My Dad flew the Seafury in Korea, from HMS Theseus. He was shot down, 90 miles behind enemy lines, trapped in the aircraft for 2 hours and then rescued by two very brave Americans, who were awarded Military Crosses. He recovered from his injuries, but was paralysed in one leg, yet managed to stay flying in the Royal Navy, retiring eventually as a Captain.
I'm no aviator, but I'm British and I have to say I got a lump in my throat as i saw her take to the sky once more. A great story of a great aircraft - many thanks to all those who are taking such good care of her.
Absolutely Superb! What a Great Guy and GREAT plane!! I really felt I was testing the plane with him! Keep up the good work and ABSOLUTELY "Well done" from the UK
It is amazing to see all the little details and complexities of these machines... and to watch someone who knows not only all these little complexities, but how to make things better is simply poetry in motion.
Beautiful. Thank you to Ken and to all the keen American flyers, who look after so many restored British aircraft like this. It's lovely to see them. Sadly in the UK too few of our great aircraft get preserved (can you believe, no-one has saved & restored a Concorde ?)
Beautiful and perfect test flight execution - I was in flight test for many years, and this shows the flight test professionalism that is required, and expected, from taxi tests, and squawk corrections, to high speed taxi tests to rotation and flight, with two chase aircraft observing - the only real difference is that this aircraft did not have the benefit of flight test downlink telemetry, and chase wasn't a pair of T-38's (wink wink) . The USAF did not entrust the F-117 Wobblin' Goblin black jet, either test or operational, to anyone but the best. Kudos, many happy hours behind the stick.... just lovely.
What an Airplane, I was working in Toowoomba Qld and saw Guido Zuccoli's Sea Fury "Baghdad Express" VH-HFG often take off or land over our workshop opposite the Airport...Unforgettable sight and sound. We done on your resto.
Excellent video. Really enjoyed the whole thing. What a great airplane. Congrats all around for your thousands of hours of hard work and your co-volunteers.
Oh Wow! Can't believe nobody has commented. I first fell in love with Sea Fury's in 1986 at Reno when the Sanders won the Unlimited Gold. I've had a signed (by the artist and Sanders Family) print framed on my office wall of Dreadnought for many years. It is great to see such a detailed account of another fine AC flying again! Will watch this one again I am sure.....and pass along to many other enthusiasts.
You Sir and your family have done a great job and I I have enjoyed your videos thank you for your time and hard work to the beautiful plane you have shared with the community.
It is said that envy is one of the seven deadly sins but so be it. I love the sound of those big radials. Never had the privilege of being in aviation but I do love it from the ground. I know the sound of a radial from inside my house. I know when one is flying nearby. Found an old P & W R2800 years ago in a junk yard. Got a cylinder off if it and made my brother-in-law a table lamp out of it mounted on a cherry hardwood base with a brass ID plaque on it. Gave it to him for Christmas. He was/is a B17, B25 & B26 buff.
Aside from a couple hiccups, that looked like it was a fantastic first flight after restoration. I'm not as into the Sea Fury as some folks I've met, but I really just enjoy hearing those big radials and love to see (and hear) WW2 war birds in the air.
Kudos to the aircraft designers of that era--they literally found the upper limit of propeller-driven aircraft! Even today's turboprops w/ carbon-fiber airframes and CFD-tweaked wings can't catch these sleek fighters of yesteryear.
Oh man...LMAO! I feel bad now...I was flying that Piper Archer behind you guys on the taxiway...what are the odds of that??? We thought you guys were taking a while and now I know why! IT WAS ITS FIRST FLIGHT! Sorry guys! I would have been more patient if I knew this!
Two things might of happened on gear not locking quickly. They either did not charge (nitrogen) the hydraulic accumulator, or the accumulator leaked during the flight. The gear went down on just hydraulic juice only, not good. Modern airliners charge the accumulators automatically with apu air pressure.
for info. the picture featured at 19:06 - My dad has that picture and he thinks (TBC) he took it? He may still have the negative... he's going to take a look and also see if he has anymore of this A/C. He flew as a passenger from RNAS Culdrose in this A/C in 1952 over the wreck of the Flying Enterprise that floundered January 10th.
Landing gear issues for this plane should be similar to the Hawker Typhoon/Tempest. I have seen RAF training film for aircraft fitter maintenance of the gear, microswitches and associated hydraulics. They did extensive ground testing of the aircraft while it was suspended on jacks to prove the proper up and down landing gear operation. Maybe those films (which are on UA-cam) could help you; who better than the guys who maintained these birds in war time to show you the way?
