Seafire F.XVII flies again

joseyclosey · Post by **joseyclosey** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 2:06 pm

After a long restoration, Seafire Mk.XVII SX336 (G-KASX) flew for the first time in over 40 years on 3rd May 2006 at North Weald. The date was the 60th anniversary of the aircraft's first flight in 1946, and the pilot that time - Tommy Thomson - was there to watch Pete Kynsey take to the air. Recovered from a scrapyard in 1973 after lying derelict, this is now the only Mk.17 Seafire flying.

From this in 1973....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/j ... before.jpg[/pic]

To this in 2006....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/j ... e20ih1.jpg[/pic]

Check out this link for video of the aircraft at The Shuttleworth Collections Military Pageant Airshow last month....

http://members.aol.com/FSsimmer/Videos/SX336OW1.wma

The sound of that Rolls Royce Griffon just sends a shiver up my spine

Joe

stripperclip · Post by **stripperclip** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 4:03 pm

nice video and good looking plane.

BOLOMK1 · Post by **BOLOMK1** » Sat Jun 17, 2006 6:25 pm

Did the Seafire see action in Korea,Joe?

I did a little web check but only found that it was in service to 1954.

John

joseyclosey · Post by **joseyclosey** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 12:03 pm

Hello John, the Seafire did see service in Korea aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Triumph for strikes against North Korean targets in 1950. These were the final version of the Seafire, the F47 with the Rolls Royce Griffon 87/88 engine and twin contra rotating propellors.

There they flew the last combat sorties of the Seafire. There was no air combat, except that one was shot down by a B-29. !!!!!

20 September 1950 was the last operational mission by a Seafire FR.47.

The following year all Seafires were withdrawn from front-line sqaudrons though the F24s that remained served with Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve Squadrons for several more years before being phased out of service.

For some good pics of a restored F47 flying in the States check out this link...

http://www.ezellaviation.com/Past%20Pages/seafire.htm

Heres a shot of a FR47.

Joe

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/j ... /seaf9.jpg[/pic]

joseyclosey · Post by **joseyclosey** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 2:57 pm

Took these photos of SX336 at The Flying Legends Airshow, Duxford at the weekend. They show the Seafire with its wings in the folded posistion.

Joe

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/j ... 706025.jpg[/pic]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/j ... 706026.jpg[/pic]

The arrestor hook is deployed in this pic.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v14/j ... 706018.jpg[/pic]

Taxying in after display.

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