Fairey Pintail

infobox Aircraft
name = Pintail
type = Fighter Reconnaissance
manufacturer = Fairey Aviation

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caption = Fairey Pintail Mk III
designer = F. Duncanson
first flight = 7 July 1921
introduced =
introduction=
retired =
status =
primary user = Japan
more users =
produced =
number built = 6
unit cost =
developed from =
variants with their own articles = The Fairey Pintail was a British single engined floatplane fighter of the 1920s. While it was developed as a reconnaissance fighter for the Royal Air Force, the only orders placed were for three for the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Design and development

The Pintail was designed by F. Duncanson of Fairey Aviation to meet the requirements of the RAF Type 19 Specification, which was issued in 1919 for an amphibian reconnaissance fighter, competing with the Parnell Possum. The Pintail was a two bay biplane, fitted with twin floats, and with the upper wing in line with the pilots eye line. In order to give a clear upwards field of view for the crew the Pintail was fitted with an unusual tail unit, with the tailplane lying across the top of the rear fuselage and the rudder below the tailplane.

The first prototype, the Pintail Mark I, flew on 7 July 1921 . The second prototype, the Pintail Mark II had a lengthened fuselage, while the third prototype, the Pintail Mark III had non-retractable wheels within the floats. While the Pintail was more capable as a fighter than the Possum, and offered an excellent upwards field of view to the crew, it had poor downwards view for the pilot during landing.

Operational history

While the Pintail was not adopted by the RAF, three examples, similar to the Mark III, were sold to the Imperial Japanese Navy. These aircraft, known as the Pintail IV had an increased wing gap so the upper wing was situated above the fuselage, improving the downwards view for the pilot. The first Pintail IV flew on 20 August 1924.

Variants

;Pintail I:First prototype.;Pintail II:Second prototype with lengthened fuselage.;Pintail III:Third prototype with non-retractable wheels within the floats.;Pintail IV:Short series with increased wing gap and the upper wing above the fuselage, 3 built.

Operators

;JPN
*Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service

pecifications (Pintail III)

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=prop

ref=The British Fighter since 1912 Cite book|author=Mason, Francis K
title=The British Fighter since 1912|publisher=Naval Institute Press|year=1992|location=Annapolis|pages=p.150-151|isbn= ISBN 1-55750-082-7

crew=2
capacity=
length main= 32 ft 3 in
length alt= 9.83 m
span main= 40 ft 0 in
span alt= 12.2 m
height main= 11 ft 0 in
height alt= 3.35 m
area main= 400 ft²
area alt= 37.2 m²
airfoil=
empty weight main= lb
empty weight alt= kg
loaded weight main= 4,700 lb
loaded weight alt= 2,136 kg
useful load main= lb
useful load alt= kg
max takeoff weight main= lb
max takeoff weight alt= kg
more general=

engine (prop)=Napier Lion
type of prop=W-12 water cooled broad arrow engine
number of props=1
power main= 475 hp
power alt= 354 kW
power original=
max speed main= 109 knots
max speed alt= 125 mph, 201 km/h
cruise speed main=
cruise speed alt=
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main=
range alt=
ceiling main= ft
ceiling alt= m
climb rate main=
climb rate alt=
loading main= lb/ft²
loading alt= kg/m²
thrust/weight=
power/mass main= hp/lb
power/mass alt= W/kg
more performance=*Climb to 5,000 ft (1,520 m): 5 minutes 8 seconds cite book |last= Green|first= W |coauthors=Swanborough, G |title= The Complete Book of Fighters |edition= |year= 1994|publisher= Smithmark |isbn= 0-8317-3939-8

armament=
*One forward firing sychonised .303 in Vickers machine gun
*One or two .303 in Lewis gun on Scarff ring in rear cockpit
avionics=

References

External links

* [http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=362 British Aircraft Directory]
* [http://www.csd.uwo.ca/Elevon/gustin_military/db/br/PINTAILF.html Military Aircraft Database]

ee also

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