LAA’s Navy Wings

Neil Wilson heads to RNAS Yeovilton and finds a fleet of vintage aircraft with LAA connections…

Over the years of interviewing people for LA’s Meet The Members column, I have been lucky enough to meet all sorts of people who have been involved with many aspects of British aviation. This has included pilots, restorers, engineers, homebuilders, agents, and suppliers, plus members who help keep British aviation history alive. One such organisation is Navy Wings, which is based at Royal Navy Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset.

A charity was formed called Fly Navy Heritage Trust, and The Navy Wings Heritage Flight was born from the previously known Royal Navy Historic Flight. The charity has been successful in generating revenue, and can now stand on its own two feet, which has released it from being under the MOD, and the more strict government limitations of part-funding and restrictions. Consequently, this has given it a much more promising future. In addition, to help funds, a weekly lottery takes place, as well as an online shop, with many items for sale, from a Sea Harrier engine compressor disc clock to clothing and smaller gifts.

Above Jim Norris and Bruce Ellis –both LAA members.

Below left Swordfish LS326.

Below right Swordfish LS326 undergoing maintenance.

The aim is to preserve Britain’s great naval aviation heritage. It relies on public donations to support its work in maintaining, presenting and flying an unrivalled collection of historic naval aircraft. The charity’s objectives are to educate, inspire and remember the history of the people, aeroplanes and actions taken by The Fleet Air Arm and Royal Navy, such as the Battle of Taranto and the Battle of the Atlantic, in which Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers played such a large part in both. The aeroplanes are now being operated under the CAA or LAA Permit, depending on type.

LAA and Wessex Strut member, Jim Norris, was appointed the new Chief Engineer in early 2020 to help manage the transition from the old regime to the new.

Although hampered by the Covid pandemic, Jim has reshaped and set about building a new core team of six engineers, who between them have both military and civil backgrounds, and who will be challenged to maintain and rebuild the current and future fleet of aeroplanes.

Jim’s own background is as a former Air Engineer Officer in the Fleet Air Arm, where he worked on Sea Harrier and Lynx Squadrons. He then left the Navy in 2009 and worked as an airworthiness and air safety specialist in the defence industry, on such programmes as the F-35 fighter and the new early warning P-8 Poseidon aircraft. Jim has his own Tiger Moth which he based at Henstridge Airfield (itself a satellite base to Yeovilton during the war) for a number of years, before moving it to Yeovilton.

Navy Wings employees consist of both full-time and part-time employed staff, contractors and volunteers. One such person is recently appointed LAA Inspector Bruce Ellis. I first met Bruce seven years ago when he had completed the restoration of Hawker Hurricane AG244 at Thruxton, which was finished in an all silver scheme (known as the Rhodesian Hurricane) for owner Phil Lawton, and was featured in the LAA magazine by test flight pilot Clive Davidson. Bruce holds a CAA licence which has enabled him to work on many types of aeroplanes. He particularly enjoys working on wood and fabric aeroplanes, which is of course a good fit with the fleet of types now under the Navy Wings remit.

More engineers are employed to look after the fleet, including Mark Wilson, Nick Bailes and Chris Hurford, who is a former Boscombe Down apprentice and used to work in America for warbird operator, The Collings Foundation. Chris holds an FAA licence, which means he has the correct credentials to maintain the Stinson Reliant, which is used for communications as well as ferrying crews around the country.

One thing that Jim is conscious of is that younger blood needs to be brought into the flight. Ashley Rollett, 23, joined in the spring of 2021 following an apprenticeship at Britten Norman and worked as an avionics specialist at Bournemouth Avionics. Ashley mostly looks after avionics, but is now adding fabric covering and other crafts to his skills.

Other volunteers come in and give their time to rebuilding and maintenance, some ex-Navy maintainers, which brings added experience and skills.

This cross section of engineering skills are called for as the group now operate or look after a diverse array of aircraft. These include recently donated Seafire SX336, which came via Kennet Aviation, two Fairey Swordfish aircraft, LS326 and W5856, Sea Fury VR930, Harvard G-NWHF, Sea Hawk WV908, which has just returned to Yeovilton from Shawbury to be restored to flight, Westland Wasp XT420, and Chipmunk WK608, which transferred to an LAA Permit to fly in June 2021 under the supervision of Charlie Huke. This aircraft is now used for currency training and communication flights. Coincidentally Jim Norris flew this very aeroplane in 1988 when it was based at Britannia Royal Navy College at Dartmouth. Another

Top Supermarine Seafire SX336.

