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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 2201.PDF
494 FLIGHT NOVEMBER STH, 1945 FIREFLY with improved performance. A forward-facing air intake is made integral with the "one-piece" bottom cowl, and an ice guard is fitted a few inches from the entry. Air cleaning is achieved by closing a pneumatically operated flap which shuts off the ram and causes the air to be sucked through internal louvres in the under-surface to obtain primary cleaning and then through a large-area Vokes cleaner to complete the process. The cleaner is positioned so as to cause no obstruction in the air intake duct when out of circuit. The selection of '' chassis down'' is arranged auto- matically to bring the filter system into operation. Warm air from inside the power plant may be selected at will. Among other clean-up changes, the blisters over the guns have been reshaped. By a simple attachment of an alternative exhaust trough, an interchangeable side panel complete with flame-damping shroud may be quickly fitted, or a glare shield for night work may.be attached by two or three bolts. To facilitate engine servicing, the cowling support structure rails are incorporated in the cowl panels. Thermostat Cooling Control Cooling is controlled by mechanically interconnected all- metal flaps in the exit ducts. By means of a thermostat, the duct apertures are continuously adjusted, and thus steady engine temperatures are maintained. Cabin and gun heating is ducted from the forward side, with individual controls in each of the cockpits. Special effort has been made to obtain a maximum duct efficiency by using chordwise lips and grooves at the fuselage sides. Access to the radiators is gained by the removal of one large panel; when necessary, the whole unit may be lifted out by slacken- ing the holding-down bolts and slinging at the two eyes provided. All piping and flap controls are accessible through the same open- ing. Top speed of the Firefly IV is 386 m.p.h. at 14,000ft., which is some 70 m.p.h. quicker than the Mk. I, and approximately 8-10'm.p.h. of the 70 has been attained by the high-gloss surface finish in place of the matt surface used on the first machine. At 22c m.p.h. the aircraft has a high cruising speed, which is coupled with a range of four hours when using normal tankage; but range can be increased to 6^ hours by the extra drop tanks. As with the Mk. I, the Firefly IV carries four 20 mm. Wing radiators are used in the new FaireyFirefly IV. Four 60 lb. rockets in a single bank. In the leading edge(top left) is the automatic camera. Doubled 25 1b. rockets and 500 lb. bomb on specially faired rack. cannon, but according to tactical requirements it can, how- ever, carry in addition 16 rockets, or eight heavy rockets, or bombs of various sizes up to 1,000 lb.—the maximum is t\ Lc,, 1,000 1b. per aircraft—or long-range drop tanks which give *~ a maximum range of 1,400 miles. Either tanks or bombs (but not both) can be carried on the same pick-ups and, extra to these, rockets can be carried as an additional overload. As shown in the accompanying photographs, the rockets are carried on the new-type " zero-length " rails, the front suspension incorporating a slip hook and the rear a short fore-and-aft slot into which fit extension lips from the rocket tube. This arrangement, whilst having the advantages of less weight and less drag, also permits the carrying of eight rockets per wing in two banks of four each, the lower bank being suspended from the upper in much the same fashion as the upper bank are sus- pended from the carriers. Sixteen 60 lb. rockets is a very formidable attack armament for any aircraft even without consideration of the four 20 mm. cannon which the Fire- fly can still use when its rockets are expended. Not unexpectedly, during the secrecy of war, confusion has arisen concerning the various Firefly mark numbers. To clarify this, it may be explained that the modern Fire- fly I represented a day fighter (DF) version, and the Mk. II was designed as a night fighter (NF), incorporating an early type of radar. To give better stability for the NF version, ^r ' the engine was moved forward i8in. But then came an ^" improved radar, and this new equipment, it was found, could be installed in the Mk. I, which could thus be used for both DF and NF duties. Hence, the Mk. II was re- placed by the Mk. I, with a Griffon XII. In order to take advantage of improvements in the Griffon engine, the Firefly Mk. Ill was designed. This had an orthodox underslung nose radiator, installed in a bulbous and crescent-shaped duct. But this design appeared to affect the longitudinal control adversely, and thus a redesign was required. This was the Mk. IV. FIREFLY IV Span . . .. .. .. .. .. 41ft. 2in. Length 37ft. I fin. Height 14ft. 4in. Weight .. .. 13,200 Ib. Wing area 330 sq. ft. Wing loading .. .. .. .. 40 Ib/sq. ft. Power loading .. .. .. .. 5-73 Ib/b.h.p. Max. speed .. .. .. 386 m.p.h. @ !4,000ft. Cruising speed 220 m.p.h. @ 14,000ft. Normal endurance .. .. .. .. 4 hours. Endurance with extra tanks . . . . . . 6| hours.
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