Fairey Fulmar

Přehled verzí
Fairey Fulmar - an overview of the versions

Label the Design of the aeroplane - a description
Fairey Fulmar Mk.I on-board fighter aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin VIII
Fairey Fulmar Mk.II on-board fighter aircraft powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin 30
Fairey Fulmar NF Mk.II to convert to a night fighter version, only part of them has been deployed operationally
Fairey Fulmar TT Mk.II rebuilding designed for towing practice targets




Manufacturer production Period Manufactured units
The Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd., Stockport 01. 1940 - 12. 1940 250 serial aircraft version of the Fulmar Mk.Even
The Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd., Stockport 01. 1941 - 02. 1943 350 production aircraft version of the Fulmar Mk.II
The Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd., Stockport 05. 1942 - 1944 adapted 100 aircraft Fulmar Mk.II the night fighter version of the Fulmar NF Mk.II
The Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd., Stockport 05. 1942 - 1944 at least 3 aircraft Fulmar Mk.II have been adjusted to the version of the Fulmar TT Mk.II intended for towing practice targets



Used springs:
Profile Aircraft No. 254, Fairey Fulmar Mks I & II, by David Brown, Profile Publications Ltd., Windsor, England, 1973, No ISBN.
Warpaint Series No. 41, Fairey Fulmar, by Geoffrey Bussy, Warpaint Books Ltd., Luton, England 2004.
Owen Thetford, British Naval Aircraft since 1912 Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 1991, ISBN 1-55750-076-2.
Michal Ovčáčík and Karel Susa, Fairey Fulmar Mks. I, II, NF Mk. II, TT Mk. II,Mark I Ltd./ 4+ Publications, Prague, Czech Republic, 2001, ISBN 80-902559-5-7 ISBN 80-902559-5-7.
www.fleetairarmarchive.net
author archive
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URL : https://www.valka.cz/Fairey-Fulmar-t40359#531015 Version : 0

Fairey Fulmar[/heading]
In the second half of the thirties rose in Europe voltage, when Germany began openly arming and so it was also in Asia, where the Japanese waged an aggressive war on the chinese battlefield. At that time there were in many letectvech to major upgrading - set the end of biplanes and began to appear cantilever monoplanes. Recall that at the end of the summer of 1935 flew the prototype of the French fighter jets MS.405 and just one month later flew the Messerschmitt Bf 109In-1. In Great Britain was at that time, [Hawker Hurricane and in march of the following year flew the prototype of the Spitfire. The united states was much more conservative, but there was already a competition in which there were two main rivals Seversky P-35 and Curtiss P-36, here were all-metal monoplanes, but with lower performances. Of these prototypes have become powerful ordinary fighter, was no different in the United kingdom, the british royal air force in September 1939 in the arsenal next to the elderly dvouplošných Gladiatorů modern Hurricanes and Spitfires, and the british factories were prepared on increased aircraft deliveries.

The british air force, however, was not only the RAF (Royal Air Force), there was still air force navy FAA (Fleet Air Arm) and here the situation was much worse. This was due also to the fact that naval aviation was a fairly long part of the RAF and thus of its composition and the tasks of deciding the "landsmen" and the sailors their requirements difficult to enforce. The resulting situation was greatly distressed, on the decks of aircraft carriers were from the year 1938, the dive-bombers, Blackburn Skua, which acted as the reconnaissance and fighter tasks! Aircraft that were podmotorované and therefore not very powerful. The Royal Navy adopted in 1939 into your loadout peaked fighter Blackburn Roc, this aircraft, however, was not too of great benefit, greater importance should dvouplošné aircraft Sea Gladiator, which was a modification of land-based fighters, Sea Theatres came on the decks of aircraft carriers at the turn of the years 1938 and 1939. The royal navy however, had a completely different idea of how has on-board fighter look like and what tasks he has to perform. Unfortunately, this idea is absolutely different from the american or the japanese concept.

The british admiralty insisted doggedly on the requirement that the on-board fighter has to be a two-seater, the second member of the crew should take care of the navigation, further had to maintain radio contact with the parent aircraft carrier and to ensure safe return of the aircraft on the deck of the parent ship and in all weather conditions. Such a requirement should certainly warranted, especially at a time when the ships have not yet been radars and if they were later, so not enough power, or there was a little. On the other hand, on-board the aircraft this concept had to be always greater and also had to be more massive than the fighter single. The admiralty, however, wanted such a fighter, had mainly a sufficient range and could perform the tasks of reconnaissance and limited and the tasks of the bombing. On-board fighters, according to the wishes of the british admiralty, should not be in charge of the defense of their own mother ship, or their own union, that should take care of the on-board anti-aircraft artillery. The british two-seater on-board fighters should challenge, somewhere over the ocean, long-range reconnaissance machines of the enemy, the premise was such, that it will mostly deal about flying boats or float planes. The next task was to be the escort of the association's own torpedo bomardérů. These requirements of the admiralty in 1938, had formulated the specifications marked with the .8/38.

