Fairey Fulmar
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The Fairey Fulmar was a carrier-borne fighter aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm built by Fairey Aviation during 1940. It was based upon the Fairey Battle light bomber that had been developed in 1936. It was distinguished as the first eight-gun fighter to serve with the FAA but its performance, like that of its Battle ancestor, was lacking.
The Fulmar underwent rapid development. The design was developed to Specification O.8/38 but no prototype was built and the Fulmar went straight into production, the first plane flying on January 4, 1940. Two types of Fulmar were produced; the Mark I was powered by the Rolls Royce Merlin VIII engine and the Mark II was powered by the Merlin 30. Only 250 Mark Is and 350 Mark IIs were built during the production life of the Fulmar.
The first squadron to be equipped with the Fulmar was No. 806 Squadron FAA in July, 1940 and this squadron began operating from HMS Illustrious shortly afterwards. In total, 14 squadrons were equipped with the Fulmar.
The Fulmar was not well matched with land-based fighters. The Navy had specified a two seat machine, feeling that a navigator was needed to cope with the challenges of navigating over the open ocean. As a result, the Fulmar was far too large and unwieldy to compete when it came into contact with single seat land based opposition, as it did in the Mediterranean theatre. By 1942 it was being replaced by single seat machines adapted from land fighters such as the Supermarine Seafire, or by American single seat fighters such as the Grumman Martlet. It saw useful service in night-time roles as a convoy escort and intruder.
The Vichy French captured some examples of Fulmar Mk.II during wartime, for propaganda and evaluation use, and later these were taken by the Germans.
Contents |
Versions
- Mk.I: First model series, equipped with Rolls-Royce Merlin VIII of 1,800 Hp., 250
- Mk.II: Prototype, converted from Mk.I
- Mk.II: As series model, engine Merlin XXX of 1,300 Hp. tropicalized, some finished as night figthers, 350
Total Production
- 601 examples
Specifications (Mk II)
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 40 ft 2 in (12.24 m)
- Wingspan: 46 ft 5 in (14.14 m)
- Height: 14 ft 2 in (4.30 m)
- Wing area: ft² ( m²)
- Empty: lb ( kg)
- Loaded: 9,672 lb (4,387 kg)
- Powerplant: 1x Rolls-Royce Merlin 30 V-12, 1,300 hp (970 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 272 mph at 7,250 ft (438 km/h at 2,200 m)
- Range: 780 miles (1,255 km)
- Service ceiling: 27,200 ft (8,300 m)
- Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
- Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
- Power/mass: hp/lb ( kW/kg)
Armament
- 8 x .303 in Browning machine guns wing-mounted, 1 x .303 in Vickers K machine gun in rear cabin
- 2 x 100 lb (45 kg) or 250 lb (110 kg) bombs
Related content
Related development: Fairey Battle
Comparable aircraft: Blackburn Skua
Designation series: Battle - Seafox - Fulmar - Albacore - Barracuda
See also
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