Can you put solid spars in the wings? They would have to be custom made, but it would solve the problem. It might also solve the problem of anyone trying to restore F6F hellcats and Corsairs. It wouldn't be historically correct, but keeping these old birds flight worthy is more important than that!
Outstanding! Everyone thoroughly deserves their happy faces. What I don't know about Sea Furies would fill a library, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and imagine that SOP for lowering the undercarriage is *not* select "Down", then yaw left/right to get green lights? Just kidding. Even I know it's not SOP.
I would love to see a comparison between the Sea Fury VS Corsair VS Hellcat VS Bearcat in the category of multirole strike fighter or Fighter/Bomber. I suspect it will be between the Sea Fury and the Corsair but maybe not.
To see if an accumulator is leaking use a bottle of nitrogen, hose, high pressure gauge, and a goose neck adapter. Fill the accumulator with the proper amount of nitrogen; then use snoop leak detector or just dish-washing soap and water all over the accumulator. If the accumulator is old, it is probably leaking someplace.
🇦🇺 thank you for keeping them flying. There is a UA-cam clip of about 12.5 minutes showing RAN sea furies being waved to the keeper on our tiny ex ww2 carrier in the run up to Korean War. We may not have made it that year but at least the panel beaters had work. I remember being driven past a scrap yard in the late 50s piled high with sea fury fuselages. This was a time when the Australian governments killed our aviation industry while at the same time volunteering us into any imperial wars that happened to on the boil - anti 'communist' that is.
Congrats on this achievement. It must be appreciated that Considerable effort and financial commitment is necessary to get a classic a/c like this back in the air. It does not seem like a simple aircraft. .. note the owners detail on the gear switches..."wired in parallel"...Wow that's a reflection of required knowledge to own and maintain. Many believe that the Fury is the ultimate piston powered a/c so we understand your choice!
Chances are 4 blade prop maybe more suitible gor owner's intended flying versus naval carrier combat demands. Extra blade equals greater speed, but also fuel flow increases every turn of that blade. Owner doesnt need the speed. He prefers gas savings and increased range.
My Dad flew the Seafury in Korea, from HMS Theseus. He was shot down, 90 miles behind enemy lines, trapped in the aircraft for 2 hours and then rescued by two very brave Americans, who were awarded Military Crosses. He recovered from his injuries, but was paralysed in one leg, yet managed to stay flying in the Royal Navy, retiring eventually as a Captain.
I'm no aviator, but I'm British and I have to say I got a lump in my throat as i saw her take to the sky once more. A great story of a great aircraft - many thanks to all those who are taking such good care of her.
Absolutely Superb! What a Great Guy and GREAT plane!! I really felt I was testing the plane with him! Keep up the good work and ABSOLUTELY "Well done" from the UK
It is amazing to see all the little details and complexities of these machines... and to watch someone who knows not only all these little complexities, but how to make things better is simply poetry in motion.
Beautiful. Thank you to Ken and to all the keen American flyers, who look after so many restored British aircraft like this. It's lovely to see them. Sadly in the UK too few of our great aircraft get preserved (can you believe, no-one has saved & restored a Concorde ?)
Great detail & production quality...fantastic aircraft and a mind boggling amount of work.
Excellent! I wish the guys well, great to see the Fury flying again.
Beautiful and perfect test flight execution - I was in flight test for many years, and this shows the flight test professionalism that is required, and expected, from taxi tests, and squawk corrections, to high speed taxi tests to rotation and flight, with two chase aircraft observing - the only real difference is that this aircraft did not have the benefit of flight test downlink telemetry, and chase wasn't a pair of T-38's (wink wink) . The USAF did not entrust the F-117 Wobblin' Goblin black jet, either test or operational, to anyone but the best. Kudos, many happy hours behind the stick.... just lovely.
Great video and story. Just the facts. I like that there was no music to get in the way of this excellent video account of a successful project.
What an Airplane, I was working in Toowoomba Qld and saw Guido Zuccoli's Sea Fury "Baghdad Express" VH-HFG often take off or land over our workshop opposite the Airport...Unforgettable sight and sound. We done on your resto.
Excellent video. Really enjoyed the whole thing. What a great airplane. Congrats all around for your thousands of hours of hard work and your co-volunteers.