The board of directors of the company Fairey Aviation Corporation, after studying these specifications recognise that it is not time to spare and instructed his designer Marcel Lobella, that according to these specifications modified the unused prototypes two-seat light bomber, which was built according to the specifications of the P.4/34. It was actually a lightweight and aerodynamically improved light bomber Battle. The prototype of this bomber was to fly in 1937, the Royal air force competition eventually cancelled and this category no longer interested. Chief designer Marcel Jules Odilon Lobell for redevelopment used the second prototype (K7555), which fundamentally altered to match the requirements of the Royal Navy. In practice, this meant that it was used a completely new folding wings with a smaller margin, in each half of the wings was a battery of four machine guns, Browning Mk.II the caliber of 7.7 mm, for each machine gun was carried by a supply of 750 rounds. The hull was also modified, had to be reinforced, got curtains for the catapult, arrestor hook and in nepolední row has changed the cab, the other member of the crew sat under a long nevystupujícím richly glass cover and the hull had to go in and rescue inflatable boat - dinghy. The drive unit was a prototype Merlin RM3M, then modified Merlin II with the compressor, which optimized for a height of 2 300 m. it Is true that the company Fairey managed to save some time by taking advantage of the already tested prototype light bomber, but on the other hand, there was significant time loss by Marcel Lobell worked simultaneously on the project on-board bomber Albacore and a little later in the project of the bomber Fairey Barracuda.

The tension in Europe could not reduce neither the policy Neville Chamberlain and it left the Royal navy in the peace, Germany was a potential enemy, and the Kriegsmarine was becoming still more powerful fleet. The Royal Navy at this voltage responded and ordered the company Fairey the construction of 250 fighter Fulmarů and it did not even have a prototype! The first prototype (N1854) was [up to 4. January 1940, behind the wheel sat a factory test pilot Duncan Menzies. It was a technological prototype, which was intended only for trials. The second prototype (N1855) flew from April 1940, and their implementation corresponded to the future a serial machine, for which he was chosen a more powerful engine Rolls-Royce Merlin VIII. Both prototypes were tested at the Aeroplae & Armament Experimental Establishment in the Boscombe Down. The third prototype (N1856) in early April, flew in to the test unit (Service Trials) RNAS (778. squadron) Lee-on-Solent. The other two prototypes Fulmaru (N1856 and N1857) should be equipped with floats, fortunately, it was not because the landing gear of the already small performance Fulmaru even more debased. Some sources even mention the construction of prototypes and consider them as pre-series machines.

Already during the factory tests showed good handling and aircraft in flight were very nice and the pilots could forgive many mistakes. Exactly as expected, however, lagged behind all of his performances for jednomístnými fighters, the Fulmar so slightly lagged in speed, rate of climb, even in dostupu, one-man fighters were mostly Fulmaru superior in agility. Overall, this was the unpromising concept of fighter aircraft, which couldn't match ground to modern fighters, the Royal Navy, however, on this aircraft anxiously waited and counted with him for the reconnaissance flights and especially for combat with the bombers and reconnaissance machines of the enemy. The tests were launched on a completely new aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious on 3. June 1940, there is shown the experience of the company Fairey and Fulmar has stood for excellent.

Serial production was started at the turn of April and may 1940 in the factory in Stockport, in August has already achieved a monthly production of 25 aircraft. By the end of the year took the Royal navy a total of 159 Fulmarů and a part of them put to combat units. The first unit, which was Fulmary equipped with a was 806. squadron FAA with his machine participated in the defense of Norway and also to promote the evacuation of troops from the French Dunkirk. Complete overkill has reached to 15. July 1940 and shortly thereafter was stationed on the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, followed by 808. squadron on deck HMS Ark Royal and 803. squadron operating in HMS Formidable. Gradually it was Fulmary equipped eighteen squadrons of the FAA, but only twelve of them were fighting and one of them (784.) was trained for night fighting.

Most were Fulmary deployed in the fighting in the Mediterranean sea, where a fairly proven against the Italian machines, the most common adversary was the Italian bombers Savoia Marchetti SM-79. The deployment of more modern German aircraft already Fulmarům caused a lot of problems. Three squadrons of the FAA intervened in the fighting against the Japanese in the Far east, primarily in the defense of Ceylon. It was a 273., 803. and 806. squadron. Few Fulmarů received for units one more defensive machine gun Vickers the caliber of 7.7 mm, this gun served the second member of the crew, but the handling of this weapon was difficult and also the firing range was small.

