18 RAF CENTENARY CELEBRATION BOMBERS
1918 2018FAIREY
1924 TO 1941
FAIREY BIPLANES
F
loatplanes for the Royal Naval
Air Service were the staple of
Fairey Aviation’s output from
its factory at Hayes in the later years
of the Great War. In late 1917 Fairey
produced what it called the Series
III, a large two-seat bomber, which
transformed the fledgling company
into a major player in the industry.
Developments of this design
continued all the way through to the
all-metal IIIF. Never given a name, the
last Fairey IIIs were built in 1932 and
examples served on as late as 1939.
The Series IIIs were general-purpose
types, but the experience led to Fairey
branching out into fighters and
bombers.
In March 1923 the company flew
the prototype Fawn, initially intended
as an army co-operation type for the
RAF. The Air Ministry chopped and
changed its requirements and the type
was accepted – as the first all-new
light bomber for the RAF – to replace
the venerable de Havilland DH.9A.
Powered by a 470hp (360kW) Napier
Lion V, the Fawn could carry a bomb
load of 460lb (208kg).
When production ended in 1926
a total of 74 Fawns had been built
in four versions. Air Ministry whims
infuriated the company’s leading
light, Richard Fairey, and influenced
his later thinking: the most obvious
was the sudden need not to place fuelRight
Fox I J7948 of 12
Squadron awaiting its
turn to join the fl ying at
a Hendon display. Note
the fox’s head and ‘XII’
in a circle on the fi n.
This machine joined the
unit in July 1926 and
was fi tted with Rolls-
Royce Kestrel in 1929,
becoming a Mk.IA.Bottom right
A fl ight of Fawn IIs of
100 Squadron, based
at Grantham. In the
foreground is J
which served the unit
from December 1924
until it crashed at
Weston Zoyland on
July 9, 1925.
BOTH KECBIPLANESBIPLANES
tanks within the fuselage, to reduce
the risk of fire. A streamlined tank
was placed, port and starboard, on
top of the inboard section of upper
wing – a cynic at the time observing
they were “perfectly positioned to
rain ignited petrol down upon
the crew”.
The first unit to accept Fawns for
service was 12 Squadron at Andover
in March 1924. The type left frontline
use in December 1926, largely
replaced by Hawker Horsleys, but in
12’s case with the Fox – see below.
Fawns also served with Auxiliary Air
Force units until 1929.LEADING THE WAY
The Schneider Trophy, seeking the
fastest seaplanes, was hosted by
Britain in 1923. Richard Fairey was
wide-eyed at the sleek Curtiss CR-
biplanes, powered by Curtiss D-
V12-format engines, which won the
competition at a sizzling 177mph
(284km/h), and a fact-finding tour
of the USA led to a licence agreement
for the D-12, Curtiss-Reed adjustable-
pitch propellers and patented wing
sections.
Tired of Air Ministry meddling,
Fairey was going to build a private
venture bomber that would make theType: Two-seat light day bomber
First fl ight: January 3, 1925; entered service June 1926
Powerplant: One 480hp (358kW) Curtiss D-12 V
Dimensions: Span 37ft 8in (11.47m), Length 28ft 03in (8.61m)
Weights: Empty 2,610lb (1,183kg), All-up 4,170lb (1,891kg)
Max speed: 150mph (45.7km/h) at 10,000ft (3,048m)
Range: 500 miles (804km)
Armament: One machine gun fi ring through propeller arc, another in rear
position. Up to 460lb (208kg) of bombs
Replaced: Fairey Fawn – served only with 12 Squadron
Taken on charge: 28
Replaced by: Hawker HartFAIREY FOX