FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1932
1932 - 1143.PDF
FLIGHT, NOVEMBER 17, 1932 FAIREY " FIREFLIES " IN BELGIUM : A line-up of the machines at Niwlles. (FLIGHT Photo.) The Jlairey A.viation V^o. , L,ta. 'WO complete aircraft will be exhibited on the stand ®f the Fairey Aviation Co., Ltd., a " Fox " and a " Firefly," both fitted with Rolls-Royce Kestrel engine. It will be remembered that after very strenuous com petition with aircraft firms of other nations, the Fairey Company was awarded the Belgian order, the award caus ing some rather heated comment abroad, notably in France, where it was felt that the French constructors had been outwitted. The move on the part of the Fairey Company in exhibiting at Paris the two particular types of Fairev aircraft which succeeded in beating all-comers in Belgium is thus a very timely one, as it will afford not only all the foreign visitors to Paris, but the French con structors themselves, an excellent opportunity to examine the Fairey machines in detail. We believe that after such an inspection all fair-minded critics will come to the con clusion that, to use the English sporting phrase, " the best man won." The " Fox " Mark II to be exhibited in Paris will be generally similar to those which are now being constructed under licence in the Belgian Fairey factory at Gosselies, but will show certain differences. For example, in place of the usual single synchronised machine gun firing through the propeller (and, of course, operated by the pilot) the " Fox II " shown in Paris will have two synchronised guns. In addition to these, the very comprehensive equip ment includes radio, bomb gear and automatically-operated camera. In spite of the equipment carried, the " Fox II " is claimed to have a maximum speed of 190 m.p.h. (306 km./h.). The " Firefly " to be exhibited will be of the Mark II type. Being a single-seater fighter instead of a two-seater, and having a fully supercharged engine, the " Firefly II " is, of course, considerably faster than the " Fox II." Actually a speed of 220 m.p.h. (354 km./h.) is claimed for it at an altitude of 13,000 ft. (4 000 m.). Both machines are of the well-known Fairey type of metal construction, and we have no doubt that both will be very much admired. IK T HAT one of the youngest of British aircraft firms should have achieved such success with its first machine as to be in a position to exhibit at a Paris Aero Show is cause for satisfaction. General Aircraft, Ltd., has been founded by Mr. H. J. Stieger and his associates to design and build machines incorporating the Stieger monospar principle of wing construction. The machine to be exhibited at Paris will be the first type to be pro duced by the firm, i.e., the Monospar ST.4. This is a four-seater aircraft intended for the private owner, and is fitted with two Pobjoy " R " engines. The fuselage is of unusual construction in that the rear portion has a sort of monospar backbone, torsionally stiffened by pyramid bracing. The cantilever wing has the Stieger monospar construction in which a single spar is in itself strong enough to carry the pure bending loads, but is enabled to withstand torsional stresses by a system of spiral wire bracing known as pyramid bracing. The whole machine is extremely light and has an excellent ratio of gross to tare weight. The cabin is so laid out that one passenger sits next to the pilot in front, while the other two occupy a side- by-side seat at the back. A large luggage locker is behind the rear seat. From the pilot's seat a quite remarkably good view is obtained in all directions which matter, the absence of an engine in the nose of the fuselage making FAIREY " FOXES " IN BELGIUM Machines lined up at Evere. 1065 (FLIGHT Photo.)
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
