These
are the known fates of Canberra, Firefly and Meteor target
drones. These aircraft were converted into pilotless radio controlled
drones in the late 50s early 60s for use in the development of British
land and ship launched ground to air and also air to air missiles. The
Meteor has continued in this role acting as targets from Llanbedr for air
to air missiles. Losses of other drones such as Midget, Shelduck, Chukar,
MATS-B, Skeet and Jindivik have not been as well documented and are in any
case far too numerous to mention. The
Fairey Firefly U9, Meteor U15 and Canberra U14 losses with 728B NAS
occurred when the aircraft operated from Hal Far, Malta. They mainly acted
as targets for Sea Slug missiles fired from HMS Girdle Ness in the
Mediterranean. The squadron disbanded on 2nd December 1961. The
Canberra U10 was converted for the role as target drone at Shorts of
Belfast. They were despatched to Woomera weapons testing range in
Australia where they were used as targets for several new British missiles
including the English Electric Thunderbird. |
||||
1956 | ||||
25th May | WM894 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr, Merioneth. |
21st June | WM985 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Written off at Llanbedr. |
27th July | WP351 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Damaged on landing at Llanbedr and later declared a write off. |
10th September | WP354 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Crashed during a flight from Llanbedr. |
1st October | WM860 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Extensively damaged on landing at Llanbedr. |
15th October | WM892 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Suffered engine failure while on approach to Llanbedr due to failure of the supercharger. Force landed 5,000 yards short of the runway and caught fire. Both occupants were badly burnt. |
18th October | WP352 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Shot down over Aberporth range. |
2nd November | WM887 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Crashed into Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
9th November | WM857 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Lost during a flight from Llanbedr. |
13th November | WP353 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Written off in a heavy landing at Llanbedr. |
29th November | WM880 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Crashed into Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
19th December | WM858 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Crashed into Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
1957 | ||||
9th January | WM863 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
12th February | WM896 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
15th February | WM889 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Damaged on landing at Llanbedr and later declared a write off. |
26th February | WM898 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Lost during a flight from Llanbedr. |
12th March | WM888 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Declared a write off after a take off accident from Llanbedr. |
25th March | WM897 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Lost during a flight from Llanbedr. |
26th March | WM883 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Lost during a flight from Llanbedr. |
29th March | WM862 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Crashed into Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
29th March | WM881 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Crashed into Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
3rd May | WM859 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Damaged on landing at Llanbedr and was later declared a write off. |
20th June | WM823 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Crash-landed
at Llanbedr. |
31st October | WM890 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Lost during a sortie from Llanbedr. |
26th November | WJ149 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
1958 |
||||
4th March | WM856 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Crashed into Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
10th March | WM899 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Crashed into Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
4th September | VT403 | Fairey Firefly U9 | Short & Harland | Swung on take off from Yeovilton for a ferry flight to Hal Far, Malta due to the tail wheel being unlocked. It became airborne but the pilot had to apply severe rudder to avoid the ATC and several parked Sea Venoms. This resulted in the aircraft stalling and crashing onto the airfield. The two were slightly injured after the aircraft caught fire. |
5th September | RA415 | Meteor D15 | RAE | Rolled violently to port during a radio controlled approach to Llanbedr. The port wing struck a hangar before crashing into the ground and disintegrating. The major portion of the fuselage forced its way through the side of another hangar 75 yards from the point of impact |
11th October | WB257 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
31st October | VH134 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Ditched on take off from Hal Far, Malta. |
3rd November | VT370 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Crashed into the Mediterranean off Malta. |
3rd November | WB394 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
3rd November | WM882 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Written off after suffering damage to the engine and propeller at Llanbedr. |
4th November | WB373 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
26th November | VT441 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot
down off Malta by HMS Duchess. |
1959 | ||||
9th June | WD961 | Canberra U10 | WRE | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. Date also quoted as 20/07/1959. |
20th July | WD951 | Canberra U10 | WRE | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. |
15th October | WD929 | Canberra U10 | WRE | Crashed on return to base in Australia. |
17th October | WJ987 | Canberra U10 | WRE | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. |
26th November | WM884 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Lost during a flight from Llanbedr. |
26th November | WJ152 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Written off at Llanbedr. |
27th November | WM810 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Lost during a flight from Llanbedr. |
27th November | WJ151 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Lost during a flight from Llanbedr. |
30th November | WH733 | Canberra U10 | WRE | Crashed on landing in Australia. |
1960 | ||||
29th March | VT104/656 | Meteor U15 | 728B NAS | Shot down by a Sea Slug missile off Malta. |
6th May | RA375/F-658 | Meteor U15 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay while on a flight from Llanbedr. |
11th May | VT243/65- | Meteor U15 | 728B NAS | Crashed into the Mediterranean off Malta during a radio controlled flight. |
11th May | VT110/655 | Meteor U15 | 728B NAS | Crashed into the Mediterranean off Malta during a radio controlled flight. |