The end of the year 1940 was in the order of 155 produced serial of the aeroplane Fulmar Mk.I (N4021) installed a more powerful engine Rolls-Royce Merlin 30 and this aircraft was subsequently extensively tested and is considered to be the prototype of a new version - Fulmar Mk.II. With the advent of the year 1941 was started its production. The first produced aircraft of this version was probably the aircraft with the serial number of X8525. This version characterized the slightly larger heatsink (wider) under the engine, the two oil coolers at his sides, a different type of propeller Rotol, bigger exhaust pipes and because he was this engine "žíznivější", could the new Fulmary carry under the fuselage an additional tank volume of 227 liters. Ammunition supply could be increased up to 1 000 rounds of ammunition for each machine gun. The royal navy commissioned this new version of Fulmarů by the end of 1940, first it was the order to 200 aircraft, soon followed by a second order for another 50 Fulmarů and then another 100.

Fulmary have been due to its two-seater concept quite suitable for installation of radar equipment. One complete set, intended for installation in night fighters Defiant NF Mk.II, with the designation of the AI Mk.VI was taken over from the RAF and was built into Fulmaru Mk.II. The adjustment has been made and tested at the test unit in Lee-on-Solent. Antenna type Yagi of this radar system were located outside on the wings of the aircraft and decreased the maximum rate of the night fighters about 15 - 20 km/h. Above the exhaust pipes were mounted boards, which prevent glare to the pilot. In this form, it was modified about a hundred Fulmarů, half of this amount was used operationally and the other half was used only for training. The modified aircraft were indicated as Fulmar NF Mk.II. In the summer of 1941 was in a few (dozen?) Fulmarů Mk.II changed the armament in the wings were installed four effective half-inch scale machine guns Browning and for each of them was carried by the stock 370 rounds of ammunition. In early 1943 he was on a few night fighter Fulmarech tested radar AI Mk.X, which was installed in housings underneath the wings, the radar detector worked with waves in centimetrovém zone.

From the end of 1942 were Fulmary increasingly deployed for tactical reconnaissance and fighter tasks from them taking over gradually Seafiry and Marlety, which for this role could use much better. The longest in the fighter role keep the 893. the squadron FAA on board the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable, who accompanied the allied convoys in the Murmansk yet in the winter of 1944. Later, after the introduction of the Fairey Firefly, already Fulmary served only to the training, while several of them have been adapted to towing targets for gunnery practice.
I can't forget the fact that Fulmary were deployed even while performing a very difficult task - they were carried on the katapultech modified merchant ships CAM and, if necessary, by using the catapult fired into the air to attacked the long-range reconnaissance aircraft, Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor. After performance of the task, the pilot could reach the nearest friendly base, that is, if she was within range, or had to bail out near my own convoy. Deployment Fulmarů in this role is relatively poorly known, most are associated with the deployment of Hurricatů.

The pilots had the planes Fulmar in fairly considerable popularity, and in spite of their lower performances. Fulmary addition to its good flight characteristics allowed the pilots as well as very good views, both in flight (the pilot was at the level of the leading edge of the wing), as well as during takeoff and landing on the flight deck. The aircraft descended without damage even a hard landing, it made him a very good plane for training, but here was the flaw in the fact that the communication between the instructor and the pupil had to be made only through the intercom because the instructor was sitting in a separate cabin of the navigator. Interesting is the story of a practice flight, during which he had a pupil with Fulmarem land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, the landing failed, the aircraft landed too far to the left, landing hook caught on the brake rope, the aircraft lost speed, but suddenly rebounded sharply and abruptly swerved up over the side of the fell from the flight deck. What was the surprise of the on-board staff, when they found that the Fulmar hanging on the side of the boat suspended on the brake rope! After the extrication was allegedly Fulmar is capable of flight.



Used springs:
William Green, War Planes of the Second World War: Volume Two Fighters, UK, London, Macdonald, 1961.
Profile Aircraft No. 254, Fairey Fulmar Mks I & II, by David Brown, Profile Publications Ltd., Windsor, England, 1973, No ISBN.
Warpaint Series No. 41, Fairey Fulmar, by Geoffrey Bussy, Warpaint Books Ltd., Luton, England 2004.
Alec Lumsden, Number Three: Fairey Fulmar, Aeroplane Monthly, June 1990.
Owen Thetford, British Naval Aircraft since 1912 Naval Institute Press, Annapolis 1991, ISBN 1-55750-076-2.
Michal Ovčáčík and Karel Susa, Fairey Fulmar Mks. I, II, NF Mk. II, TT Mk. II,Mark I Ltd./ 4+ Publications, Prague, Czech Republic, 2001, ISBN 80-902559-5-7.
Zbyněk War, Fighter aircraft 1939-45/ Great Britain - Germany, Olomouc, Votobia, 1996, ISBN 80-7198-260-1.
Of aeronautics and astronautics no. 19/ 1977, Václav Němeček, Aircraft 39-45, Fairey Fulmar, year LIII, p. 743, Label Magnet n. p.
http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fww2/fulmar.html
www.militaryfactory.com
www.flugzeuginfo.net
www.fleetairarmarchive.net
http://www.airpages.ru/uk/fulmar.shtml
author archive
.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Fairey-Fulmar-t40359#530630 Version : 0
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