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Muscat Daily
09-04-2025
- General
- Muscat Daily
Tim percy to relate tale of passion, precision, and perseverance
Tim Percy, an oil industry professional and pilot residing in the UAE, will be making a captivating presentation on April 16, about the restoration of a WWII Seafire aircraft, once piloted by his father Captain Terrence Percy, touching upon its history, rediscovery and the decade-long restoration process to bring it back to flying condition. 'This is a story for everyone… We will use the 462 to carry the memory of what an extraordinary aircraft it is and what rich history Britain has in naval aviation,' he tells Hubert Vaz in an exclusive chat. Excerpts : As a proud son of Captain Terrence Percy, a daring seaman who saw action with the British Pacific Fleet during the invasion of Okinawa and later ran the Royal Golf Club of Belgium, what was your key motive behind getting his Seafire XV restored and renovated? I grew up with my father as a senior officer, first as Naval Advisor to the British High Commission in New Zealand, and later when he was CO at Yeovilton in the UK. He actually opened the Yeovilton FAA museum under the auspices of the late Prince Phillip. Unlike many others who fought in the war, my father was always interested to discuss his experiences. But I was always surrounded with historical aircraft, the smell of Jet fuel, WWII exploits and his stories. The acquisition of the 462 was purely accidental. But once it was established that this was his aircraft, there seemed no reason not to pursue the task, and who would not want to own a Seafire! Having acquired rights over the aircraft in 2014, what was your immediate goal – restoration of the aircraft or nostalgic possession of a historic relic that stands testimony to your illustrious lineage? The idea initially was that the previous owner Wes Stricker (who had bought it from the Burmese Government at auction) would restore 462 as he had already completed PR-503. However, once it became apparent that he would not and the opportunity presented itself for me to take over the project, I evidently jumped at the chance. Thus 462 arrived in the UK in April 2014 to start the restoration as will be seen in the presentation. What is your background as a pilot? Did you want to make the Seafire flight worthy so as to get a feel of Capt 'Pablo' Percy's heyday in service? I only managed to find the time to learn to fly in 2000 and have accumulated around 500 hours mostly on Cessna/Robin type aircraft. However, I have now progressed considerably in PT-17 Stearman and T-6/SNJ/ Harvard classic combinations, the latter being the aircraft that will provide me with sufficient experience to manage the Seafire. But there is still a long way to go. The Seafire/Spitfire combination is every pilots dream to fly, but managing zero forward visibility, a delicate undercarriage, and 1900HP under the hood is no mean feat. Can you briefly share the various stages of the restoration process over the past decade? This will be dealt with in detail in the presentation. In short, Airframe Assemblies in the Isle of Wight rebuilt the fuselage framework, Kennet Aviation at Old Warden are managing most of the rest, and of course, Rolls Royce for the power plant. It's an extremely complex affair. What were the key hurdles faced by you in acquiring as well as getting the Seafire restored? The Rolls Royce Griffon VI being the first of the Griffon variants (after the Merlins) and being a short block Griffon manufactured in limited numbers, finding parts is next to impossible. Other difficult items include an original seat, the undercarriage selector, the auxiliary gearbox, and not the least, the spade grip handle on the stick itself. Currently is it ready or some final restoration is yet pending? We have about fifteen months to go, I believe. From the lay man's perspective, how interesting or educative will your presentation be? Are you going to share technical details or the emotions behind it that would spark some intrigue about a bygone era? This is a story for everyone. Yes, there is a technical aspect, but it is designed so that the layman can understand and appreciate the beauty of this aircraft and follow the extraordinary story that goes with it. This is done through film, slides, music, anecdotes, and more. Can you share brief details about some key missions of this Westland-built Seafire XV which is said to have also served with the Burmese Air Force, and recovered from Rangoon in 1998? The 462 was sold to the Burmese air force in 1952. There is no history available to us of its operations there. My father operated 462 as squadron Commander in 1946 aboard HMS Venerable. This was post war in Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), Singapore, and Hong Kong, as per his pilots' log book. Did Capt Terence share any interesting stories about him in the cockpit of the Seafire with you? Were you inspired to follow suit? All we have is the picture of him exiting the cockpit from the 802 Squadron line book. There are many other interesting stories from this private pilots' diary, but not enough time to recount them all. My own career is not that of a pilot. I am in the oil drilling business. I started my career in 1980 on the rigs in the North Sea, then opened Woodhouse in Dubai in 1985. This month will be my 40th year in Dubai. What do you plan to do with the restored aircraft? Would it serve as a crucial relic of WWII to inspire/train/educate the new generation of Air Force pilots? I am an ambassador for the Navy Wings Heritage Trust that maintains vintage aircraft working to preserve Britain's great naval aviation heritage. We will use 462 to carry the memory on of what an extraordinary aircraft it is and what rich history Britain has in naval aviation. Would you like to attribute the credit of the restoration process to any particular individual/firm? There are many people, and these are listed in the presentation. Mainly, Tim Manna and the team at Kennet Aviation. How much did the entire restoration cost you? Do you expect any returns from this priceless witness of WWII in the long run? There is no price, and no expected returns, other than to witness one of the most beautiful aircraft ever to grace the skies to return to flight. That will be the best reward!
