these was delivered on 26 March 1956, being the 1,702nd and very last Firefly to be built.
When the FR.4 entered service it offered an advance in performance on the wartime Mk.1s and its armament of four 20 mm cannon together with underwing ordnance of bombs or rockets up to a total load of 2,000 lb made it a very respectable strike aircraft. However, the one role that it could not carry out was that of torpedo bomber. During World War II this function had been carried out by the ungainly Fairey Barracuda while units of the British Pacific Fleet were mostly equipped with the American Grumman Avenger. A requirement for a high-performance torpedo bomber was clearly foreseen during the War and this was eventually met by the big and powerful Blackburn Firebrand TF.Mks 4 and 5, which began to enter frontline service in September 1945, too late to see action. At the time it was unique in Royal Navy service in that it was the first single-seat torpedo bomber since the Blackburn Dart biplane of the 1920s. Its other claim to distinction was much more dubious and that was the inordinate time spent in development before it finally entered service. Indeed, the Firebrand had a distinctly chequered history, having been first designed as a high-performance naval fighter to meet specifications drawn up in 1939 and 1940 calling for a replacement for the Gladiators, Rocs and Fulmars then in service. The prototype Firebrand F.Mk.1 flew at Brough on 27 February 1942 and was powered by a 2,035 hp Napier Sabre in-line liquid-cooled engine. Subsequent prototypes carried out deck-landing and armament trials in 1943 but numerous handling problems were highlighted and, in any case, the Ministry of Supply decided that all Sabre engines should be reserved for production of Hawker Typhoons for the RAF. Naval fighter requirements were deemed to be met by the Seafire Mk.III then entering service.
However, the Blackburn aircraft had demonstrated considerable potential and was capable of carrying heavy loads. Consequently the second prototype Firebrand, which had been damaged in an accident, was rebuilt as a TF.Mk.II with a widened and strengthened centre section to allow the carriage of a standard 1,850 lb 18 inch airborne torpedo. This flew in March 1943 but only twelve were eventually produced due to restrictions on the supply of Sabre engines and after trials these were used by 708 Squadron at Lee-on-Solent for training and familiarisation. A formal requirement for a high-performance torpedo bomber was crystallised as Specification S.8/43 and to meet this Blackburn produced the Firebrand TF.Mk.III, in which the Sabre engine was replaced by a 2,400 hp Bristol Centaurus VII eighteen-cylinder twin-row air-cooled radial engine. The prototype flew on 21 December 1944 but only twenty-four were produced as this version once again displayed some undesirable handling characteristics, of which the most noticeable was poor directional stability on take-off, caused by the massive torque of the powerful Centaurus engine.
The Firebrand’s handling and performance was finally brought up to acceptable standards in the TF.Mk.4, which first flew on 17 May 1945, and 104 of this variant were eventually delivered. The TF.Mk.4 had a much larger fin, which was offset by 3 degrees in order to overcome the directional stability problems. It also introduced other changes that considerably enhanced the aircraft in its operational role. These included a teardrop clear-view canopy, retractable wing spoilers and provision for a wide range of ordnance. As an alternative to the torpedo, two 2000 lb bombs or sixteen 60 lb rocket projectiles could be carried as well as 45-gallon underwing or 100-gallon centreline drop tanks. The torpedo itself was carried on a unique two-position crutch in which the weapon was tilted down for take-off in order to prevent its tail dragging on the ground, but was tilted up parallel to the fuselage when the undercarriage was retracted.
The final Firebrand production version was the TF.Mk.5, which first flew in 1945 and entered service with 813 Squadron in April 1947. Sixty-eight were built and some forty Mk.4s were also converted to Mk.5 standard. The Mk.5 differed from the earlier version in detail only, the changes being aimed at further improving handling characteristics and included horn balanced ailerons and increased-span aileron tabs. Finally, the TF.Mk.5A was introduced, which featured hydraulically powered ailerons, one of the first application of this type of control system in a British frontline aircraft. Although this was a great improvement, the Firebrand was regarded as a difficult aircraft to fly and, in general, only experienced pilots were drafted to the two operational squadrons, 813 and 827. It was not only the handling characteristics that made carrier approaches and landings difficult. The problem was compounded by the fact that the pilot was positioned some 18 feet behind the big radial engine and his forward view in the landing attitude was virtually nil! The fact that the Firebrand was known among its pilots as the ‘Firebrick’ is perhaps all that needs to be said about their opinion of the aircraft. These features, together with the sheer size of the aircraft, made the Firebrand unsuitable for use aboard the light fleet carriers and 813 Squadron confined its operations to the large fleet carriers (Illustrious, Implacable and Indefatigable), mostly in home waters. 827 Squadron was reformed with Firebrands in 1952 specifically for service aboard the new carrier HMS Eagle, which entered service that year. In 1953 the Firebrand was withdrawn from frontline service when it was replaced by the turboprop Wyvern, an aircraft whose gestation was even more convoluted and extended than that of the Firebrand, as will be described later.
