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Aviation History
1955
1955 - 1022.PDF
134 FLIGHT Fox Trainer. FAMILY OF FAIREYS . . . from the first. Notably it was of all-metal construction, with afuselage of steel tubes and wings having main spars of high-tensile steel strip drawn to double-lobe section and riveted to webswhich were stabilized by angle plates. Armament and equipment was the same as that of the Fox I, ths total military load being1,087 lb. The engine was an unsupercharged Rolls-Royce F.XIB (Kestrel IB), which gave a top speed of 152 m.p.h. at 10,000ft,145 m.p.h. at 15,000ft, and a time of climb to 15,000ft of 16i min. With the supercharged Kestrel IIS engine the Fox II was sup-plied to Belgium (where it was built by Avions Fairey), Peru and Switzerland. Supercharging greatly benefited performance; thus,top speed was 188.8 m.p.h. at 16,400ft and ceiling 28,860ft. Fox HIM Similar to the IIM, but with two fixed, forward-firingguns instead of one. Fox Trainer Powered with an Armstrong Siddeley Serval radialengine of 360 h.p. and weighing 4,296 lb, this instructional version had a top speed of 138 m.p.h. The designation Mk III has alsobeen applied to this type. Fox IV M Similar to the Mk III, but with provision for a twin-float undercarriage. Fox VI Developed by Avions Fairey, this high-performance two-seater fighter/reconnaissance aircraft was powered with a His- pano-Suiza 12 Ydrs engine, had twin front guns, faired under-carriage, a cockpit enclosure, and numerous other refinements. The increased power enabled the machine to take off in 60 ydand to attain a speed of over 220 m.p.h. at 13,000ft. A height of 19,860ft was attained in well under 8| min. Ninety-four aircraftof this type were built. Fox VII A single-seat fighter development of the Fox by AvionsFairey, this was alternatively known as the Mono Fox or Kan- gourou. The last name arose from the location of a large ventralradiator well aft. Armament was six machine guns—four in the upper wings and two in the fuselage.P.4/34 In every way a worthy successor to the Fox, this light day bomber, first flown in 1937, was of extremely clean design andof such high performance that, as earlier recounted, it was de- veloped into a fighter. The first prototype had the Rolls-RoyceMerlin I or II engine, and the second, on which were mounted experimental Fairey-Youngman flaps, had the Merlin X. Themachine was stressed for dive bombing and carried a 500 lb load externally. Span was 47ft 4iin, length 40ft, weight empty 6,405 1b,gross weight 8,7871b, top speed (Merlin II) 284 m.p.h. at 17,200ft, stalling speed 55 m.p.h., service ceiling 29,600ft, and range 1,000miles. Battle The Battle was a two-seat medium bomber, built toSpecification P.27/32 and was eventually produced, to a total of Fox VII (Mono Fox or Kangourou). Fox (Fairey Prince engine). 2,419 aircraft, by Fairey and by car manufacturers participating inthe "shadow factory" scheme. The wing was of two-spar con- struction, and though the spars were of girder type at the roots,they became flanged beams as they neared the wing-tips. Split trailing-edge flaps extended from aileron to aileron. The slenderfuselage was of oval section and made in two portions; forward of the pilot's cockpit it was of tubular construction, but the rearpart was a metal monocoque with Z-section stringers. The under- carriage was semi-retractable; the Rolls-Royce Merlin III enginewas cooled by a ducted radiator; and the pilot had a single fixed Vickers gun. The observer had a Vickers gas-operated gun ona special Fairey mounting, and as a result of war experience a third gun was added to fire through the floor. Bombs of about1,000 lb total weight were carried within the wing and dropped through trapdoors. Span was 54ft, length 52ft 2in, weight empty6,647 lb, gross weight 10,790 lb, speed at sea level 210 m.p.h., speed at 15,000ft 257 m.p.h., climb to 15,000ft 13 min, serviceceiling 25,000ft, and maximum range 1,000 miles. During 1940, Battles were hotly engaged in bombing andreconnaissance work and figured in many gallant and bloody actions. Numerous examples were converted into trainers, withthe designation Battle (T) and many of these had two separate cockpit enclosures. Others were adapted as target tugs, but themost interesting of all were those modified for testing new engines. Among these were machines with the Rolls-Royce Exe and Griffon,the Fairey P.24 (24-cylinder, double-banked, driving two three-blade coaxial airscrews independently), Wright Cyclone,Bristol Taurus and Hercules and Napier Dagger and Sabre. The P.24-engined Battle was shipped to America during 1939 afterbeing extensively flown in this country. AboYe, Battle. Below, Battle Trainer. Above, P.4/34. Below, Battle test-bed for Napier Dagger engine.
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