Editing Fireflash (section)

===Testing and service===
Fireflash was given its name by the RAF as development continued. It scored its first live-fire success in 1953, successfully destroying a [[Fairey Firefly]] drone aircraft flying off [[RAF Aberporth]]. {{sfn|Flight|1957|p=223}} In unarmed tests, Fireflash directly hit the drone aircraft, in one case severing its tailwheel.{{sfn|Flight|1957|p=226}}

About 300 missiles had been produced by 1955, but the [[Royal Air Force]] soon decided not to retain the type in its inventory as much more advanced designs were on their way. Many of the 300 missiles were expended in testing by [[No. 6 Joint Services Trials Unit]] at [[RAF Valley]] and [[Woomera Test Range|Woomera]], [[South Australia]] from 1955–[[1957 in aviation|1957]] using [[Gloster Meteor]] NF11 (nightfighter) trials aircraft and subsequently by the [[Supermarine Swift]] fighters of [[No. 1 Guided Weapons Development Squadron]] at RAF Valley.{{sfn|Gibson|Buttler|2007|p=31}}

Fireflash was deployed on a very limited scale by the RAF in August 1957,<ref name=Boyne267/> and "had a limited capability against piston-engine bombers."<ref name=Boyne267>{{citation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FW_50wm8VnMC&pg=PA267 |last=Boyne |first= Walter J |title=Air Warfare: an International Encyclopedia, Volume 1 |publisher=ABC-CLIO Inc |date=2002 |isbn=1-57607-345-9 |page=267}}</ref> The RAF deployed the later and more effective [[de Havilland Firestreak]] infra-red missile from August 1958.<ref name=Boyne267/>