Above Swordfish W5856.

Below Sea Fury VR930 over Navy Wings base at RNAS Yeovilton.

Chipmunk, WB657, is being restored to fly again as a Permit aircraft.

All of these aircraft bring opportunities and problems, not least the Bristol Centaurus-powered Sea Fury FB.11. I think everyone who has seen and heard this aeroplane fly, loves the sound of the engine. Unfortunately though, the biggest challenge to continued safe operation is that the original specification of lubricating oil is now unavailable which, combined with the sheer complexity of this sleeve-valve equipped engine, makes them very difficult to operate. Very big bills follow an engine failure, and this has occurred a few times over the years, so there are three choices: carry on, but risk another failure, re-engine with a Pratt and Whitney or stop flying the aircraft. Not easy decisions, but I think the time has come to re-engine, as no organisation should have to keep spending lots of time and money for limited reward. The same can be said for the de Havilland Sea Vixen, which is also resident in their hangar. Big, complex, and still needing funding for repairs following a gear-up landing.

It’s a difficult challenge, deciding between the complex types and the ones that are easier to operate, when trying to tell the FAA story to future generations.

The flight also has some aircraft on the fleet that are known as associate aeroplanes. These belong to private owners, but are loaned or flown at displays to help tell the story of Navy Wings when needed or available. These include well-known LAA aeroplanes such as Bristol Scout 1264 owned by David and Rick Bremner and Theo Willford, Avro 504K owned by Eric Verdon-Roe, two Tiger Moths restored by Kevin Crumplin, and an Avro-Curtiss Waterbird that is undergoing flight testing.

To fly this diverse range of machines you need a selection of pilots with diverse skills. Luckily, with plenty of experienced pilots in the Yeovilton area who are currently on fast jets, helicopters and GA types that is not a problem. All are volunteer pilots. To give a few examples, Chief Pilot is Andrew ‘Mum’ Davis who is originally from Australia, flew Australian Navy maritime Grumman Tracker aeroplanes, but came to the UK on a RN exchange posting. Andrew flew the Sea Harrier before joining Virgin Airways.

LAA member Alistair McLaren flies the Seafire. Alistair is ex-British Airways where he flew the 737/747 and City

Express Embraer aircraft. Another LAA man is Steve ‘Skips’ Collier who flew for the Navy for 29 years, including Westland Wessex helicopters (where he spent some time flying the Royal family around), and also flew Sea Harriers.

Steve wears a ‘Sea Harrier Survivor’ badge on his overalls, having had to eject from one in 1984 when a bird struck at low level. Steve flies many of the Flight’s aeroplanes, including the beautiful yellow Stinson Reliant.

Navy Wings long-termer Chris Götke AFC, recently joined LAA to start building a Van’s RV-7. Chris started as a volunteer pilot, displaying the Sea Hawk during 2005/06, before converting onto the Sea Fury ready for the 2007 display season. He became Commanding Officer of the Royal Navy Historic Flight in 2013 and held that role until 2018. Chris now flies Hawks for 736 Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose, but continues to volunteer to fly for Navy Wings. Chris was awarded the Air Force Cross in 2015 for his handling of an engine failure in Sea Fury VX281 that took place at RNAS Culdrose Air day in 2015.

Their latest recruit is LAA member Steve Daniels, who flew as a Qualified Helicopter Instructor, before becoming a test pilot at US Navy base, Patuxent River. Steve went on to fly with British firm QinetiQ at Boscombe Down. He will be one of the Wasp pilots this year, giving displays around the UK airshow scene. Steve also fly’s a Jodel and an Evans VP-1 out of Boscombe.

With such a strong line-up of talent, I think it is great that a part of Britain’s aviation history is in good hands and is looking forward to a brighter and more certain future. You can see the Navy Wings aircraft and team members at airshows and fly-ins around the country, and if you would like to help support its activities, then you can donate or join in with its weekly lottery by visiting www.navywings.org.uk

● With thanks to Jim Norris, Rob Jones, Louise Evans and Lee Howard (air-to-air photos). ■