During routine flying from the reclaimed Kai Tak landing ground, Caspar John's Fairey IIIF began vibrating so violently that a passenger warned the tail was coming off. Elevator and rudder response became spasmodic, leaving a choice between ditching in Hong Kong harbour or attempting to reach the airfield over a populated district. John returned using only ailerons and tail trim. Inspection found all four main fuselage longerons fractured near the tail. The episode links structural reliability, emergency airmanship, and risk to people below in early naval aviation.
Notable Point · 1:22:50-1:23:48
Caspar John lands a Fairey IIIF with a failing tail
A violent structural failure forced the Hermes pilot to fly back to Kai Tak with only ailerons and tail trim, illustrating the hazards of early naval aviation.