Telegraph
09-03-2025
- General
- Telegraph
The tropical islands home to a Second World War underwater graveyard
The jagged-edged gash where the torpedo struck just over 80 years ago is dark and forbidding. Exhaled bubbles rumble past my ears as I sink slowly into the rupture that doomed this Japanese freighter as it lay at anchor in Chuuk's vast lagoon in February 1944. Bright blue becomes inky black, until the cone of light from my torch starts to pick out marine life that has made the twisted steel interior home. Multicoloured fish move lazily away, and the dive master motions to me to make sure that my equipment is tucked away to avoid snags. We descend deeper into the devastated bow section of the 8,614-ton Kiyosumi Maru, which lies on its port side in around 100 feet of water, and exit through cargo hatches that were torn away in the explosion below decks. I fin along the superstructure, passing beneath a king post and into another hold full of steel drums. A bicycle is angled against a bulkhead. We stop to complete a mandatory decompression right beside the hull, adorned with corals that ripple in the sunlight filtering down from above the surface, as well as sake bottles, broken chinaware, ammunition boxes and binoculars on a tripod that previous divers have recovered from inside the wreck. The Kiyosumi Maru was sunk in an attack by aircraft launched from the USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise on the first day of Operation Hailstone, the attack on Imperial Japan's most important naval base in the central Pacific – so important, in fact, that in the 1940s it became known as 'the Gibraltar of the Pacific'. In the space of two days, US dive and torpedo bombers sank around 60 Japanese ships, the vast majority transport vessels, but also including destroyers, patrol ships and even the I-169 submarine. US fighters also shot down dozens of Japanese aircraft, but the attacking force did not escape entirely unscathed. The legacy of the battle lies scattered across the seabed to this day, earning Chuuk the reputation of being the best wreck diving spot in the world. And, at 822 square miles within a 140-mile coral reef, the lagoon has plenty of secrets still to be discovered. In the last two years, yet another Japanese ship and a shot-down US aircraft have been discovered in its depths. For the remaining 18 months of the Second World War, Truk, as it was then known, was largely by-passed as the Allies island-hopped across the Pacific, although one of the last actions against the isolated garrison in June 1945 was by aircraft from the British Pacific Fleet as part of Operation Inmate. And then peace returned. A little more than 3,500 miles west of Hawaii, Chuuk was originally settled in the first century by Melanesians who explored the Pacific aboard huge sea-going canoes. The first European explorers to spot the archipelago, in 1528, were Spaniards who claimed the territory for their king. The islands were sold to Germany in 1899, but claimed by Japan when Berlin was defeated in the First World War. After Japan's surrender in 1945, the islands became a United Nations Trust Territory until Chuuk united with Yap, Pohnpei and Kosrae to become the Federated States of Micronesia, attaining independence in November 1986, albeit allied closely with the United States. Largely due to its isolation in the central Pacific, Chuuk avoided the mass tourism that has afflicted Hawaii, Guam and other more accessible islands. The result is fairly rudimentary infrastructure, including primary roads that should only be attempted in four-wheel drive vehicles, and a decidedly laid-back atmosphere. The majority of the 53,000 Chuukese live on Weno, with motor boats constantly plying the lagoon to deliver people and goods to dozens of outer islands. The state's tourism agency is trying to expand its offerings, with visitors able to arrange an overnight stay on uninhabited Jeep Island and discussions about finding ways to showcase local canoe carvers' rare skills. Nevertheless, Chuuk relies most heavily on those with an interest in military history. In the hills above Weno's port, the road comes to an abrupt end. I continue through knee-high undergrowth past a ramshackle home and into a tunnel hewn into the face of Mount Tonoken. The passage takes a sharp turn and I am standing at the breech of a large artillery piece still trained out over the lagoon. On the most north-easterly tip of Weno – after a kidney-bruising drive and jungle hike – is an old Japanese lighthouse that was targeted in the American attacks. The original tiled floor is still in place, along with the rusting mechanism for the light, but chunks of the exterior walls have been ripped out by heavy-calibre bullets, leaving fist-sized holes that reveal the inner steel supports. But despite all the draws on land, it is still the underwater attractions that really bring people to Chuuk. Diving aficionados say there are simply too many wrecks in the lagoon to explore on a single visit, and that even a return to the same site will always reveal something new. The San Francisco Maru has three tanks sitting on its amidships, trucks in its hold and a bow gun encrusted with colourful coral. The holds of the Sankisan Maru – torn in half by an almighty explosion – still hold aircraft parts, ammunition and supplies. Entering the Fujikawa Maru reveals machine gun rounds and the wings of fighter aircraft, while the officers' head can be explored by the cautious. I am, once again, falling down a shaft of light from the surface, following a tether that ends at a coral ahead off the island Dublon. Just 50 feet down, marine life has taken a good hold on the Kawanishi four-engine long-range reconnaissance aircraft, which was attacked outside the lagoon but limped back to Chuuk only to crash on landing and sink. Given the Allied code-name Emily, the aft section of the fuselage is broken off at an angle, but the 124-foot wings are still intact. The four engines have fallen from their mountings, while the two wingtip pontoons were torn away in the heavy landing but remain attached to the wreck by guy wires. I swim beneath the port wing, my silver bubbles collecting in dents in the aluminium above me, and emerge alongside what is left of the cockpit. Remarkably, the glass is intact and schools of tiny reef fish in incredible colours dart around the interior. My gauge is showing it is time to return to the surface. I look forward to the first ice cold beer washing away the salty tang of the lagoon – but I know my mind will linger down here long after I've returned to the world above. Essentials Getting to Chuuk is not cheap, and requires various connections. The easiest route is London to Frankfurt (Lufthansa), Frankfurt to Tokyo (ANA; Tokyo to Guam, and Guam to Chuuk (both United Airlines), which costs around £5,414 return. The Blue Lagoon Resort has superior double rooms from $148/£117 per night, room only. The resort's dive shop offers two dives in one day for $150/£118, plus rental of equipment and a $50/£40 dive permit.
