The (very heavy!) lower mainplanes for W5856 are carefully removed from the BAES truck... [©Crown/LA(Phot) Nicky Wilson]

...and placed alongside W5856 waiting patiently in the hangar. [©Crown/LA(Phot) Nicky Wilson]

Merry Christmas

With the aircraft now undergoing their winter maintenance the hangar is full to the brim of aircraft parts which were joined recently by an immaculate set of freshly doped Swordfish lower wings from the team at BAE Systems, Brough. The upper set are scheduled to join us shortly.

With pilots now keeping current on various tail dragger aircraft you may find an article in the January 2012 issue of ‘Pilot’ magazine of interest as Lieutenant Simon Wilson Royal Navy has written a special feature on flying the Swordfish. The Sea Fury T.20, owned by the Fly Navy Heritage Trust and on loan to the RNHF, is also featured in an article in the January edition of ‘Flyer’ magazine. So much to read over the Christmas break!

From all at the Royal Navy Historic Flight, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

	Left: LS326 performing the flypast over St Bartholomew's at Yeovilton on 11 November. [© Lee Howard]     Below: Smiles all round! Lt Cdr Ian Sloan on completion of his first Swordfish 'famil' under the watchful eye of lead Swordfish pilot Lt Cdr Glenn Allison. [©HMS Heron]

At 1103Z 11 November 2011, the RNHF Swordfish LS326, flew past the Fleet Air Arm Memorial Church of St Bartholomew at Yeovilton as a mark of respect to those who have lost their lives serving this country. The memorial service was conducted by the Archbishop of Canterbury and attended by service personnel from RNAS Yeovilton who had marched across the airfield to attend.

With winter now here the aircraft will return to the hangar until late spring next year ready for the 2012 season. We plan on her being joined by Swordfish W5856 who will be worked on through the winter months and revealed in a new paint scheme next year. The scheme has not been finalised but come back to this website in time for the next display season when we hope to be able to show the aircraft in all its glory.

The Commanding Officer of the RNHF, Ian Sloan, is now a fully fledged Swordfish pilot having worked up some time with the remaining hours left for this season. With a second Swordfish in the pipeline we are also going to convert a forth pilot for Swordfish displays next season, Lieutenant Commander Mark Jameson Royal Navy.

The Sea Fury T20 has done a sterling service for the Royal Navy this year, in the absence of the FB11. Its final display for 2011 will be over Windemere in Cumbria on the 25th of November for a fund raising event being coordinated with the Fly Navy Heritage Trust. She then returns to North Weald for her annual servicing. We hope to see her return in the New Year ready to work with Sea Fury FB11 VR930.

Giving some scale to the scene, some of the RNHF team inspect the contents of the giant box which arrived this week. [©Mark Connell]

You could eat your dinner off it! The beautifully rebuilt Bristol Centaurus in its purpose-built stand. [©Lee Howard]

Touch down! The Sea Fury FB11 is now being reunited with its engine following a refurbishment with Vintage Radials in Tehachapi, California and will be brought back to life ready for the 2012 display season. The aircraft will have its Safety Case reviewed in March 2012 which, if all goes well, will give us time to work up our Royal Navy pilots back into the single seat fighter, having had the Sea Fury T20 to fly throughout 2011. The Sea Fury is also being fitted with the same data monitoring system that we put in to the Sea Hawk. This will continue to monitor the life and health of the aircraft over the coming display seasons.

With Swordfish LS326 coming to the end of its first display season since 1999 we eagerly look forward to her being joined by W5856 next season. The Swordfish Team at BAe Systems, Brough continue to keep the Swordfish wings on track and we are looking at various paint schemes for her. Although no specific date exists for the Battle of the Atlantic, it was perhaps at its peak in 1943 and we would like to see the two Swordfish flying 70 years on, in 2013, as a commemoration to a battle that they played such an important part in.

On the other side of the Atlantic lies the Canadian Swordfish brought back to life by Vintage Wings of Canada. We stay in touch with the team and were delighted to meet Graeme Goodlet, who is a volunteer, at Duxford in September this year. Do take a look at their website and see what they are doing with the only other airworthy Swordfish in the world www.vintagewings.ca

We are now looking at the programme for 2012 and collating various bids that the Royal Navy will review in January 2012. Do e-mail us via the contact button on the website for a bid proforma if you want a chance to see the aircraft we operate at your event.