I saw a Sea Fury close up at Chino years ago. The airspeed indicator topped off at 600 MPH.
What a brute!
SO thankful of the people spending their hard earned cash in saving this heritage and our history for future generations, thank you!
Being Dutch, thats nice to see too.What a great engine sound!
Oh Wow! Can't believe nobody has commented. I first fell in love with Sea Fury's in 1986 at Reno when the Sanders won the Unlimited Gold. I've had a signed (by the artist and Sanders Family) print framed on my office wall of Dreadnought for many years. It is great to see such a detailed account of another fine AC flying again! Will watch this one again I am sure.....and pass along to many other enthusiasts.
Being English, thats nice to see.
This and the earlier videos were great to watch. Amazing to see her fly again. Well done!!
Wow!! Such a beautiful and powerful aircraft with so much history.Congratulations and a Thank You to All who worked on this project.....
Loved that comment......."Good.......then don't touch anything!!!"
You Sir and your family have done a great job and I I have enjoyed your videos thank you for your time and hard work to the beautiful plane you have shared with the community.
Beautiful. Love the sound and the shape of the Sea Furies
A really well produced video and a great story - loved it!
It is said that envy is one of the seven deadly sins but so be it. I love the sound of those big radials. Never had the privilege of being in aviation but I do love it from the ground. I know the sound of a radial from inside my house. I know when one is flying nearby. Found an old P & W R2800 years ago in a junk yard. Got a cylinder off if it and made my brother-in-law a table lamp out of it mounted on a cherry hardwood base with a brass ID plaque on it. Gave it to him for Christmas. He was/is a B17, B25 & B26 buff.
Good attention to detail..the switch gear for bomb release and rockets in good order and looks new.Well done.
Aside from a couple hiccups, that looked like it was a fantastic first flight after restoration. I'm not as into the Sea Fury as some folks I've met, but I really just enjoy hearing those big radials and love to see (and hear) WW2 war birds in the air.
What a beautiful beast!
A great success story. beautiful aircraft. Well done. Thanks for sharing.
Great video, beautiful aircraft. Thanks.
Beautiful & emotional
Kudos to the aircraft designers of that era--they literally found the upper limit of propeller-driven aircraft! Even today's turboprops w/ carbon-fiber airframes and CFD-tweaked wings can't catch these sleek fighters of yesteryear.
great stuff,,, and a nice restoration job,,, really great to see,,,
Gorgeous aircraft!
Congrats - beautiful to see.
just beautiful
Great video production. Almost like looking over your shoulder the whole time. Thanks.
Outstanding, well done tons of efforts and paid off bigly! Good for you all and enjoy the flying!
Well done, in both the restoration and in the approach to test flying.
Great video, I am getting closer to first flight in my T-28, your thoughts and comments were very helpful. Congratulations!
Great sounding engine, second of course to a RR Merlin :). Nice work, gents!
I would give anything to fly something like this.
I've flown one and the carbon monoxide levels are off the charts! Wear oxygen if you do.
Great job, great video. Congratulations from Holland!
You guys are awesome. You deserve that aircraft for sure
Lovely video thank you🇬🇧
Oh man...LMAO! I feel bad now...I was flying that Piper Archer behind you guys on the taxiway...what are the odds of that??? We thought you guys were taking a while and now I know why! IT WAS ITS FIRST FLIGHT! Sorry guys! I would have been more patient if I knew this!
I love big radials. My favorite airplanes are the Sea Fury and the twin engine F6F I hope I got that right. Love the sound.
Great video, I seen a Sea Fury's burn up in a hanger fire at KRFD back in the 1980's along with a Stinson Gull Wing
Awesome congrats man.
Two things might of happened on gear not locking quickly. They either did not charge (nitrogen) the hydraulic accumulator, or the accumulator leaked during the flight. The gear went down on just hydraulic juice only, not good. Modern airliners charge the accumulators automatically with apu air pressure.
Great plane!! Congrats!
Outstanding!
for info. the picture featured at 19:06 - My dad has that picture and he thinks (TBC) he took it? He may still have the negative... he's going to take a look and also see if he has anymore of this A/C. He flew as a passenger from RNAS Culdrose in this A/C in 1952 over the wreck of the Flying Enterprise that floundered January 10th.