Early in the Firebrand’s development some of the aircraft’s drawbacks were apparent and consequently Specification S.28/ 43 was issued in February 1944, which asked for an improved view for the pilot and a new wing. Blackburn responded with its B-48 project, which was based on the Firebrand and subsequently used the name Firecrest, although this was never adopted officially. (Post-war, the designation Y.A.1 was also applied under a new system brought in by the SBAC.) The problem of the pilot’s view was solved by raising the cockpit and moving it forward, exchanging position with some of the fuselage fuel tanks. The new wing was substantially different and was of thin laminar flow profile. In plan view the leading edge was sharply tapered while the trailing edge was almost straight. The centre section had a pronounced anhedral, while outboard of the wheel bays the wing had nine degrees of anhedral, the whole similar in concept to the American F4U Corsair, although not quite so pronounced. However, the reasoning was the same, the gull wing layout permitting a shorter undercarriage while still leaving ground clearance for the five-bladed Rotol propeller. Another change from the Firebrand was the wing-folding arrangement. Whereas the earlier aircraft’s wings were twisted to fold alongside the fuselage, in the Firecrest they folded upwards just outboard of the wheels and the outer section and ailerons then folded downwards and inwards - a unique arrangement not repeated on any other naval aircraft. Fowler high-lift flaps were fitted on the trailing edge and electrically operated trim tabs were fitted on all moving control surfaces. Hydraulically actuated dive brakes were also fitted above and below the wing.
The first Firecrest did not fly until well after the end of the war, in fact as late as 1 April 1947 and a second aircraft was only partially completed. The aircraft was slightly lighter than the Firebrand and with essentially the same engine (Centaurus 59) there was a modest increase in performance. The improved pilot’s position attracted favourable comments. However, the handling characteristics were little better. The third prototype featured the powered ailerons then being introduced on the Firebrand, and in connection with this the dihedral of the outer wings was reduced to three degrees. This aircraft flew in 1948 but overall there was little improvement. Nevertheless continued test flying yielded much useful information on the operation of powered flying controls, some of which was applied to the Firebrand TF.5A.
As a military aircraft, the Firecrest did not have any fixed armament but provision was made for two 0.5 inch machine-guns to be carried in pods attached to underwing hard points. Alternative loads included 500 lb bombs or rocket projectiles while a torpedo could be carried under the centre fuselage. However, the aircraft offered little improvement over the Firebrand and by the late 1940s the future of combat aircraft undoubtedly lay with the new jets and so no production contracts were forthcoming. Blackburn did some further design work on Firecrest versions that would be powered by the new turboprops such as the Armstrong Siddeley Python or the Rolls-Royce Clyde driving six-bladed contra rotating propellers. This work led eventually to the Blackburn B-54, originally envisaged as a strike aircraft but which eventually emerged as an anti-submarine patrol aircraft.
While Blackburn persevered with the Firebrand and Firecrest, the Fairey company also built and flew a heavy strike bomber in the form of the Fairey Spearfish. This was intended as a successor to the Barracuda and was designed to meet Specification O.5/43 for a two-seat multi-role torpedo/dive bomber. The initial contract was placed in August 1943 and the first prototype was flown on 5 July 1945. The Spearfish was a very clean and functional-looking aircraft powered by a single 2,600 hp Bristol Centaurus radial engine with the two crew members accommodated under a clear-view canopy set in line with the leading edge of the wing. For the first time on a British naval aircraft, the offensive load was all carried in an internal bomb bay. This could consist of either the standard British 18 inch, or the larger American 22.4 inch, torpedo. Alternatively four 500 lb, or one 2,000 lb bomb, or four depth charges could be carried, while another possibility was a 180-gallon long-range fuel tank for ferry purposes. Two wing-mounted 0.5 inch machine-guns were carried while another two were intended to be carried in a Frazer Nash 95 remote-controlled dorsal barbette to be installed immediately behind the cockpit canopy. Sixteen 3 inch, 60 lb rockets could be carried in zero-length underwing launchers (the only armament carried externally). Provision was made for a Mk.15 ASV radar to be mounted in a retractable ‘dustbin’ fairing immediately behind the weapons bay, which occupied most of the lower fuselage. To leave space for this arrangement, a mid-mounted wing configuration was adopted, which led to a longer than usual undercarriage that retracted outwards. Hydraulic wing folding was standard.
