Fairey Firefly TT1 (Z2033) – Evelyn Tentions

At Warbirds Online we always enjoy a visit to the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton UK to view the fantastic collection of rare and varied aircraft as we last reported in 2018.

One of our favorite aircraft in the collection is the large and brutal looking Fairey Firefly TT1 (Z2033). The FAAM have several Firefly aircraft, however most of these are later model aircraft without the chin mounted radiator. The other attraction of this aircraft is that it is a genuine WWII veteran having been constructed in early 1944.

The Firefly was an attempt to construct a heavy fleet fighter powered by the Rolls-Royce Griffon IIB liquid-cooled V12 engine, 1,730 hp (1,290 kW) and was quite successful as a design and saw post war service in a number of countries including Australia in later versions. The British and Australian Navies even utilized the type in the Korean War.

Fairey Firefly TT1 (Z2033) is displayed in a WWII color scheme in Pacific Theatre camouflage, the markings of Firefly DK431 of No 1771 Squadron RN when embarked upon HMS Implacable with the code 275 on the fuselage, with the letter ‘N’ on the tail however it retains its original serial number Z2033.

The Firefly is a large aircraft and to accommodate it on the smaller WWII Fleet carriers its wings fold outboard of the undercarriage and in its striking Grey and Green colors with light grey undersurfaces it “looks right” this particular aircraft as depicted carried the nose art of a map of Japan with the inscription “Evelyn Tentions”. This inscription was worn by a Firefly Mk I flown by Lt Cdr MacWhirter, CO of 1771 NAS of HMS Implacable, flying ground attack missions over Japan in July 1945. Eveleyn Tentions is naturally a word play on “Evil Intentions”.

Fairey Firefly TT1 (Z2033) History

It was a Mk.1, RN Serial Z2033 built by Fairey Aviation Co, Ringway construction number F5607, and constructed at Hayes, Middlesex UK in early 1944.

On the 30th of April 1944 the aircraft was delivered to No 15 Maintenance Unit at Wroughton and in March 1945 it is recorded as going on charge with to 731 NAS at Easthaven UK and in August that year it was involved in a taxiing accident when the starboard wing struck a vehicle (pilot S/Lt RE Patterson RN). The Firefly was then transferred to Fairey Aircraft at Hamble for repairs and then to Fairey Aircraft at Ringway on the 1st April 1946 it was test flown after repair (pilot – Albert Eyskens).

The Firefly was then involved post war on the 29th of May 1946 as a test aircraft for the Firefly Trainer development program at Ringway and later Boscombe Down marked as G-6-3.

In 29/05/1946 she flew as G-6-3 as a flying mock-up and spin clearance aircraft in the Firefly trainer program (pilot – F/Lt Sam Moseley) 23/09/1946 – commenced spin trials (pilot – F/Lt Sam Moseley) 08/08/1947 – to Boscombe Down for service spinning trials, before returning to Ringway and completed this work in September 1947. The Firefly then continued to be utilized for various trials until late 1948. By now the Firefly was regarded as surplus to requirements and on 5th may 1949 it was sold to Svensk Flygtjanst in Sweden to act as a target tug with registration SE-BRD and flew routine tasks for a further 15 years before being sold again in 1964 when it was purchased by a UK owner and flown to Skyframe Museum at Staverton from Gothenburg and placed on the UK civil register as G-ASTL. Upon the closing of the Skyframe Museum in 1978 the aircraft passed to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford and placed on display. On the 25th of July 2000 the aircraft passed to the ownership of the FAAM and travelled to RNAS Yeovilton by road and placed into storage at Cobham Hall. Later in 2000 the aircraft was restored and in November 2000 was placed on display in Hall 2 at the FAAM however in 2005 it went back into storage until returned to display in the FAAM where it remains to this day.

Fairey Firefly TT1 (Z2033) is a very attractive exhibit and well worth a visit to the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton UK.

© John Parker 2019