Sadly we will be losing most of our AET’s from the Royal Navy who have been attached to us for the past few months. They have been a real asset (and have significantly reduced the average age!) to the Flight and we wish them well as they move back to front line billets within the Royal Navy.

The Fly Navy Heritage Trust (FNHT) are pulling together various fund raising events for 2012 so do keep an eye on their website www.fnht.co.uk for further information. The artist Terry Lee has painted another fabulous picture of the RNHF aircraft, this time of the two Sea Furies with the Fleet Air Arm Memorial Church, St Bartholomews, in the background. The image is now on the front of a Christmas card which is available via the FAA Museum online shop, www.fleetairarm.com Do help support both the FAA Museum and the RNHF by buying these cards to send to your friends. The original art work will be for sale by sealed bid, details can be found on the FNHT website. The Trust is also ‘Tweating’, so do follow their noise…………!

Finally, the Royal Naval Air Station here at Yeovilton has had an ‘artist in residence’ during the past year, local artist Mr Paul Branson, who has been painting various scenes of the personnel at work around the Air Station. Some of the art work includes scenes of the RNHF personnel and aircraft. The exhibition of his work will be on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum here in Somerset between the 19th October 2011 until 22 January 2012.

A younger generation being introduced to LS326 at Duxford. [©John Heard]

The starboard lower mainplane due to be fitted to W5856 receiving the first coast of red dope at BAES Brough. [©BAES Brough]

Fortunately the summer has flown by!  Since our last missive, Swordfish LS326 has made numerous appearances at airshows and other events.  From Culdrose in the South to Southport in the north (!) we have also managed to take LS326 back to Sherburn-in-Elmet -her place of birth -and also shown her to the BAe Systems team at Brough who are working hard to produce the wings that will get Swordfish W5856 into the air at the end of this year.

Lieutenant Simon Wilson wasted no time in converting to the Swordfish and has been busy sharing the pilots seat with Lieutenant Commander Glenn Allison over the summer.  Our AETs have enjoyed making the most of their ‘Flying Maintainer’ qualification by taking their turn in the TAG position – Mark Connell and Robbie Robertson have been particularly busy.  We have also ‘broadened’ our recruiting and have welcomed Lieutenant Paddy McWilliams to the flight as a Swordfish Observer. 

Sea Fury T20 G-RNHF has also been very busy through the season, Lieutenant Commander Chris Gotke has been a busy man over the summer as the only qualified Sea Fury pilot this year (something the Commanding Officer is keen to rectify!) and his display has met much acclaim from participants and spectators alike.  Our own Sea Fury FB.11 VR930 continues to wait on her engine returning from the US, whereupon ground running and shakedown flying will commence prior to displaying next season.

Sea Hawk WV908 continues to wait on her engine inspection completing.  This has lost some of its urgency as the safety case sign off for her will not now happen until the middle of 2012, hopefully in time to catch the tail end of the display season.

As the display season winds down, that tends to be when the hard graft starts on the flight, to ensure each aircraft is properly serviced ahead of another years flying.  This year there may be the novelty of moving house as well, as plans (yet to be finalised!) are in the offing for the Flight to move to the north side of the airfield, next door to the museum – a great plan and one that has been some years in the making.  The benefits and increased visibility are clear and this should be a great opportunity to welcome many more visitors through the door.

Recently the Swordfish has taken third prize in the Concours D’Elegance at the Goodwood Revival – a weekend for the crew decked out in woolly bears and period outfits.  One notable visitor was the Chief of the Air Staff,  who was invited to have a look at some real air power!

LS326 gets airborne for a one hour test flight in the hands of Lt Cdr Glenn Allison, 22 June 2011 [©Lee Howard]

A quick update with the news you have all been waiting for.  The Swordfish Safety case has been signed and LS326 flew today with Lieutenant Commander Glenn Allison at the helm.

She will spend next week working up a new pilot Lieutenant Simon Wilson and then head off to Waddington Air Show the weekend 2/3 July.

	Above: Cdr Adrian Orchard on arrival back from displaying at Bowood, 6 June. [© Lee Howard]     Left: Lt Ian Sloan presenting Cdr Adrian Orchard with a memento of his time on RNHF. [©HMS Heron]

Having welcomed Ian Sloan in May, this month we have said goodbye to Commander Adrian Orchard after many years serving the RNHF. Starting as a Swordfish pilot, he migrated to the Sea Fury and flew his last sortie in the Sea Fury T.20 on the 6 June. Ade has been appointed to an exchange with the US Navy in Washington and we all wish him well after many happy hours flying with the RNHF.

