100 YEARS OF ROYAL NAVY FLYING

100 YEARS OF ROYAL NAVY FLYING

Fly Navy!FlyNavy!

This year marks a century of Royal Navy aviation — to get you in the mood for

This year marks a century of Royal Navy aviation — to get you in the mood for the various airshows and celebrations being held over the coming season, we raid the Aeroplane glass-negative archive for images of Navy Days gone by . . .

ABOVE Making its fi rst public appearance at the Naval Air Command Display at Lee-on-Solent on June 26, 1947, the prototype Blackburn B-48 Firecrest folds its wings as it taxies in after being put through its paces by test pilot Gp Capt C.G.P. Flood.

BELOW The line-up at Lee-on-Solent on Saturday, August 26, 1950, including, from left: a Seafi re, Firefl y, Fulmar, Firebrand, Sea Otter, Sea Hornet plus a Sea Meteor in the background.

LEFT weather, the crew at Yeovilton were determined to put on a show in 1954, the previous two having been cancelled in 1952 and 1953 owing to reconstruction. Here, Sea Venoms of 890 Sqn prepare for their display.

LEFT Despite atrocious weather, the crew at Yeovilton were determined to put on a show in 1954, the previous two having been cancelled in 1952 and 1953 owing to reconstruction. Here, Sea Venoms of 890 Sqn prepare for their display.

RIGHT offering somewhat calmer conditions than usual, a Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfl y demonstrates its Air-Sea Rescue capabilities at the Gosport Navy Day in September 1946.

RIGHT With “the sea” offering somewhat calmer conditions than usual, a Sikorsky R-4 Hoverfl y demonstrates its Air-Sea Rescue capabilities at the Gosport Navy Day in September 1946.

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AEROPLANE JUNE 2009 SIGNPOST

ABOVE the 1950 Navy Day at Lee-on-Solent was Blackburn test pilot Peter Lawrence, who made a fl ypast in WB797, the company’s new Double Mamba-powered Y.B.1 anti-submarine aircraft.

ABOVE An unexpected — but nevertheless welcome — visitor to the 1950 Navy Day at Lee-on-Solent was Blackburn test pilot Peter Lawrence, who made a fl ypast in WB797, the company’s new Double Mamba-powered Y.B.1 anti-submarine aircraft.

new Double Mamba-powered Y.B.1 anti-submarine aircraft.

new Double Mamba-powered Y.B.1 anti-submarine aircraft.

ABOVE

ABOVE Then on strength with A Flight at RAE Farnborough,

ABOVE Grumman TBM-3E Avenger III KE446 also put in an appearance at the 1950 Lee-on-Solent Navy Day, representing the wartime achievements of the Senior Service’s air arm.

ABOVE Then on strength with A Flight at RAE Farnborough, Grumman TBM-3E Avenger III KE446 also put in an appearance at the 1950 Lee-on-Solent Navy Day, representing the wartime achievements of the Senior Service’s air arm.

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO YEOVILTON’S ANNNIVERSARY AIR DAY Want to go to this year’s Navy Day? To celebrate the fi rst century of British naval aviation, the Royal Naval Air Station at Yeovilton is hosting a very special Anniversary Air Day on Saturday July 11 — and we’d like to give Aeroplane readers the chance to join in the festivities for free! For your chance to win one of fi ve pairs of tickets we have to give away, see page 102 of this issue . . .

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