Westland Wyvern - Operational History

Operational History

The first carrier trials were carried out by the first pre-production Wyvern TF.2 aboard HMS Illustrious on 21 June 1950. Despite this, when the Wyvern S.4 entered service with 813 Naval Air Squadron in May 1953 it had not obtained clearance for carrier operations, which was not obtained until April 1954. The Wyvern was in service with the Fleet Air Arm from 1954 to 1958. Wyverns equipped 813 Squadron, 827 Sqn., 830 Sqn. and 831 Sqn. of the Fleet Air Arm.

In September 1954, 813 embarked with their Wyverns on HMS Albion for carrier-based service in the Mediterranean. The Wyvern soon showed a worrying habit for flameout on catapult launch; the high G forces resulting in fuel starvation. A number of aircraft were lost off Albion's bows and Lt. B. D. Macfarlane made history when he successfully ejected from under water after his aircraft had ditched on launch and been cut in two by the carrier. 813 did not return to Albion until March 1955 when the problems had been resolved.

830 Sqn. took the Wyvern into combat from HMS Eagle, flying 79 sorties during Operation Musketeer; the armed response to the Suez Crisis. Two Wyverns were lost to Egyptian light flak damage; both pilots of the downed aircraft successfully ejected over the sea, and were picked up by Eagle's search and rescue helicopter. The squadron returned to the UK on Eagle after this conflict and disbanded in January 1957. Consequently, 813 was the last Wyvern squadron, disbanding on 22 April 1958.

All Wyverns were withdrawn from service by 1958: while in service and testing there were 68 accidents, 39 were lost and there were 13 fatalities; including two RAF pilots and one US Navy pilot.