rossm Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 This one has got me going as I though I could recognise pretty much any UK military type but I'm stumped. I don't know that I can post the photo directly so it will have to be a link and it's the aircraft in the background I can't identify. I think it's likely to be from 744 Squadron FAA, a trials squadron so may be a prototype on test? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-photograph-Perse-School-Cambridge-CCF-1956-St-Mawgan-RAF-Malvern-Camp/283848515469?hash=item4216b09f8d:g:jyAAAOSwNKRelxJ- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egi vandor Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 (edited) 19 minutes ago, rossm said: This one has got me going as I though I could recognise pretty much any UK military type but I'm stumped. I don't know that I can post the photo directly so it will have to be a link and it's the aircraft in the background I can't identify. I think it's likely to be from 744 Squadron FAA, a trials squadron so may be a prototype on test? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-photograph-Perse-School-Cambridge-CCF-1956-St-Mawgan-RAF-Malvern-Camp/283848515469?hash=item4216b09f8d:g:jyAAAOSwNKRelxJ- Boulton Paul Balliol maybe? Sorry, mistake. Intake is larger than Balliol's. Edited April 18, 2020 by Egi vandor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 The engine looks like a front of Merlin 85 from Lincoln, so was there any single engine machine with this engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malpaso Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 It's a left-handed airscrew so not a traditional Merlin. Griffon? A Firefly that happened to be visiting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egi vandor Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 2 minutes ago, malpaso said: It's a left-handed airscrew so not a traditional Merlin. Griffon? A Firefly that happened to be visiting? Yes! Looks like Firefly Mk.I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wafu Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 I’d say Firefly because of the radome on the wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AWFK10 Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 It's a Firefly A.S.7. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egi vandor Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 Looks similar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted April 18, 2020 Author Share Posted April 18, 2020 Excellent, mystery solved, thank you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 (edited) It's a Firefly AS.7 with the standard wing mounted radar pod. 744 Sqn (NASWDU an Anti Sub trials unit) were based at St Mawgan with Fireflys, Avengers and Gannets at the time so that they could work closely with the based RAF ASWDU. They still carried the Culdrose tailcode though. Edited April 18, 2020 by 71chally In brackets 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted April 18, 2020 Share Posted April 18, 2020 15 hours ago, 71chally said: It's a Firefly AS.7 with the standard wing mounted radar pod. Yep- 71chally nailed it! Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 On 4/18/2020 at 9:57 AM, AWFK10 said: It's a Firefly A.S.7. Bingo! J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 As an aside, an ex RN neighbor of mine regailed a story to me many years ago. Basically, he was delivering an AS7 to Northern Ireland . About halfway across the Irish sea the engine quit. Having gone through all the motions of restarting etc he decided it was time to leave and with one foot on the wing and one in the cockpit the engine picked up ! So back into the plane he carried on to his destination. I remember asking him about the guy in the back , but he said he was alone . Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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