Royal Navy Historic Flight

The Royal Navy Historic Flight (RNHF) maintains and flies a small number of aircraft that are important to British Naval aviation. The organisation is not part of the military establishment; it has charitable status and it is staffed by civilians. It is based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton and provides aircraft for air displays; the base is not open to the public.

The Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 website states the following:

The RNHF is an educational charity whose mission is to ensure that the unique British Heritage collection of aircraft that is the Royal Navy Historic Flight continues to fly long into the future.

Their aim is to preserve the opportunity for future generations to best understand the nature of those who built, maintained, operated and fought in Naval aircraft of the past by experiencing the reality of the sound, smell and the sight of them actually flying. They delight millions with their air displays nation-wide and educate future generations.

History

The RNHF was established at RNAS Yeovilton in 1972 and became the home for a number of aircraft that had been donated to the Royal Navy over more than a decade. The first aircraft was Fairey Swordfish II LS326, presented in 1960 by Westland Aircraft

Westland Aircraft

Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Ltd just before the start of the Second World War, Westland had been building aircraft since 1915...

. In 1971, Hawker Siddeley Aviation presented a Sea Fury FB.11 and in 1972 a Fairey Firefly

Fairey Firefly

The Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm ....

 AS.5 WB271 was donated. The separate units caring for the three aircraft were merged in 1972, forming the Historic Flight.

Over the following years, the RNHF benefitted further from gifts of aircraft from the German Government, Royal Navy and British Aerospace

British Aerospace

British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire...

. Technical assistance was also obtained to rebuild and refurbish aircraft. Sadly, three aircraft have been lost in accidents, with two fatalities.

In 1995, the ground staff service personnel were replaced by civilian employees but aircrew remain as serving navy pilots who volunteer to spend free time with the RNHF. Air training uses the Flight's DHC Chipmunk. The Fly Navy Heritage Trust, formerly the Swordfish Heritage Trust, a charitable institution to oversee fund raising, makes grants to fund the RNHF's staff. The Flight's other sources of income are fees from flying displays and donations and sponsorship from the aerospace industry and the general public.