The team has welcomed a new Mechanical Fitter by the name of ‘Tug’ Wilson whose CV you will find on the ‘Meet the Team’ page. ‘Mac’ McKernan is on sick leave and we all wish him a speedy recovery following his recent stay in hospital.

With the display season well under way the Military registered aircraft remain on the ground but we are hoping to see Swordfish LS326 return to the skies shortly. The Swordfish Safety Case has yet to be signed but much hard work is going on behind the scenes to doing everything possible to put her back in the display circuit. We will update you the moment we have any news.

The Sea Hawk Nene engine has been stripped for inspection. The Sea Hawk will also have to undergo a Safety Case review before being allowed back into the display circuit and this ‘paper trail’ continues and we hope to have the aircraft back in the air this season.

Our new Naval Air Engineering Technicians, affectionately known as AET’s, supervised by ‘Tug’ have conducted a ‘major’ servicing on the Sea Fury VR930 in preparation for her engine returning. We are awaiting a call form the US to plan the Chief Engineers visit to California to witness the (imminent) bench test on the Centaurus.

Work continues on the wings for Swordfish W5856 up at BAE Systems Brough. New cylinders are in the process of being manufactured for the Pegasus engine. The Swordfish Safety Case may need tweaking to release W5856 but that is being worked on now and the 2012 target to get her flying remains on track.

The T.20 was defeated by the weather at Cosford last weekend, but provided mother-nature looks kindly on us, she will be flown by Lieutenant Commander Chris Gotke to the Cotswold Airshow and Whitehaven this weekend.

The Fly Navy Heritage Trust remain hard at work fund raising and always welcomes new supporters. Do visit their website fnht.co.uk for their latest Newsletter and join their Supporters Group which in turn supports the Royal Navy Historic Flight.

Lieutenant Ian Sloan - RNHF's new Commanding Officer - with Swordfish LS326. [©Lee Howard]

We have a new Commanding Officer! Lieutenant Ian Sloan has taken over the helm from Mike Abbey. Mike remains a Swordfish pilot mentor and so will be keeping in touch with the Flight. He retires from the Royal Navy in September and we all wish him well after many years supporting the RNHF. Ian has been popping in and out of the Flight over the past couple of years as a Sea Hawk display pilot. You can read his CV on the ‘Meet the Team’ page.

Now to business: sadly Swordfish LS326 is not permitted to fly for the moment. She is fully serviceable but the Safety Case remains unsigned and until we can change that, she remains on the ground. We continue to work with the various authorities to try and resolve this issue and get a Swordfish back where she belongs – in the sky, representing the Royal Navy at air shows around the country.

The major servicing on Sea Hawk WV908 continues. It is hoped that she will be back in the air to display at Yeovilton Air Day in July. Again we plough on.

The Centaurus engine for Sea Fury VR930 is still on track for a summer delivery despite a delay in the bench test.

Meanwhile up at BAE Systems Brough work on the wings for Swordfish W5856 continues and the Pegasus engine overhaul is well underway with a view to her flying in 2012.

The Sea Fury T20 has been flying for us and as a civil registered aircraft is not subject to the same regulations as our Military registered aircraft. Many will no doubt have seen her start our display season last weekend at the Duxford Spring show before preparing to take up the slack, where possible, whilst we find a way forward with the Swordfish.

Don't forget that the display programme is continually updated following changes in aircraft serviceability etc so do keep visiting the site for the latest information.

Newly-arrived Sea Fury T.20 VX281 with Swordfish LS326 immediately prior to flying for the RNAS Yeovilton Air Day Press Preview, 11 March 2011 [©Lee Howard]

The display season is nearly upon us and the RNHF pilots are to meet in April for their annual week of refresher training, updates and comparing diaries to ensure all air shows are covered. With limited hours on each airframe we have two pilots qualified on each aircraft type to get us through the display season. This year we have the prospect of three aircraft available, so we will be using all our pilots listed on the ‘Meet the Team’ page. Our display programme will be available on this website later this week and will be continually updated as we move through the season - please check back here!

