SeaFury, Baghdad Fury in service with Iraq سآا فوري
مرسل: الاثنين أكتوبر 11, 2010 10:14 pm
The history of the Hawker Sea Fury in service with Iraq from 1947.
Unit: 7 Sqn, RIrAF
Serial: 231
he first modern fighters in service with the Iraqi Air Force was Hawker Fury. In May 1948 the first eight Fury F.Mk.1s, (serialled 231 thru 237, and 239), as well as a single two-seater (161) were delivered to the No.7 Sqn. This unit was at the time flying Anson bombers, but most of these were either sent to Mafraq AB, in Transjordan, from where they participated in the I Arab-Israeli War. Therefore, a number of former Anson-pilots were swiftly converted to the Fury at the Muascar ('Airfield') al-Rashid AB. The No.7 Sqn was at the time commanded by Lt. Col. Muhammed Rauf Hassan. 221, depicted here, was the first Fury delivered to Iraq. It was seen for the last time while departing Hawker's Langley airfield for Iraq, in May 1948.
Initially, Iraqi Furies suffered considerable attrition, as their pilots were trained in a rush. Already on 7 June one was lost in a crash at Muascar al-Rashid, killing the pilot, Capt. Yahya Dubuni from the No. 1 Sqn. This unit was at the time actually still based at Mafraq AB, in Transjordan, from where it flew combat missions against Israel, but some of its pilots - including the CO, Lt. Col. Nadim Sadiq al-Ubaidi - were sent back to Iraq to train on Furies, which initially entered service with the No.7 Sqn. Fury F.Mk.1 '240' belonged to the second batch delivered to Iraq. By the time decision was taken to move the reformed No. 7 Sqn to Amman, in Transjordan, from where these were to participate in the war against Israel, only six out of some 14 aircraft delivered were still operational.
Unit: 7 Sqn, RIrAF
Serial: 231
he first modern fighters in service with the Iraqi Air Force was Hawker Fury. In May 1948 the first eight Fury F.Mk.1s, (serialled 231 thru 237, and 239), as well as a single two-seater (161) were delivered to the No.7 Sqn. This unit was at the time flying Anson bombers, but most of these were either sent to Mafraq AB, in Transjordan, from where they participated in the I Arab-Israeli War. Therefore, a number of former Anson-pilots were swiftly converted to the Fury at the Muascar ('Airfield') al-Rashid AB. The No.7 Sqn was at the time commanded by Lt. Col. Muhammed Rauf Hassan. 221, depicted here, was the first Fury delivered to Iraq. It was seen for the last time while departing Hawker's Langley airfield for Iraq, in May 1948.
Initially, Iraqi Furies suffered considerable attrition, as their pilots were trained in a rush. Already on 7 June one was lost in a crash at Muascar al-Rashid, killing the pilot, Capt. Yahya Dubuni from the No. 1 Sqn. This unit was at the time actually still based at Mafraq AB, in Transjordan, from where it flew combat missions against Israel, but some of its pilots - including the CO, Lt. Col. Nadim Sadiq al-Ubaidi - were sent back to Iraq to train on Furies, which initially entered service with the No.7 Sqn. Fury F.Mk.1 '240' belonged to the second batch delivered to Iraq. By the time decision was taken to move the reformed No. 7 Sqn to Amman, in Transjordan, from where these were to participate in the war against Israel, only six out of some 14 aircraft delivered were still operational.