Fairey Firefly

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Fairey Firefly

Fairey Firefly Mk V
Type	Carrier Fighter
Manufacturer	Fairey Aviation Company, Ltd.
Maiden flight	22nd December 1941
Introduced	1943
Status	Retired
Primary user	Image:Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg Fleet Air Arm
Produced	1941-1955
Number built	1,702

The Fairey Firefly was a Second World War-era carrier-borne fighter aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. It was superior in performance and firepower to its predecessor, the Fairey Fulmar, but did not enter operational service until towards the end of the war. It remained a mainstay of the FAA until the mid 1950s.

1 Design and development
2 Operational service
3 Variants
4 Specifications (Mk I)
5 Specifications (Mk IV)
6 Operators
7 References
8 Related content

[edit] Design and development

The Firefly was designed by H.E. Chaplin at Fairey Aviation in 1940; in June 1940, the Admiralty ordered 200 aircraft to meet Specification N.5/40. The prototype of the Mk I Firefly flew on 22 December 1941. Although it was two tons heavier than the Fulmar (due largely to its armament of two 20 mm cannon in each wing), the Firefly was 40 mph (64 km/h) faster due to improved aerodynamics and a more powerful engine, the 1,730 hp (1290 kW) Rolls-Royce Griffon IIB.

[edit] Operational service

In March 1943, the first Firefly Mk Is were delivered but they did not enter operational service until July 1944 when they equipped No. 1770 Squadron aboard HMS Indefatigable.

Fireflies provided air cover during the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz in 1944.

[edit] Variants

Two variants of the Mk I Firefly were built; 429 "fighter" Firefly F Mk Is, built by Fairey and General Aircraft Ltd, and 376 "fighter/reconnaissance" Firefly FR Mk Is (which were fitted with the ASH detection radar). The last 334 Mk Is built were upgraded with the 1,765 hp (1,316 kW) Griffon XII engine.

Firefly with wings folded, Oshkosh, 2002.

Only 37 Mk II Fireflies were built, all of which were night fighter Firefly NF Mk IIs. They had a slightly longer fuselage than the Mk I and had modifications to house their airborne interception (AI) radar. They were superseded by the "night fighter" Firefly NF Mk I variant. A Firefly Mk III was proposed, based on the Griffon 61 engine, but never entered production. The Firefly Mk IV was equipped with the 2,330 hp (1,740 kW) Griffon 72 engine and first flew in 1944, but did not enter service until after the end of the war. The later Firefly AS 5 and AS 6 followed for anti-submarine duties. The T 7 was an advanced trainer and the U 8 was a target drone aircraft. To see a video of a Fairey Firefly Mk.5 taxiing up at an airshow , please click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sijqKmbqmvs

[edit] Specifications (Mk I)

This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.

General characteristics<h3>
Crew: Two
Length: 37 ft 7 in (11.46 m)
Wingspan: 44 ft 6 in (13.56 m)
Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
Wing area: 330 ft² (m²)
Empty weight: lb (kg)
Loaded weight: lb (kg)
Max takeoff weight: 14,020 lb (6,359 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Griffon IIB liquid-cooled V-12, 1,730 hp (1,290 kW)
<h3>Performance<h3>
Maximum speed: 316 mph at 14,000 ft (509 km/h at 4,300 m)
Range: 1,070 miles with auxiliary tanks (1,722 km)
Service ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,530 m)
Rate of climb: ft/min (m/s)
Wing loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)
<h3>Armament<h3>
4x 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannons
1x 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb
8x 60 lb (27 kg) rockets

[edit] Specifications (Mk IV)

This aircraft article is missing some (or all) of its specifications. If you have a source, you can help Wikipedia by adding them.

General characteristics<h3>
Crew: Two
Length: 37 ft 11 in (11.53 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 2 in (12.55 m)
Height: 14 ft 4 in (4.37 m)
Wing area: 330 ft² (30.66 m²)
Empty weight: lb (kg)
Loaded weight: 13,200 lb (6,000 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 14,020 lb (6,359 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Griffon IIB liquid-cooled V-12, 1,730 hp (1,290 kW)
<h3>Performance<h3>
Maximum speed: 386 mph at 14,000 ft (618 km/h at 4,300 m)
Range: 1,070 miles with auxiliary tanks (1,722 km)
Service ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,530 m)
Rate of climb: 1900 ft/min (9.7 m/s)
Wing loading: lb/ft² (kg/m²)
<h3>Armament<h3>
4x 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannons
2x 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb under wings
8 pairs of 60 lb (27 kg) rockets

[edit] Operators

Wartime

United Kingdom
- Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm

Post War

Australia
- Royal Australian Navy, Fleet Air Arm (RAN)
  - No. 723 Squadron RAN
  - No. 724 Squadron RAN
  - No. 725 Squadron RAN
  - No. 816 Squadron RAN
  - No. 817 Squadron RAN
  - No. 851 Squadron RAN
Canada
- Royal Canadian Navy
Denmark
Ethiopia
Netherlands
Sweden
Thailand
United Kingdom
- Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm

[edit] References

Bussy, Geoffrey. Fairey Firefly. Milton Keynes, United Kingdom: Hall Park Books Ltd., 2001. ISBN X-9999-00284.
Harrison, H.E. Fairey Firefly in Action. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 2006. ISBN 0-897475-0-11