The RNHF Chipmunk, used for pilot assessment, training, refresher, keeping current etc, is out most weeks, treading the RNAS Yeovilton circuit and its surrounds. Although rarely seen on the display circuit WK608 is a vital part of the RNHF makeup. We are also very fortunate to have access to civil registered aircraft, namely a Piston Provost and Jet Provost. The RNHF Commanding Officer uses these aircraft for training in the lead up to flying the RNHF Sea Furies. For the first time we can now use that word in plural as the T20 VX281 becomes resident in the RNHF hangar alongside Sea Fury VR930 that we hope to see back in the air later this year. The T20 is owned by Naval Aviation Limited (the business end of the Fly Navy Heritage Trust) and it will be operated by the RNHF in support of our goals. For those new to this website they are as a living memorial to those that have served in the Royal Naval Air Service and Fleet Air Arm and bringing pleasure and enjoyment to millions attending air shows around the country providing a link between the Royal Navy’s historic past and today’s modern audience.

The photograph shows both Swordfish LS326 and Sea Fury VX281 outside RNHF Hangar 16 last week ready for Yeoviltons Air Day 2011 Press Launch. The Air Day is on the 9th of July this year and the RNHF Swordfish, T20 and Sea Hawk are scheduled to display on that day. Do come and see the aircraft, meet the pilots, engineers and the team behind the Fly Navy Heritage Trust who have the task of raising funds to ensure we keep these fabulous aircraft out and about at air shows for all to see. Reduced price Air Day tickets will be available to the FNHT Supporters Group members, so if you are thinking about coming to the Air Day, join the FNHT, and in doing so you are not only supporting the RNHF but you get reduced price tickets – bargain! Details will be available on the FNHT website www.fnht.co.uk in April.

	Left: Extract from the Swordfish Air Publication showing the installation of the upper port mainplane dinghy stowage and release mechanism Below: CAA test pilot Chris Taylor congratulates Lt Cdr Chris Gotke on VX281 successfully achieving its Permit to Fly at North Weald [©Mike Abbey]

A belated Happy New Year to you all! With spring fast approaching the Fitters continue to work on the engines mindful of a full display season ahead for the aircraft. The display programme is being reviewed presently and its first iteration will be published on this website hopefully mid March.

Following on from the last news update in December 2010, the ‘Min Strip’ survey on the Sea Hawk is complete and 90% of the hydraulic hoses have been replaced. Tooling is being manufactured to do the corrosion inspection on the Nene engine and the ‘Minor’ is almost complete. All being well, the ejection seat will be the last item to be tested before the Sea Hawk starts flying again in May.

Swordfish LS326 is having a set of new cables fitted and we aim to have her ready in good time to refresh pilots in time for the TAGs Memorial flypast in Gosport in May this year.

Staying with Swordfish, the wings for Swordfish W5856 progress well with BAE Systems at Brough in Yorkshire. The team there have completed the assembly of the two lower wings and assembled them with the stub wings and centre section to prove the fit and clear inspection. The starboard top wing now has the "special" reinforced main spar and the engine mounts have been completed and have been trial assembled to the front fuselage and the engine ring to prove fit and again clear inspection. The dinghy box has been made ready to be fitted into the centre upper wing. The Commanding Officer of the RNHF has a print of the ‘Channel Dash Heroes’ by Phillip E. West on his office wall. It was signed by Edgar Lee and shows him helping his pilot Sub Lieutenant Brian Rose from the cockpit of their downed Swordfish, into a dinghy that would have been stowed in one of these boxes, following their attack on the German warships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen, in what has become known as ‘The Channel Dash’, some 69 years ago. The drawings show how the dinghy was stowed in the port upper wing and was automatically inflated when salt water penetrated an immersion button that would set off an air bottle to inflate the dinghy, with a pilot manual release handle and cable down the starboard side of the fuselage as a back up.

The twin seat Sea Fury VX281, loaned to the RNHF to operate, has recently had its ‘Permit to Fly’ approved by the CAA following a flight by our very own test pilot, Lieutenant Commander Chris Gotke, seen here with Chris Taylor (CAA) following their test flight at North Weald on the 16th of February. The aircraft has been lovingly rebuilt by Kennet Aviation and will be used for displays by the RNHF whilst they await the return of the Centaurus engine for their single seat Sea Fury VR930 later this year.

Kicking off with a Korean War Commemoration dinner in March, the FNHT is busy with the fundraising events calendar for 2011 and will be holding several open days for their supporters and aviation enthusiasts. Details of these and other events will be published on their website shortly at www.fnht.co.uk