12th May | VT310/657 | Meteor U15 | 728B NAS | Shot down by a Sea Slug missile off Malta. |
25th May | WB245/592 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Crashed on take off from Hal Far, Malta. |
20th July | WJ147 | Fairey Firefly U8 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
9th August | RA387/658 | Meteor U15 | 728B NAS | Crashed into the Mediterranean off Malta during a radio controlled flight. |
19th August | VT481/59- | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
24th August | VZ417/65- | Meteor U15 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
25th August | WB410/596 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Crashed on landing at Hal Far, Malta. |
26th August | VT364/593 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Crashed on landing at Hal Far, Malta. |
8th September | VT282 | Meteor U15 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
26th September | WB331 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Crashed on landing at Hal Far, Malta. |
6th October | WB365 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
6th October | WB392 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
7th October | WB374 | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
14th October | VW285 | Meteor U15 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta. |
9th November | WH284/65- | Meteor U16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
1961 | ||||
8th March | VT268/65- | Meteor U15 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
9th June | WF707 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
12th June | WH506 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
12th June | WK717 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
16th June | WH500 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
23rd June | WA756 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
4th July | WH315 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
20th July | WH359 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
2nd October | WH365 | Meteor U16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
6th October | WH921/590 | Canberra U14 | 728B NAS | Shot down by a Sea Slug missile fired from HMS Girdle Ness off Malta. |
12th October | WK993 | Meteor U16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
26th October | WL160 | Meteor U16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
27th October | WH505 | Meteor U16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
30th October | VZ415/65- | Meteor U16 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta |
9th November | WK812 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. Date also quoted as 23/02/1962 |
17th November | WH349 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
23rd November | ----- | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta by a Scimitar which was operating off HMS Centaur. |
23rd November | ----- | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta by a Sea Vixen which was operating off HMS Ark Royal. |
27th November | ----- | Fairey Firefly U9 | 728B NAS | Shot down off Malta by the guns of HMS Duchess. This was the last Firefly U9 loss in Navy service as the unit disbanded six days later. |
1962 | ||||
17th January | WF729 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
21st February | WF741 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
27th March | WK949 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
18th April | WE962 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
12th July | WK743 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
17th July | WH742 | Canberra U10 | WRE | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. Nose section allocated to Shawbury fire dump. |
2nd August | WK790 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
3rd August | WH509 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
27th September | WK784 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
10th October | WK980 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
9th November | WH736 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
15th November | WK793 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
15th November | WL163 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
19th November | WL110 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
23rd November | WK110 | Canberra U10 | WRE | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. |
1963 | ||||
7th February | WK799 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
9th February | WL127 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
9th February | VT196 | Meteor U15 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
9th March | WK744 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Touched down heavily on the nose and starboard wheels during an unmanned cross wind landing at Llanbedr. The starboard oleo sheared off and the aircraft ran off the runway |
30th March | WK709 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
19th April | WH363 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
3rd July | WK675 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
22nd August | WK911 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
22nd August | WL124 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
29th August | WK885 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
6th September | WK855 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
1st October | WK648 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
16th October | WK859 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
1st November | WK721 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
1964 | ||||
29th January | WL111 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
12th February | WH652 | Canberra U10 | 1 ATU | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. |
18th February | WJ604 | Canberra U10 | 1 ATU | Crashed after control failure at Woomera, Australia. |
13th March | WF681 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
1st April | WH885 | Canberra U10 | 1 ATU | Destroyed in an accident at Woomera, Australia. |
14th April | WH729 | Canberra U10 | 1 ATU | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. |
24th May | WH860 | Canberra U10 | 1 ATU | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. |
27th May | WK716 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
28th May | WK932 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
13th July | WK737 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
6th November | WK783 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over Cardigan Bay during a flight from Llanbedr. |
17th December | WJ621 | Canberra U10 | 1 ATU | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. |
1965 | ||||
28th April | WH705 | Canberra U10 | 1 ATU | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. |
26th May | WH710 | Canberra U10 | 1 ATU | Crashed on return to base in Australia. Date also quoted as 14/04/1964. |
17th November | WK107 | Canberra U10 | 1 ATU | Destroyed by a missile at Woomera range, Australia. |
1979 | ||||
15th August | WH320 | Meteor D16 | RAE | Shot down over the Aberporth range by a Sky Flash missile fired from a 29 Squadron Phantom FGR2. |