837 Sqn air crash on or before 4/3/47

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Am seeking details of an air crash of an 837 Sqn Fleet Air Arm a/c in the Sri Lanka area on or before the 4th March 1947.
The squadron equipped with 12 a/c in Australia earlier,late 1946 I believe.
Most likely to be an F or FR.1 of the squadron, there was at least one fatality DoI, associated with such a crash.
So I expect a/c serial number to start with one of the following -
DK; DV; MB; PP.
Many thanks
Alex

[twocee]

In Ray Sturtivant's FAA crash list for 1947 in an old Aeromilitaria there is an account of the loss of MB676 from 837 sqdn. on 7 March 1947. The aircraft was off Glory and lost its wingtips during a dive pull-out following an attack on a target towed by HMS Jamaica. It crashed into the sea. No casualty details are given. Is this the one?

[Leendert]

Alex,


Naval-history.net gives for 7 March 1947:


FAA, 837 Sqn, Glory, air crash
BATES, Geoffrey H, Lieutenant Commander, MPK
MAYNE, David E, Lieutenant, MPK



Regards,


Leendert

[Leendert]

Also a 837 Squadron crash on 4 March 1947. Same website has:


FAA, 837 Sqn, Venerable, air crash
MACKINNON, Dan S, Lieutenant, DOI



Regards,


Leendert

[twocee]

I have just looked at the more recent A-B FAA Aircraft since 1946 and while this shows the loss of Bates and Mayne on 7 March, it states that the Firefly cannot be identified, but it was not MB676.

Unfortunately, the book has no entry for any D.S. MacKinnon.

[twocee]

Quick update:

The A-B FAA WWII book shows MacKinnon as crashing into the sea near Hong Kong in 721B sqdn. Corsair KD669, on 09Jan47; DOI 04Mar47.