Landing gear issues for this plane should be similar to the Hawker Typhoon/Tempest. I have seen RAF training film for aircraft fitter maintenance of the gear, microswitches and associated hydraulics. They did extensive ground testing of the aircraft while it was suspended on jacks to prove the proper up and down landing gear operation. Maybe those films (which are on UA-cam) could help you; who better than the guys who maintained these birds in war time to show you the way?
I have so much respect for these people who restore vintage aircraft.
The "double canopy" really does spoil the Sea Fury's clean lines
Can you put solid spars in the wings? They would have to be custom made, but it would solve the problem. It might also solve the problem of anyone trying to restore F6F hellcats and Corsairs. It wouldn't be historically correct, but keeping these old birds flight worthy is more important than that!
Outstanding! Everyone thoroughly deserves their happy faces.
What I don't know about Sea Furies would fill a library, but I'm going to go out on a limb here and imagine that SOP for lowering the undercarriage is *not* select "Down", then yaw left/right to get green lights?
Just kidding. Even I know it's not SOP.
Just curious about the reluctance of the main landing gear to lock. Was it just in need of some "tweaking" to get them working more positively?
I love that plane. If I got the opportunity, Id fly one in a second. But if I owned one Id have to go full "Black Sheep Squadron". 😎👍👌
The same year as I. My wheels don't lock, either...all red lights.
I assume they changed from a 5 blade to 4 blade prop because of engine an horsepower switch.
I would love to see a comparison between the Sea Fury VS Corsair VS Hellcat VS Bearcat in the category of multirole strike fighter or Fighter/Bomber. I suspect it will be between the Sea Fury and the Corsair but maybe not.
Congratulations !
The Sea fury was gorgeous... but does it ever remind me of the FW-190?
It was the last son of the tempest?
It was a refined/strengthened naval version of the Tempest II
Wow!!
hope it remains just shiny aluminum. maybe with just a few emblems.
To see if an accumulator is leaking use a bottle of nitrogen, hose, high pressure gauge, and a goose neck adapter. Fill the accumulator with the proper amount of nitrogen; then use snoop leak detector or just dish-washing soap and water all over the accumulator. If the accumulator is old, it is probably leaking someplace.
nice
Noice
That modern display unit ruins the cockpit.
🇦🇺 thank you for keeping them flying. There is a UA-cam clip of about 12.5 minutes showing RAN sea furies being waved to the keeper on our tiny ex ww2 carrier in the run up to Korean War. We may not have made it that year but at least the panel beaters had work. I remember being driven past a scrap yard in the late 50s piled high with sea fury fuselages. This was a time when the Australian governments killed our aviation industry while at the same time volunteering us into any imperial wars that happened to on the boil - anti 'communist' that is.
These beautiful old girls are the best of fleet air arms prop aircraft ,lovely to see her flying, God bless those who take care of our heritage !
Takes me back to when is test flew my homebuilt glasair 3. Same emotions. Congratulations and take good care of her
Really great video , thank you.
Outstanding airplane! Well done! 👍
Congrats on this achievement. It must be appreciated that Considerable effort and financial commitment is necessary to get a classic a/c like this back in the air. It does not seem like a simple aircraft. .. note the owners detail on the gear switches..."wired in parallel"...Wow that's a reflection of required knowledge to own and maintain.
Many believe that the Fury is the ultimate piston powered a/c so we understand your choice!
Only a 4 prop? The only real Sea Fury I've ever seen was on static display and had 5.
But still an amazing aircraft : )
Running American Curtiss Wright R 3350 engine which used the 4 blader.
Chances are 4 blade prop maybe more suitible gor owner's intended flying versus naval carrier combat demands. Extra blade equals greater speed, but also fuel flow increases every turn of that blade. Owner doesnt need the speed. He prefers gas savings and increased range.
As the owner explained, it no longer has the original Bristol Centaurus. It has a Wright engine which was always fitted with a four blade prop.
awesome effort -much appreciated
Well done, got me all misty eyed just watching the video.
I saw it race years ago and I'm pleased to see it back in the air. Jim
Great video and conveyance of what rebuilding and flying your own dream.
Awesome Aircraft and well done video. Does this plane still have the Wright R-3350-93?
Why a Wright engine..? The originals had a Bristol Centaurus....
tanyano9
Centaurus motors and their parts are in very short supply now. Wrights are a suitable replacement.
Fantastic
really nice!
Great story and video! Wish I could ride in one of those!
Wow, lucky the wheels did lock down. Congrats.
Fantastic video. Beautiful Airplane!