Fairey Firefly AS.5 [@ RAF Duxford]
The prototype Fairey Firefly two-seat naval fighter first flew on 22nd December 1941, production getting under way towards the end of the following year. It became operational in October 1943 on board the carrier HMS Indefatigable. Fireflies provided fighter cover during the series of Fleet Air Arm attacks on the battleship Tirpitz in the summer of 1944, and in January 1945, while deploying to the Pacific, they took part in the destruction of Japanese-held oil refineries in Sumatra.
Fairey Firefly AS.5 [@ RAF Duxford]
In the Pacific theatre the Firefly proved to be a very versatile aircraft, operating as day and night fighter, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. The first major postwar variant was the Firefly Mk 4, which in turn was replaced by the Mk 5. Operating from light carriers, Fireflies carried out many strikes during the Korean War.
