Fairey Long-range Monoplane

Infobox Aircraft
name=Long-range Monoplane


caption=
type=experimental aircraft
manufacturer=Fairey Aviation

designer=
first flight=14 November 1928
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=Royal Air Force
more users=
produced=
number built=2
unit cost=
variants with their own articles=

The Fairey Long-range Monoplanes were a pair of British experimental aircraft of the late-1920s and early 1930s. The Fairey Long-range Monoplanes were single-engine, high-wing aircraft with fixed tailwheel undercarriage.

Design and development

The first aircraft was designed to meet Air Ministry Specification 33/27; it was issued by the Directorate of Technical Development (DTD). According to a Ministry spokesman in the House of Commons, this aircraft was to be constructed not just "for a specific record" but as a serious study into methods of increasing the range of aircraft. In order to soothe the anxieties of the Treasury, the aircraft started life as the Postal Aircraft. Taylor, Hugh A. "Fairey Aircraft Since 1915". London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 2004. ISBN 0-85177-825-9. ] The sharp, pointed nose and sleek lines of the prototype gave rise to the nickname, "Eversharp" after the maker of pens and mechanical pencils. [ Winchester 2005, p. 37.]

Although other configurations were studied, after wind-tunnel testing, a high wing was chosen, allowing a gravity feed from the fuel tanks. The wing spars were of wood and the wing used a pyramid system of internal bracing with fabric covering. The fuel capacity was 1,043 gallons and the system used a gravity feed and mechanical fuel pump in sequence; a wind-driven, emergency back-up pump was provided. There were other features dedicated to the long-range function; there were two parallel oil filter circuits, allowing one filter to be removed and cleaned while the other remained in operation. The aircraft was even equipped with a pneumatic bed for a reserve pilot. After extensive testing using a Fairey IIIF and a DH.9A, the Napier Lion XIA of 570-hp was selected, late in the gestation of the machine.

Operational history

The first built, "J9479", flew for the first time on 14 November 1928. Squadron Leader Jones-Williams and Flight Lieutenant Jenkins made a long distance flight from RAF Cranwell, Lincolnshire to Karachi; the first non-stop flight between Britain and India, but not a world long-distance record. A second attempt at a long distance record led to the loss of the aircraft and crew in a crash at Tunis, requiring a second prototype "K1991" to be constructed. This example was equipped with an autopilot. [ [http://avia.russian.ee/air/england/fairey_longrange.php Fairey Long Range Monoplanes] ]

From 6-8 February 1933, Squadron Leader Gayford (officer in charge of the RAF Long Range Development Unit) and his navigator Flight Lieutenant G.E. Nicholetts flew non-stop in the second aircraft "K1991" from Cranwell to Walvis Bay, South West Africa. This was a world long-distance record of 5,410 miles (8,544 km). On their return to RAE Farnborough, they were met by Air Minister (Lord Londonderry), Under Secretary for Air (Sir Philip Sassoon) and Sir John Salmond, Marshal of the Royal Air Force. [ [http://www.hadleigh.org.uk/content/gayford.htm S/L Gayford] ]

Gayford and the LRDU would later make long distance flights with the Vickers Wellesley.

Operators

;UK
*Royal Air Force

pecifications (Fairey Long-range Monoplane II)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?= plane
jet or prop?= prop

ref=Fairey Aircraft since 1915
crew=2
capacity=
length main= 48 ft 6 in
length alt= 14.8 m
span main= 82 ft
span alt= 25.0 m
height main= 12 ft
height alt= 3.6 m
area main= 850 ft²
area alt= 79 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main=
empty weight alt=
loaded weight main= 17,500 lb
loaded weight alt= 7,938 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main= 17,500 lb
max takeoff weight alt= 7,938 kg
more general=*Mean chord: 11 ft (3.3 m)

engine (prop)=Napier Lion XIa
type of prop=twelve-cylinder, liquid-cooled
number of props=1 (fixed-pitch propeller)
power main= 570 hp
power alt= 425 kW
power original=
max speed main=
max speed alt=
cruise speed main= 96 knots
cruise speed alt= 110 mph [British Aircraft Directory] , 177 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main=
ceiling alt=
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= 20.7 lb/ft²
loading alt= 101.1kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= 29.2 hp/lb
power/mass alt=
more performance=*Take-off distance: 4,500 ft (1.370 m)

armament=

avionics=

References

* Winchester, Jim. "X-Planes and Prototypes". London: Amber Books Ltd., 2005. ISBN 1-904687-40-7.

External links

* [http://www.hadleigh.org.uk/content/gayford.htm S/L Gayford]
* [http://avia.russian.ee/air/england/fairey_longrange.php Fairey Long Range Monoplanes]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGepvIdbad8&feature=user The Fairey Long Range Monoplane]

ee also

aircontent

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