http://www.fl ypast.com
October 2018 FLYPAST 7Hawker Sea Fury T.20 WG655, owned for
several years by the Fighter Collection
at Duxford, has been acquired by Shaun
Patrick who will operate it through the
Norwegian Spitfi re Foundation. The
aircraft will remain at Duxford.
Previously registered G-CHFP, the
Sea Fury has been re-registered by its
new owner as G-INVN, and given the
name Invincible. The 1951-built two-
seater is powered by a Pratt & Whitney
R2800-CB3. Shaun, who also owns North
American P-51D Mustang The Shark fl e w
the Sea Fury for the fi rst time on August
13, as did the Norwegian outfi t’s Lars
Ness and Eskil Amdal.
“The weather was a trifl e stormy,
so I made mine the shortest fl ight of
the day, but all I can say is that it was
brilliant,” he reports.
“With so few warbirds left I see identity
as essential,” he adds, alluding to the
choice of name. “I felt that it previously
lacked a certain gravitas for what is one
of the last and most powerful piston
engine fi ghters in the world.“The Americans always have a
name for their aircraft and I believe
I’ve succeeded in giving the only
RAF-schemed Mustang an identity
as The Shark, rather than just KH774.
Americans race Sea Furies known as
Furias and Dreadnought, and famously
there’s an R2800-powered Sea Fury
known as Argonaut.
“The Hawker Sea Fury was the last
British fi ghter with a piston engine,
and it served with honour in the
Royal Navy.”“Our last aircraft carriers to go to
war [including HMS Invincible] were
scrapped a few years ago. I hope to
recognise all of this in identifying an
airframe that was raised from the
dead, has a reliable engine installed
and fl ies in its original Royal Navy
colours. I hope you will see a lot more
of Sea Fury Invincible in the future.”
http://www.norwegianspitfi re.comNew owner Shaun Patrick (right) with Eskil
Amdal on the wing of Sea Fury T.20 ‘Invincible’
at Duxford. COURTESY SHAUN PATRICKNew owner – and name – for Duxford Sea Fury
New warbirds available
for customer fl ights
Florida’s Warbird Adventures has
become the fi rst company to offer dual
controlled customer fl ights in a Curtiss
TP-40N Warhawk.
The operator added Warhawk
American Dream to its Kissimmee fl eet
on August 22 (also see Finals, page 114).
As well as offering passenger fl ights,
the TP-40N will also be fl own at US air
shows. It’s scheduled to make its debut
at the Florida International Air Show in
Punta Gorda from October 19 to 21.
Owner Thom Richard said: “I’ve toured
various fi ghters on the display circuit
for years and I can’t tell you how many
people have come up to me and told
me the P-40 is their absolute favourite
aircraft. They said they would do
anything to fl y one. Well, we’ve decided
to do something to fulfi l that dream.”
For more information see:
http://www.warbirdadventures.com
Closer to home, Ultimate Warbird
Flights is now offering experience
fl ights in the UK’s only fully dual-
control North American TF-51D
Mustang, 44-84847 Contrary Mary, from
its base at Sywell in Northamptonshire.
Limited slots in the aircraft, which
was formerly painted as Miss Velma,
may still be available for 2018. For
information contact: fl ights@ML407.
co.uk or visit:
http://www.ultimatewarbirdfl ights.comUK-based enthusiasts can fl y in Ultimate
Warbird Flights’ TF-51D Mustang ‘Contrary
Mary’. DARREN HARBARCurtiss TP-40N Warhawk ‘American Dream’
has joined the Warbird Adventures fl eet.
MIKE KILLIAN PHOTOGRAPHYThe Royal Navy Historic Flight will
cease to exist on March 31, 2019, it has
announced. The news comes after the
Ministry of Defence revealed earlier
this year that it was withdrawing
funding. All of the RNHF’s aircraft will
be transferred to the civilian register.
Navy Wings, the charitable trust
that oversees the Yeovilton-based
Flight, is working with the Royal
Navy on a plan to take ownership of
the entire collection, thus ensuring
this unique part of the UK’s heritage
remains within the nation and is used
to educate future generations about
the rich history of the Royal Naval AirService and the Fleet Air Arm.
Navy Wings states that there is “lots
of hope for the future”. It is currently
working on both of its Fairey Swordfi sh
aircraft (W5856 and LS326) in a bid
to have them fl ying in time for next
year’s airshow season.
http://www.navywings.org.ukFinal curtain beckons for RNHF
Fairey Swordfi sh Mk.II LS326 fl ying over
Portsmouth. NAVY WINGS