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Diving regulators are the cornerstone of all levels of scuba diving, from single tank recreational diving, to multi-stage trimix and CCR diving, every diver needs a complement of reliable, well-functioning regulators and SPGs.

Whether you are new to the sport of Scuba Diving or are a seasoned professional, you will find the scuba diving regulator right for you right here at The Scuba Doctor. Looking for technical dive gear to take you to the depths and back, or just completed your Open Water course? You have come to the right place.

For information about regulator features please read our advice on choosing the right regulator for you in our Trusted Advice section.

Have questions on the performance of the regulators? Just ask. We can also provide advice on correct routing and setups for various open circuit, closed circuit, stage/deco bottle, and bailout bottle setups. Give us an email with your questions.

We use and recommend DIN fitting first stage regulators. They're safer and lighter for travel than Yoke 1st stages. Plus, if you do end up in a location where they only have valves with Yoke fittings, you can simply use a DIN to Yoke Adaptor to quickly changeover.



Firefly Aircraft 2

Wreck Dive Wreck Dive | Boat access Boat access

Inside Port Phillip Wreck Dive Site

Fairey Firefly Aircraft | Max Depth: 18 m (59 ft)

Level: Open Water and beyond.

A RAN Fairey Firefly
A RAN Fairey Firefly
© Royal Australian Navy

Fairey Firefly 2 was a Second World War-era, carrier-borne, fighter aircraft that was lost on 20 July 1947 in an accident. As the British aircraft carriers HMS Theseus and HMS Glory were departing on Sunday 20th July 1947 after their visit to Melbourne, two squadrons of Firefly and Seafire aircraft from the HMS Theseus took off for an exercise over the bay out from Frankston. As they climbed to 1,500 ft (457 m) and moved into formation, two Fireflys collided.

The Argus newspaper recorded the following the next day: "In a flash the two planes were one. Locked together they turned slowly and fell. Near the water they dropped like stones and disappeared. The destroyer Cockade steamed at full speed to the scene and lowered a boat. The body of one of the four crew was recovered. When the Theseus arrived the only sign was a patch of oil."

There are two aircraft, some 150 metres apart. See Firefly Aircraft 1.

Fairly Firefly Grave Site

In July 2017, human skeletal remains missing for 60 years were found near the wrecks of two war planes in Port Phillip. Four people were killed when the two Fairly Firefly planes crashed on 20 July 1947, but only the body of one of the pilots was recovered at the time. Aged 31, he had been a prisoner of war in Germany for five and a half years.

Divers Paul Roadknight and Steve Boneham located the remains of one of the aircrew still inside one of the wrecked aircraft about 20 metres below the surface. They found the remains of another airman next to the wreck of the second aircraft. There was no information about the possible whereabouts of the fourth victim.

The wreckage of the two single engined Fairy Firefly trainers is considered a significant archaeological find. Heritage Victoria warns that diving near the wrecks is an offence that carries a heavy fine.

Fairey Firefly History

The Firefly was designed as a fleet reconnaissance aircraft for the UK's Royal Navy, and was derived from the Fairey Fulmar. First flown on 22 December 1941, the first versions were delivered in March 1943 to RNAS Yeovilton. The main version of the aircraft used during WWII was the Mk.1, which was used in all theatres of operation. Throughout its operational career, it took on increasingly more demanding roles, from fighter to anti-submarine warfare.

After WWII, the Firefly remained in service in both the UK and Australia, flying anti-ship missions off various aircraft carriers in the Korean War and serving in the ground-attack role in Malaya. In 1956, the Firefly's frontline career ended with the introduction of the Fairey Gannet.

The Firefly was built at London's Great Western Aerodome (Heathrow), United Kingdom.

Fairey Firefly General Characteristics

  • Crew: Two (Pilot and Observer)
  • Length: 37 ft 7.25 in (11.46 m)
  • Wingspan: 44 ft 6 in (13.57 m)
  • Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
  • Wing area: 328 ft sq (30.5 m sq)
  • Empty weight: 9,750 lb (4,432 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 14,020 lb (6,373 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 x Rolls-Royce Griffon IIB liquid-cooled V12 engine, 1,730 hp (1,290 kW)

Fairey Firefly Performance

  • Maximum speed: 316 mph (275 kn, 509 km/h) at 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
  • Range: 1,300 mi (1,130 nmi, 2,090 km)
  • Service ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,530 m)
  • Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 5 min 45 sec

See also, Wikipedia: Fairey Firefly,
Heritage Council of Victoria: Frankston - Fairey Firefly 2, and
Australian National Shipwreck Database: Frankston - Fairey Firefly 2.

