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SEAFIRE/VP441



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Serial #: VP441
Construction #:
  6S-732289
Civil Registration:
  N47SF
  Model:
  Seafire FR. 47
Name: None
Status: Airworthy
Last info: 2004

History:
Delivered to Royal Navy as VP441 at South Marston.
- BOC: November 29, 1947.
- Test flown by Sqn Ldr W J G Morgan at South Marston (first flight), November 30, 1947.
- Flown to Receipt & Despatch Unit, RNAS Anthorn, near Carlisle, December 15, 1947.
- RNAS Lee-on-Solent, January 1948.
- Delivered to No. 804 NAS at RNAS Ford. Coded 139, February 1948.
-- Embarked on HMS Ocean as part of the 14th CAG. Coded 139/O, August 24, 1948.
- Transferred to RNAS Hal Far, Malta, probably for the repair of damage caused
   in an accident on board HMS Ocean. Propellor struck deck on landing? November 1948.
- Transferred to the strength of Rear Admiral Reserve Aircraft, shipped to the UK.
    (at AHU, Ford?), 11 March 1949.
- Arrived at RNARY Fleetlands, May 6, 1949.
- Arrived at AHU Abbotsinch, May 16, 1949.
- Back at RNARY Fleetlands (until July 1950?), July 1, 1949.
- With Vickers-Armstrong, January 1951.
- Stored at AHU Stretton (until at least January 1952?), July 1951.
- At RNAS St Merryn (maybe as Ground Instructional?), July 1953.
- At RNEC, Manadon, Plymouth, for ground instructional use, January 20, 1954.
Loaned to No. 335 Sqn/Air Training Corps, Saltash, Devon, mid 1958-1964.
- Displayed at Squadron HQ.
Malcolm D. N. Fisher/Historic Aircraft Preservation Society, 1965-1966.
- Recovered by Bill Fisher for Royal Navy.
- Displayed at RNAS Culdrose.
-- Restored to static display condition.
HAPS/Reflectair Museum, Blackpool, July 20, 1969-1972.
- Delivered by road.
- At RAF Hullavington, January 24, 1970.
- At Squires Gate Airport, Blackpool as part of the Reflectaire Museum collection, June 26, 1970.
Reported as sold by Bernard Phillips Ltd. to Mr T O'Farrell, March 22, 1972.
Doug Bianci/Personal Plane Services, Booker, November 6, 1972.
John J. Stokes/Rebel Aviation, San Antonio, TX, 1975-1977.
- Registered as N47SF.
Confederate Air Force, Harlingen, TX, December 4, 1980-1992.
- Acquired for $8,400.
- Restoration by John Stokes at San Marcos, TX, April 1986.
- Stored dismantled.
Ezell Aviation, Breckenridge, TX, September 14, 1995-1997.
James E. Smith, Kalispell, MT, September 10, 1997-2004.
- Restored to airworthy by Ezell Aviation, 1995-2004.
- First flight, April 14, 2004.



Source(s):
Chapman, John & Goodall, Geoff, Edited by Paul Coggan - Warbirds Directory,Warbirds Worldwide Ltd., Mansfield, England, 1989.
Goodall, Geoff - Warbirds Directory-4th Edition, 2003.
Laurence Bean.
Photo Source(s):
Laurence Bean.
Steve Dickey/Ezell Aviation.
Unknown.


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