Dive the Wreck of the Firefly | Explore This Historic Site
Peter Letts Jan 23, 2019
Dive the Wreck of the Firefly
Diving the wreck of the Firefly in Jervis Bay offers a truly unique experience. This sunken aircraft rests upright on the ocean floor and remains in remarkably good condition. Its surface is teeming with marine life, including vibrant feather worms and sea stars. The cockpit, though partially filled with sand, is open, while the navigator’s sliding window now appears firmly shut. The wreck is also a favorite spot to encounter baby Port Jackson sharks, making it a captivating site for divers to explore.
The Firefly was a carrier-borne anti-submarine torpedo bomber that first flew in 1941. The Royal Australian Navy received a total of 107 units, which were operated from both the HMAS Sydney and HM Vengeance carriers during the 1950s, including during the Korean War. On November 27, 1956, while undergoing navigational training, a Firefly aircraft identified as WD 887 collided with another plane and crashed into Jervis Bay. The crew of the Firefly was never recovered. The wreck was not located until 1983, resting in just thirteen meters of water. However, it proved to be difficult to detect due to its low profile on the ocean floor. The wreckage sits on a silty bottom, and in 1995, the NSW Heritage Office conducted a successful magnetometer survey of the site.