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Subject: Fairey Long-range Monoplane
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Long-range_Monoplane
The Fairey Long-range Monoplanes were a pair of British experimental aircraft of
the late-1920s and early 1930s. They were single-engine, high-wing aircraft with
fixed tail skid landing gear.
The first aircraft was designed to meet Air Ministry Specification 33/27; it was
issued by the Directorate of Technical Development (DTD) in December 1927 after
the failure of three attempts by the RAF to break the absolute distance world
record flying Hawker Horsley bombers. According to a Ministry spokesman in the
House of Commons, this aircraft was to be constructed not just "for a specific
record," but as a serious study into methods of increasing the range of
aircraft. In order to soothe the anxieties of the Treasury, the aircraft started
life as the Postal Aircraft. The sharp, pointed nose and sleek lines of the
prototype gave rise to the nickname "Eversharp," after the maker of pens and
mechanical pencils.
Although other configurations were studied, after wind tunnel testing, a high
wing was chosen, allowing a gravity feed from the fuel tanks. The wing spars
were of wood and the wing used a pyramid system of internal bracing with fabric
covering. The fuel capacity was 1,043 Imp gals (4,742 L) and the system used a
gravity feed and mechanical fuel pump in sequence; a wind-driven, emergency
back-up pump was also provided. There were other features dedicated to the
long-range function; there were two parallel oil filter circuits, allowing one
filter to be removed and cleaned while the other remained in operation. The
aircraft was even equipped with a pneumatic bed for a reserve pilot. After
extensive testing using a Fairey IIIF and a DH.9A, the Napier Lion XIA of 570 hp
(430 kW) was selected, late in the gestation of the machine.
Role
experimental aircraft
National origin
United Kingdom
Manufacturer
Fairey Aviation
First flight
14 November 1928
Primary user
Royal Air Force
Number built
2
Operational history
The first built, J9479, flew for the first time on 14 November 1928 from RAF
Northolt. The aircraft was handed over to the RAF on 7 December, and with
testing continuing in preparation for the record attempt, including a 24-hour
India, a Great-circle distance of about 5,000 mile (8,000 km), comfortably in
excess of the existing record of 4,466 miles (7,188 km) set by a
Savoia-Marchetti S.64 in July 1928. Squadron Leader A G Jones-Williams and
Flight Lieutenant N H Jenkins set off on the record attempt from RAF Cranwell,
Lincolnshire on 24 April 1929. The aircraft was slowed by headwinds, however,
and the plane landed at Karachi after 50 hours 48 minutes in the air. Although
the flight was the first non-stop flight between Britain and India, the great
circle distance of 4,130 miles (6,646 km) was short of the world records. It was
decided to make another record attempt later that year, although the record had
been raised to 4,912 miles (8,007 km) by the Breguet 19 Point d'Interrogation.
This time it was planned to fly from England to South Africa. This second
attempt, with the same crew as the first, took off on 16 December 1929, but
crashed south of Tunis, destroying the aircraft and killing the crew.
Despite this setback, the Air Ministry ordered a second Long-range Monoplane
(K1991) in July 1930, this flying on 30 June 1931. While similar to the first
aircraft, it had a number of differences, including the addition of an autopilot
and wheel spats.
On 27-28 October 1931 Squadron Leader O R Gayford (officer in charge of the RAF
Long Range Development Unit) with Flight Lieutenant D Betts as Navigator flew
K1991 from RAF Cranwell to Abu Seir in Egypt, the 2,557 miles (4,115 km) was
Nicholetts flew non-stop in the second aircraft, K1991, from Cranwell to Walvis
Bay, South West Africa. This was a world long-distance record of 5,410 mi (8,540
km). On their return to RAE Farnborough, they were met by the Air Minister (Lord
Londonderry), Under Secretary for Air (Sir Philip Sassoon) and Sir John Salmond,
Marshal of the Royal Air Force.
The distance record stood until August 1933 when it was taken back by the
French. Gayford and the LRDU would later make long distance flights with the
Vickers Wellesley.
After K1991 flew back to the United Kingdom a number of suggestions to re-engine
the aircraft were made and the Air Ministry issued Specification 27/33 for it to
be re-engined with a Jumo engine, the aircraft was reconditioned but it was
decided to design a new aircraft instead. Not needed, K1991 was scrapped.
Specifications (Fairey Long-range Monoplane II)
General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 48 ft 6 in (14.8 m)
Wingspan: 82 ft (25.0 m)
Height: 12 ft (3.6 m)
Max. takeoff weight: 17,500 lb (7,938 kg)
Mean chord: 11 ft (3.3 m)
liquid-cooled, 570 hp (425 kW) each
Performance
Cruise speed: 110 mph (96 knots, 177 km/h)
Power/mass: 0.033 hp/lb (0.054 kW/kg)
Take-off distance: 4,500 ft (1,370 m)
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