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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 0310.PDF
FLIGHT FEBRUARY 14TH, 1946 FAIREY SPEARFISH REMOTELY - CONTROLLED 1 TURRET rectangular section and are drilled longitudinally through these ends to take the engine-mounting bolts. Extending from the bulk- head to the retractable radar scanner unit near the tail, the bomb bay takes up roughly half the fuselage depth. The pilot's and observer's floor forms the top of the bay, and a hatch at the rear end gives one method of access to the rear cockpit and fuselage. The layout may be studied from the illustration above. It will be seen that the gun turret and dinghy stowage are above the rear end of the bomb bay; on the flooring below, though not shown in the drawing, are mounted the electric flap-synchronising motors and the methanol tank. Among the special features of the Spearfish the cock- pit enclosure is noteworthy. This is of transparent, plastic moulded construction with additional material cemented-on in place of a frame-work proper "to stiffen the structure at edges and joints. The sliding panels are power-operated and at the rear terminate aft of the observer's cockpit in a gun-sight cupola for the Re- motely-controlled Nash and Thompson twin 0.5 gun FAIREY SPEARFISH T.D. MK.I DIMENSIONS AND DATA, : Performance (Torpedo aircraft) Speed sea level 228 kt. „ 14,000ft 254 „ „ 20,000ft 243 „ Climb to 5,O0Oft 3 min. 40 sec. 10,000ft 7 min. 45 sec. 20,000ft 19 min. 15 sec. Service Ceiling 25,000ft. Take-off Run (wind 27 kt.) 480ft. Economical cruising speed at 15,000ft 170 kt. Endurance 5.3 hr. Range 900 naut. m. Areas Main plane and centre planes (with ailerons) . Ailerons (with tabs) Aileron tabs Flaps Dive brakes (unvented) top bottom ... Tail plane (with elevators) Elevators (with tabs) Elevator tabs (two) Fin (with rudder) ... Rudder (with tab) Rudder tab (one) 530.00 so,, ft. 38.50 „ 3.25 ..92.00 25.0020.00 116.8057.00 2.90 56.40 26.30 1.30 Wing loading (torpedo aircraft) 41.5 Ib./sq. ft. Flaps (Youngman) Housed position ... ... ... ... ... ... ... flush. Cruising position ... ... ... . ... ... 3 deg. 25 min. (flap chord) Take-off position ... ... ... ... ... /IS ,, 25 ,, „ „ (variable ground setting) ... ... ... \25 ,, 25 ,, „ „ Landing position 35 ., 25 ,. „ „ Weights and Dimensions Main wing span ,, (span wings folded) „ dihedral ,, ,, sweep back Overall length (tail down) Height (tail down, wings folded, airscrew optimum position).. Overall height (tail down, wings folded, airscrew running).. Tail plane span Track.. Normal all-up weight Bomber (4 x S00 Ib. bombs) Bomber (I x 2.000 Ib. bomb) Torpedo aircraft Long-range reconnaissance 60ft. 3in. 19ft. 6in. 6 deg. 3 deg. 44ft. 7in. 16ft. 4in. 17ft. 3in. 20ft. Oin. 16ft. Bin. 21,642 Ib. 22,083 Ib. 22,010 Ib. 22,021 Ib. 21,882 Ib. Engine and Airscrew Engine Centaurus C.E.58, 18-cylinder, air-cooled, 2-row Radial. Airscrew Rotol, V.H.65, 5-blade, 14ft. constant-speed tractor. Take-off power 2,800 b.h.p. (with methanol) Power loading at take-off 7.9 Ib./b.h.p. Max. level power at 14,000ft 2,320 b.h.p. Max. weak mixture cruising at 21,250ft. I,£35 b.h.p. Main port and starboard Leading edg<> starboard Overload total Normal capacity total Maximum capacity total Fuel Tanks 2x183 gal. I x 43 „ Ix 180 „ 409 „ 589 „ STING' TYPE DECK ARRESTER HOOK The Spearfish bomb bay holdstorpedo, bombs or depth charges and takes up almost' half the fuselage depth. The slope down from pilot's cockpit to aircraft nose is pronouncedand ensures good forward vision. turret. The windscreen is mounted on a hinged fairing which opens to give access to the back of the main in- strument panel; the appropriate sections of the structure can be jettisoned in an emergency. The width of the Spearfish with wings folded is about two feet more than the eighteen originally specified, but in that the tail plane span is also 20 feet, and three air- craft can still be stowed abreast in the normal carrier The centre section chassis ribs terminate at each end in largelight alloy forgings to carry undercarriage and folding wing fittings. hangar, the increase in size of main tanks permitted in the wing centre section makes this an advantage. In view of the large size of the aircraft, the provision of folding tail plane tips was at first considered but this was later found to be unnecessary. An unusual feature is the riveting of the webs to the centre section front spar booms; these booms are plain, solid, large-section, light alloy extrusions, and in view of their thickness, the drilling of holes for a number of large rivets would appreciably weaken them. There- fore, instead of drilling right through, holes are taken half-way and enlarged to a small cavity in the spar centre; expanding rivets are then inserted. The rear spar booms are attached to the light alloy sheet webs by a double row of large, full-length rivets; "Z" section stiffeners are also riveted to the spar webs. The wing roots are stiffened and strengthened on each side wing folding, and undercarriage attachment A flap jack showing the chain for connection with the electric synchronising motors.
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