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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Fairey Firefly
    Latest Model:Firefly TT.6
    Last Military Serial:WB518 RAN
    Construction Number:F.8646
    Last Civil Registration:N518WB
    Compressed ID:Fairey Firefly TT.6 sn WB518 RAN cn...
    Latest Owner or Location:Edward G. Kurdziel, Del Mar, CA

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    Dates

    Event

    Constructed as a Firefly AS.5.

    10 December 1950

    Transported by ship.
    Delivered to Nowra NAS, NSW, as deck cargo on aircraft carrier, HMAS Sydney.

    December 1950

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Australian Navy with s/n WB518.

    Converted to a Firefly TT.6.

    From 3 March 1965 to By 1966

    Ferry flight.
    Flown to Sydney-Bankstown, NSW, for disposal.

    From Unknown to By 1965

    Struck off Strength/Charge from the Royal Australian Navy.

    From February 1967 to By 1991

    To Returned Servicemans League, Griffith, New South Wales.
    View the Location Dossier

    July 1967


    Photographer: Geoff Goodall
    Notes: Retired Firefly TT.6 WB518 NW 903 was issued to the Returned Services League at Griffith NSW in February 1967 to be mounted on a pole as a memorial. Photographed in a Griffith trucking yard in July 1967 prior to being hoisted on to the pole.

    Markings Applied: WB518, 903NW

    Displayed on a pole.

    Restoration started.
    Removed from the pole and the restoration was started at Bankstown. At this point the forward fuselage and center sections of WB518 and WD828 were swapped. WB518 was consider airworthy restorable material while WD828 was static material. This documented history follows the center section as the airframe provenance.

    Circa 1991


    Photographer: Arthur Scarf
    Notes: 1991 photo on a pole at Griffith, NSW, Australia

    From April 1994 to By 2001

    To Ed Kurdziel, Fort Collins, CO.

    April 1994

    Crated for shipping to the USA.

    From By 1994 to By 2002

    Restored.
    Work carried out at the Fort Collins-Downtown Airport.

    8 June 2001

    To Edward G. Kurdziel, Fort Collins, CO with new c/r N518WB.

    Based at Arapahoe County Airport/Centennial Airport, Denver, CO.
    View the Location Dossier

    July 2001

    First engine runs.

    6 April 2002

    First flight.

    Markings Applied: Royal Navy WB518, 201K

    21 February 2003

    To Edward G. Kurdziel, Del Mar, CA keeping c/r N518WB.

    Circa 8 September 2003


    Photographer: Shawn Aro

    15 May 2009


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Planes of Fame Air Show in Chino, CA.

    16 September 2010


    Photographer: Mike Henniger
    Notes: Photographed at the Reno Air Races.

    16 September 2010


    Photographer: Mike Henniger

    19 September 2024


    Photographer: Gary Maisack
    Notes: 2024 Central Coast Airfest, Santa Maria, CA
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     Warbirds Directory, 5th Edition by Geoff Goodall
    Internet Sources
     Federal Aviation Administration in the United States of America
    U.S. Demobbed by Horrex, Ray, Boulanger, Dunn, McGhee and Wood
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