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Gifting of Fairey Swordfish Mark II (LS326) to the Fly Navy Heritage Trust Limited

I have today laid before Parliament a Departmental Minute describing a gift which the Ministry of Defence (MOD) intends to make to the Fly Navy Heritage Trust Limited.

Since 1960, the Royal Navy operated a collection of MOD-owned historically important naval heritage aircraft with the Royal Navy Historic Flight. Five military-registered aircraft formed part of the Royal Navy Historic Flight, all of which had been maintained at some expense on the military register by the MOD. In January 2018 it was determined that, to allow greater freedoms in operation at reduced cost to MOD, the Royal Navy Historic Flight should be disbanded, with its aircraft transferred to a civilian owner-operator. On 1 January 2020, four former Royal Navy Historic Flight aircraft were gifted to the Fly Navy Heritage Trust, with one, a Fairey Swordfish MkII (LS326), retained while its original conditions of transfer to the Royal Navy were clarified.

The gift comprises a Fairey Swordfish MkII (LS326) torpedo bomber aircraft, famous for the Battle of Taranto and operations throughout World War II, in flying condition.

The total value of this gift is in the region of £495,000. The transfer of ownership is expected to be undertaken over the coming weeks.

The Fly Navy Heritage Trust Limited, a charity operating under the umbrella of ‘Navy Wings’, has promoted the culture and heritage conservation of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm since the formation of the Trust in the early Nineties. The Trust has provided significant financial support to the renovation, repair, and maintenance of heritage aircraft, operating them in direct support of Naval Service engagement aims.

The gifting of this final former Royal Navy Historic Flight aircraft to the Fly Navy Heritage Trust will allow this historically important aircraft to continue to be used in support of commemorative and educational aims in support of the Royal Navy and Fleet Air Arm for many years to come.