Fairey Firefly Aircraft — Frankston

We have the GPS marks and details for what might be two or three Fairey Firefly Aircraft wreck sites near Frankston on the eastern side of Port Phillip.

Firefly Aircraft 1
Latitude: 38° 6.004′ S   (38.100067° S / 38° 6′ 0.24″ S)
Longitude: 145° 0.714′ E   (145.0119° E / 145° 0′ 42.84″ E)

Firefly Aircraft 2
Latitude: 38° 5.980′ S   (38.099667° S / 38° 5′ 58.8″ S)
Longitude: 145° 0.692′ E   (145.011533° E / 145° 0′ 41.52″ E)

Firefly Aircraft 3
Latitude: 38° 6.091′ S   (38.101517° S / 38° 6′ 5.46″ S)
Longitude: 145° 0.627′ E   (145.01045° E / 145° 0′ 37.62″ E)

Fairey Firefly Aircraft — Frankston

The GPS marks for the Firefly Aircraft 1 and Firefly Aircraft 2 are 50 metres apart. It might be two separate aircraft, or the broken up and separated parts of a single aircraft. We simply don't know.

The GPS marks for the Firefly Aircraft 1 and Firefly Aircraft 3 are 205 metres apart.

If you have further information about these aircraft wreck sites, please contact us.

Heritage Warning: Any shipwreck or shipwreck relic that is 75 years or older is protected by legislation. Other items of maritime heritage 75 years or older are also protected by legislation. Activities such as digging for bottles, coins or other artefacts that involve the disturbance of archaeological sites may be in breach of the legislation, and penalties may apply. The legislation requires the mandatory reporting to Heritage Victoria as soon as practicable of any archaeological site that is identified. See Maritime heritage. Anyone with information about looting or stolen artefacts should call Heritage Victoria on (03) 7022 6390, or send an email to heritage.victoria@delwp.vic.gov.au.

Boon Wurrung / Bunurong country
Boon Wurrung / Bunurong country

Traditional Owners — This dive site is in the traditional Country of the Boon Wurrung / Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation. This truly ancient Country includes parts of Port Phillip, from the Werribee River in the north-west, down to Wilson's Promontory in the south-east, including the Mornington Peninsula, French Island and Phillip Island, plus Western Port. We wish to acknowledge the Boon Wurrung as Traditional Owners. We pay respect to their Ancestors and their Elders, past, present and emerging. We acknowledge Bunjil the Creator Spirit of this beautiful land, who travels as an eagle, and Waarn, who protects the waterways and travels as a crow, and thank them for continuing to watch over this Country today and beyond.

 

Firefly Aircraft 2 Location Map

Latitude: 38° 5.980′ S   (38.099667° S / 38° 5′ 58.8″ S)
Longitude: 145° 0.692′ E   (145.011533° E / 145° 0′ 41.52″ E)

Datum: WGS84 | Google Map
Added: 2012-07-22 09:00:00 GMT, Last updated: 2022-04-25 09:27:16 GMT
Source: GPS
Nearest Neighbour: Firefly Aircraft 1, 55 m, bearing 144°, SE
Fairey Firefly Aircraft.
Crashed: 20 July 1947.
Depth: 18 m.



DISCLAIMER: No claim is made by The Scuba Doctor as to the accuracy of the dive site coordinates listed here. Should anyone decide to use these GPS marks to locate and dive on a site, they do so entirely at their own risk. Always verify against other sources.

The marks come from numerous sources including commercial operators, independent dive clubs, reference works, and active divers. Some are known to be accurate, while others may not be. Some GPS marks may even have come from maps using the AGD66 datum, and thus may need be converted to the WGS84 datum. To distinguish between the possible accuracy of the dive site marks, we've tried to give each mark a source of GPS, Google Earth, or unknown.

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