https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Fulmar
The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with
the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built
by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December
1942. The Fulmar's design was based on that of the earlier Fairey P.4/34 that
was in turn developed in 1936 as a replacement for the Fairey Battle light
bomber. Although its performance (like that of its Battle antecedent) was
lacking, the Fulmar was a reliable, sturdy aircraft with long range and an
effective armament of eight machine guns.
The Fairey P.4/34 was built to Specification P.4/34 as a light bomber capable of
being used as a dive bomber, in competition with the Hawker Henley and an
unbuilt Gloster design. Despite its high speed of 284 mph, it lost out to the
300 mph Henley (which was eventually ordered as a target tug).
Looking much like its sister, the Battle, the Fulmar prototype was
aerodynamically cleaner and featured a folding wing that was 16 in (41 cm)
shorter than its bomber lookalike. The prototype P.4/34 serial number K5099
first flew on 13 January 1937 at Fairey Aviation's Great West Aerodrome (now
covered by London Heathrow Airport), with Fairey test pilot Chris Staniland at
the controls. After the first flight tests, the tail was revised, being raised 8
in (20 cm).
Fulmar Mk II production began in January 1941, with the first Mk II reaching an
operational squadron in March 1941. This mark introduced the more powerful
Merlin XXX engine while the airframe was also engineered with several
enhancements including provision for a 60-gallon (273 litre) centre-line drop
tank, and provision to carry a 250 lb (114 kg) or 500 lb (227 kg) bomb in lieu
of the drop tank. Testing of the Fulmar II, at Boscombe Down, in June 1942
showed that the Fulmar could safely drop a 500 lb bomb during 60-degree dives at
up to 310 knots. Boscombe Down testing in October 1941 showed that the 60-gallon
drop tank extended range to 1,100 miles.
Role
Carrier Fighter
National origin
United Kingdom
Manufacturer
Fairey Aviation Company
Designer
Marcel Lobelle
First flight
4 January 1940
Introduction
10 May 1940
Retired
1945
Primary user
Royal Navy
Produced
Number built
600
Developed from
Fairey P.4/34
First seeing action on Malta convoy protection patrols in September 1940, the
sturdy Fulmar was able to achieve victories against its far more agile Italian
and German adversaries. By the autumn, Fulmars had shot down ten Italian bombers
and six enemy fighters, as well as providing top cover to the Swordfish raid on
Taranto.
Fulmars played a prominent role in the ill-fated raid on Kirkenes and Petsamo in
July 1941.
By 1942, the Fulmar was being replaced by single-seat aircraft 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 nighttime roles as a
convoy escort and intruder and was used to train crews for the Fairey Barracuda.
Its flight characteristics were considered pleasant, its wide undercarriage
provided good deck handling capacities and it had excellent fuel capacity and
range. Fulmars were used in long-range reconnaissance after they were withdrawn
as fighters. Most Fleet Air Arm fighter aces scored at least part of their
victories in Fulmars; for example, Sub Lieutenant S.G. Orr finished the war with
12 confirmed air victories, as the third-highest scoring pilot in the FAA.
At one time, twenty squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm were equipped with the
Fulmar. It flew from eight fleet aircraft carriers and five escort carriers. No.
273 Squadron RAF operated them for some months in 1942 from China Bay, Ceylon,
seeing action against Japanese forces during the raid on 9 April 1942; though
about half the squadron personnel were Navy. Fulmars destroyed 112 enemy
aircraft, which made it the leading fighter type, by aircraft shot down, in the
Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. The Fulmar ended its front line
operational career on 8 February 1945, when a Fulmar MK II night-fighter from
No. 813 Squadron had a landing accident at the safety barrier on HMS Campania
and was written off.
Approximately 100 Fulmars were converted to a night fighter variant, but had
limited success in this role.
Specifications (Mk II)
General characteristics
Crew: Two
Length: 40 ft 2 in (12.25 m)
Height: 14 ft 0 in (4.27 m)
Empty weight: 7,015 lb (3,182 kg)
Loaded weight: 9,672 lb (4,387 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 10,200 lb (4,627 kg)
kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: 272 mph at 7,250 ft (438 km/h at 2,200 m)
Range: 780 mi (1,255 km)
Service ceiling: 27,200 ft (8,300 m)
Armament
rear cabin
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