Sea Fury 115 Identity?

[Martin Edwards]

Need some clarification on Sea Fury '115'
Our information makes no referance to it flying post service in Australia.
It is reported to be in USA as racer "Furias"
We have photos in the gallery of a Sea Fury marked 115 flying at various locations in the 1980s.
In some photos it carries the serial WH589 in another WE729 and another what looks like VX587.
We also have one shot captioned "VH-HFX painted as WH589 Note serial WE729"
Are these all the same aircraft?
If so is this the real aircraft or maybe an ex-Iraqi example painted as RAN
Whatever the case where is it now?

[Brendan Cowan]

Hi Martin,

Going by memory (unreliable) rather than evidence (moderately reliable if properly corroborated!) I seem to recall that this was an ex Iraqi airframe.

The number "115" (I think) was loosely based on the fact that this was not a Sea Fury but a Fury ISS which stands for Iraqi Single Seater.

Similarly, VH-HFX stood for Hawker Fury Mark 10.

Again, I will caveat this statement with the the warning that this is an un-researched recollection only.

Can anyone else chip in?

BC

[Martin Edwards]

From Wal Nelowkin;

[QUOTE]G'Day Martin

I have solved the Sea Fury 115 problem.

I photographed a Sea Fury in Netherlands Navy livery at Duxford UK in Sep1992, with Code No 115.
The aircraft looked familiar. (See my low res photo attached)

I checked ANet and found two photos of Fury FB10, G-BTTA Cn 37534 in same Netherlands Navy livery and Code 115.

One photo gave history - ex Iraqi AF, N28SF, VH-HFX, operated by Old Flying Machine Company, and later sold to South Africa.

She was Regd ZU-SEA (R-105) in South Africa - two photos on ANet (and was also displayed in UK as G-BTTA in Iraqi AF and also RN markings).

Regards Wal[/QUOTE]


Another observation is the early shots of the RAN aircraft show an aerial or such on the very top of the fin. This is missing on VH-HFX
Now can anyone explain the other "115s" with the different serials

Attached Image

[Joe Barr]

VH-HFX was indeed one of the ex Iraqi Furies as serial '243'. AS VH-HFX it flew as both "WE729/115NW" and "WH589/115NW" . It was then sold to UK as G-BTTA and flew there initially as "115" but in Netherlands Navy colours before resuming Iraqi colours as 243 and later two RN FAA schemes. It then transferred to South Africa where it became ZU-SEA and flew as "105/R" in RN FAA colours before being sold back to Australia in April 2008 where it was reassembled at Wangaratta. (all from "Warbirds Directory 2008"

In the RAN FAA I have notes that "115" was carried by :

VW636 (as "115/K") during service with 805 Squadron from at least 1 November 1949 to at least 4 April 1950.
WH589 with 724 Squadron from at least Feb 1961 until it flew to Bankstown on 31 Oct 1962 when it went out of service. It remained at Bankstown with Fawcett Aviation from 1963 to 1969 having been reportedly bought by a UK buyer who never collected it. It eventually went to the USA in June 1970 and was registered in Canada as CF-CHB until 1974 when it went to UK as G-AGHB. It crashed in Germany on 24 June 1979. The aircraft became a restoration project for another owner but was eventually sold to the USA where it was rebuilt as a modified racer in 1983 where it has carried the racing number "15" but under various names including 'Head Gorilla' 'Havenought' and 'Furias'. It is believed to be based in Texas since 2008. No record of it having flown in Australia since it was SOC by the RAN.


The code "115" was also used by the RN FAA:

in the late 1940s by 807 Squadron RN and it is reported that one of its aircraft (TF951 or TF961) was carrying "115" when it was lent to 805 during its workup at RNAS Eglinton in 1948. TF961 was carrying "115/T" with 807 by July 1948 so it is likely that it carried "115" when with 805.
TF903 was coded "115" with 778 Squadron at Ford in June 1947.
TF967 carried "115" when serving with 1832 Squadron RNVR at Culdrose during July 1953.
WJ231 in the RN FAA Museum is marked as "WJ231/115O" which was not a code it carried in the Korean War

Other squadrons (including 802 and 804) also probably had aircraft marked 115 in the early 1950s

Of the other serials used by preserved aircraft carrying "115"

VX687 was scrapped at Gosport in April 1951 after a forced landing
WE729 was exported to Cuba in April 1958.

Joe

[Martin Edwards]

Thanks Brendan, Wal and Joe, that solves that!
VX687 doesn't appear in our listing but I guess the photo shows it needs to be added.
Will correct the captions in Gallery, can't do much about the listing at present.