In terms of performance the Spearfish offered little improvement over its predecessors but it showed every promise of having better handling characteristics and being more adaptable to a variety of roles, and initially production orders were placed for up to 152 aircraft. However, these were subsequently cancelled after the end of the War and only three prototypes and one production aircraft were flown (the latter fitted with the Frazer Nash barbette), the first two in 1945 but the last two not until 1947. These were used for various tests and operational trials, at least one still flying as late as 1952 with the carrier trials unit at Lee-on-Solent and Ford.
As already described, the Blackburn Firebrand was the Royal Navy’s main torpedo strike aircraft throughout most of the period covered by this book. However, in 1953 its replacement finally entered service after no fewer than seven years’ testing and development following its first flight in December 1946. In addition this aircraft represented a bridge between the old and the new as, although propeller-driven, its powerplant was a gas turbine. This was the Westland Wyvern, which had originally been conceived in 1944 as a high-performance naval fighter designed around the 3,500 hp twenty-four-cylinder Rolls-Royce Eagle piston engine, although the potential to install one of the new turboprop engines was not ignored. Naval Specification N.11/44 was issued and this called for a maximum speed in excess of 500 mph and the ability to carry a wide range of weapons, including one 2,000 or three 1,000 lb bombs, or a single Mk.XVIII torpedo. This was an exacting requirement and even as the TF.Mk.1 prototypes were under construction, a decision was made to produce a Mk.2 version powered by the new Rolls-Royce Clyde turboprop. Almost immediately the programme was affected by severe delays of both the Eagle and Clyde engines but the piston-engined prototype finally flew on 16 December 1946 and subsequently a total of fifteen TF.Mk.1s were produced. However, the Eagle engine and its associated twin four-bladed contra-rotating propellers suffered numerous problems and the prototype was lost in October 1947 in an accident caused by propeller failure, which also killed its pilot. By this time priority was being given to the turboprop-powered TF.Mk.2 but now the Armstrong Siddeley Python was the favoured powerplant, its development being ahead of the Rolls-Royce Clyde. One Clyde-engined TF.Mk.2 was flown on 18 January 1949, followed by a Python-engined example on 22 March 1949. On paper the Clyde was the more powerful with 4,000-shp being absorbed by the propellers and the gas turbine providing an additional 1,550 lb residual thrust, while the equivalent figures for the Python were 3,560 shp and 1,100 lb thrust. The Python, however, was comparatively more mature and as the Clyde’s problems became apparent it was thought to be the better option, although its installation in the Wyvern required alterations to the fuselage design including a 21 inch increase in length.
A batch of twenty Python-powered Wyverns were ordered and the first of these flew on 16 February 1950. Almost immediately numerous problems were manifest and a number of changes were made to cope with various handling problems. The most noticeable of these was a substantial increase in the height of the tail fin and the cutting back of the lip of the annular air intake exposing the central fairing covering the gearbox. However, the most serious problem and one that almost brought the programme to a complete halt was an uncontrollable tendency for the engine and propeller combination to surge. This took months of trials and testing before a solution was found comprising a combination of modifications to the engine by Armstrong Siddeley and a new constant speed propeller control unit by the manufacturers, Rotol. The problem was not resolved until April 1952 by which time deliveries of the definitive production version, the Wyvern S.4, had begun. In fact, the last seven TF.2s were completed as S.4s and a further ninety were delivered as new-build aircraft. Even then, all was not well and final tests at Boscombe Down revealed rudder control problems, which were eventually cured by the addition of small finlets on the leading edge of the tailplane. The Wyvern S.4 eventually entered service with 813 NAS in May 1953 but engine limitations kept the unit shore-bound until September 1954 when it embarked in HMS Albion. Even then there were unforeseen problems, including an alarming tendency for the engine to flame out during the acceleration of catapult launches, resulting in several aircraft being ditched (and also the world’s first underwater ejection in which the pilot survived a ditching after being shot off into the sea). The Wyvern’s frontline service life was very short (especially in comparison with its lengthy development time), the last operational squadron disbanding in February 1957. Perhaps the highlight of its career was in October and November 1956 when 830 Squadron embarked in HMS Eagle carried out seventy-nine sorties for the loss of two aircraft during the ill-fated Suez operations.
Despite its numerous problems and short operational career, the Wyvern is significant because it was the Royal Navy’s last propeller-driven fighter or strike aircraft and therefore represented the end of an era. During the late 1940s and early 1950s the Sea Fury and the Firefly, backed up by a few Firebrands, had provided much of the Royal Navy’s frontline strength. Although aircraft such as the Seafang, Firecrest and Spearfish explored the ultimate performance envelope of the piston-engined propeller-driven combat aircraft, production orders could not be justified as it became obvious that the future lay with the new generation of jet aircraft then under development and coming into service.