Aircraft

Aircraft type	Serial	Operational dates	Squadrons	Notes
Fairey Swordfish Fairey Swordfish The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...  Mk.I	W5856	21 Oct 1941 - 1945
Fairey Swordfish Mk.II	LS326	Aug 1943 - 1945	836	War-time service on MAC ships, including The Royal Navy Historic Flight (RNHF) maintains and flies a small number of aircraft that are important to British Naval aviation. The organisation is not part of the military establishment; it has charitable status and it is staffed by civilians. It is based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton and provides aircraft for air displays; the base is not open to the public. The Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...  website states the following: The RNHF is an educational charity whose mission is to ensure that the unique British Heritage collection of aircraft that is the Royal Navy Historic Flight continues to fly long into the future. Their aim is to preserve the opportunity for future generations to best understand the nature of those who built, maintained, operated and fought in Naval aircraft of the past by experiencing the reality of the sound, smell and the sight of them actually flying. They delight millions with their air displays nation-wide and educate future generations. History The RNHF was established at RNAS Yeovilton in 1972 and became the home for a number of aircraft that had been donated to the Royal Navy over more than a decade. The first aircraft was Fairey Swordfish II LS326, presented in 1960 by Westland Aircraft Westland Aircraft Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Ltd just before the start of the Second World War, Westland had been building aircraft since 1915... . In 1971, Hawker Siddeley Aviation presented a Sea Fury FB.11 and in 1972 a Fairey Firefly Fairey Firefly The Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm ....  AS.5 WB271 was donated. The separate units caring for the three aircraft were merged in 1972, forming the Historic Flight. Over the following years, the RNHF benefitted further from gifts of aircraft from the German Government, Royal Navy and British Aerospace British Aerospace British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire... . Technical assistance was also obtained to rebuild and refurbish aircraft. Sadly, three aircraft have been lost in accidents, with two fatalities. In 1995, the ground staff service personnel were replaced by civilian employees but aircrew remain as serving navy pilots who volunteer to spend free time with the RNHF. Air training uses the Flight's DHC Chipmunk. The Fly Navy Heritage Trust, formerly the Swordfish Heritage Trust, a charitable institution to oversee fund raising, makes grants to fund the RNHF's staff. The Flight's other sources of income are fees from flying displays and donations and sponsorship from the aerospace industry and the general public. Aircraft Aircraft type Serial Operational dates Squadrons Notes Fairey Swordfish Fairey Swordfish The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...  Mk.I W5856 21 Oct 1941 - 1945 Fairey Swordfish Mk.II LS326 Aug 1943 - 1945 836 War-time service on MAC ships, including The Royal Navy Historic Flight (RNHF) maintains and flies a small number of aircraft that are important to British Naval aviation. The organisation is not part of the military establishment; it has charitable status and it is staffed by civilians. It is based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton and provides aircraft for air displays; the base is not open to the public. The Royal Navy Royal Navy The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...  website states the following: The RNHF is an educational charity whose mission is to ensure that the unique British Heritage collection of aircraft that is the Royal Navy Historic Flight continues to fly long into the future. Their aim is to preserve the opportunity for future generations to best understand the nature of those who built, maintained, operated and fought in Naval aircraft of the past by experiencing the reality of the sound, smell and the sight of them actually flying. They delight millions with their air displays nation-wide and educate future generations. History The RNHF was established at RNAS Yeovilton in 1972 and became the home for a number of aircraft that had been donated to the Royal Navy over more than a decade. The first aircraft was Fairey Swordfish II LS326, presented in 1960 by Westland Aircraft Westland Aircraft Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Ltd just before the start of the Second World War, Westland had been building aircraft since 1915... . In 1971, Hawker Siddeley Aviation presented a Sea Fury FB.11 and in 1972 a Fairey Firefly Fairey Firefly The Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm ....  AS.5 WB271 was donated. The separate units caring for the three aircraft were merged in 1972, forming the Historic Flight. Over the following years, the RNHF benefitted further from gifts of aircraft from the German Government, Royal Navy and British Aerospace British Aerospace British Aerospace plc was a UK aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was in the Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire... . Technical assistance was also obtained to rebuild and refurbish aircraft. Sadly, three aircraft have been lost in accidents, with two fatalities. In 1995, the ground staff service personnel were replaced by civilian employees but aircrew remain as serving navy pilots who volunteer to spend free time with the RNHF. Air training uses the Flight's DHC Chipmunk. The Fly Navy Heritage Trust, formerly the Swordfish Heritage Trust, a charitable institution to oversee fund raising, makes grants to fund the RNHF's staff. The Flight's other sources of income are fees from flying displays and donations and sponsorship from the aerospace industry and the general public. Aircraft Aircraft type Serial Operational dates Squadrons Notes Fairey Swordfish Fairey Swordfish The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...  Mk.I W5856 21 Oct 1941 - 1945 Fairey Swordfish Mk.II LS326 Aug 1943 - 1945 836 War-time service on MAC ships, including {{MV|Rapana } and {{MV|Empire MacCallum||2}}. Appeared as aircraft '5A' in the film Sink the Bismarck! Sink the Bismarck! Sink the Bismarck! is a 1960 black-and-white British war film based on the book, the "Last Nine Days of the Bismarck" by C. S. Forester. It stars Kenneth More and Dana Wynter and was directed by Lewis Gilbert. To date, it is the only movie made that deals directly with the operations, chase, and... . Following discovery of corrosion in 2002 the aircraft was withdrawn from service. New wing spars were manufactured by BAE Systems BAE Systems BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...  as part of a complete restoration. As of November 2010, LS326 is airworthy. |- |Fairey Swordfish Mk.III |NF389 |Apr 1944 |Aircraft Torpedo Development Unit, Torpedo Trials Flight, 781 |Under reconstruction (Jan 2009) |- |Fairey Firefly Fairey Firefly The Fairey Firefly was a British Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft and anti-submarine aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm ....  AS.5 |WB271 |Jun 1949 - 1962 |814 814 Naval Air Squadron 814 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It was formed in December 1938 and has been disbanded and reformed several times. Its nickname is "the Flying Tigers", not to be confused with the American Volunteer squadron of WWII.... , RAN Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...  service: 816, 724, 723 |Destroyed during an air display, July 2003; aircrew (Bill Murton and Neil Rix) killed |- |Hawker Sea Fury Hawker Sea Fury The Hawker Sea Fury was a British fighter aircraft developed for the Royal Navy by Hawker during the Second World War. The last propeller-driven fighter to serve with the Royal Navy, it was also one of the fastest production single piston-engined aircraft ever built.-Origins:The Hawker Fury was an...  FB.11 |TF956 |Oct 1947 - 1954 |805 (RAN Royal Australian Navy The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces... ), 799, 807 807 Naval Air Squadron 807 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy.-Second World War:807 Squadron was formed at Worthy Down in September 1940, equipped with Fairey Fulmar Is. Three were embarked on HMS Pegasus, where they remained until February 1941, when the entire squadron embarked on for... , 738 |Lost 10th June 1989, due to hydraulic failure in flight; aircrew survived. |- |Hawker Sea Fury T.20 |WG655 |Oct 1951 - Dec 1955 | |Destroyed 14 July 1990 after engine failure in flight; aircrew survived. |- |Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 |VR930 |Mar 1948 - Jan 1961 |802 802 Naval Air Squadron -Early history:802 Squadron was formed on 3 April 1933 aboard by the merger of two independent RAF naval units, 408 Flight and 409 Flight... | |- |Hawker/Armstrong Whitworth Sea Hawk FGA6 |WV908 |Feb 1955 - Jun 1962 |807 807 Naval Air Squadron 807 Naval Air Squadron was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy.-Second World War:807 Squadron was formed at Worthy Down in September 1940, equipped with Fairey Fulmar Is. Three were embarked on HMS Pegasus, where they remained until February 1941, when the entire squadron embarked on for... , 898, 806 806 Naval Air Squadron 806 Naval Air Squadron was a fighter squadron in the Fleet Air Arm that existed from February 1940 to December 1960 and saw active service in Norway, the Dunkirk evacuation and the Malta Convoys.-Formation:... , 738 | |- |De Havilland DHC-1 Chipmunk T.10 De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk The de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk is a tandem, two-seat, single-engined primary trainer aircraft which was the standard primary trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Air Force and several other air forces through much of the post-Second World War years... |WK608 |June 1966 - 1993 (naval service) | |Used as air trainer |- |}