Fairchild FC-2

Infobox Aircraft
name=FC-1, FC-2, and Models 51 and 61


caption=RCAF FC-2L "Razorback"
type=Civil utility aircraft
manufacturer=Fairchild, Canadian Vickers under license
designer=Alexander Klemin and Norman McQueen
first flight=14 June 1926
introduced=
retired=
status=
primary user=
more users=
produced=
number built=ca. 180
variants with their own articles=The Fairchild FC-1 and its derivatives were a family of light, single engine, high wing utility monoplane produced in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s. The aircraft was originally designed to provide a camera platform for Sherman Fairchild's aerial photography and survey business, Fairchild Aerial Surveys.

Design and development

Fairchild had approached a number of aircraft builders with specifications for what he considered to be an ideal aircraft for this type of work, with which he hoped to replace the variety of types that his firm then operated. Believing the quotes he received to be excessive, Fairchild opted to produce the aircraft in-house, purchasing facilities at Farmingdale, New York for the purpose. The design was for a conventional high-wing, strut-braced monoplane with fully enclosed cabin and tailwheel undercarriage. To facilitate its intended role, the cabin was extensively glazed, offering plenty of vantage points for photographers.

The prototype FC-1 flew in June 1926, and initial testing found its original Curtiss OX-5 engine to be inadequate. A Wright J-4 with double the horsepower was soon substituted and the aircraft was redesignated FC-1A. This was felt to have commercial potential, and in a slightly revised form, was put into production as the FC-2.

Operational history

The production aircraft differed from the prototype in having increased cabin volume, and was offered with a choice of powerplants. Other options included a choice of wheeled, ski, or float undercarriage. Early production aircraft fitted with only three longerons in the rear fuselage gave this batch of aircraft a "Razorback" appearance leading to its nickname. [http://www.rcaf.com/aircraft/misc/fc-2l/index.php?name=FC-2L%20Razorback Fairchild FC-2L Razorback] rcaf.com. Retrieved: 8 March 2008.] Later production series eliminated this distinctive feature.

A version optimized for cargo carrying was produced as the FC-2W with a Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial engine and increased wingspan. Two of this latter version were destined for fame: "City of New York", flown by Charles Collyer and John Mears for the overland portions of their record-breaking around-the-world trip in June–July 1928, and "Stars and Stripes", an FC-2W2 taken by Richard Evelyn Byrd on his Antarctic expedition of the same year. Byrd's aircraft is preserved at the Virginia Aviation Museum.

FC-2Ws were also prominently used in the 1928 rescue of the crew of the aircraft "Bremen" in Canada.

type tri-motor transports, PAA chartered (cost: $145.45) the FC-2 "La Niña" (NC-1654, c/n 15) [http://www.edcoatescollection.com/ac3/Airline/West%20Indian%20Aerial%20Fairchild%20FC-2.html] piloted by Cy Caldwell and belonging to West Indian Aerial Express, a company which would be acquired by Pan Am a year later. Pan American was finally able to inaugurate daily service over the route nine days later with the Fokker F.VIIa/3m "General Machado" (NC-53).

Due to a Royal Canadian Air Force requirement to standardize engines, the basic FC-2 design was re-engineered with a 215 hp Armstrong Siddeley Lynx radial engine and redesignated as the FC-2L. In this form, the type flew with RCAF units, primarily in northern operations.

The Model 51 was a modernized version of the FC-2 produced in 1930 to compete with new transports in the marketplace, the most significant single change being the fitting of a more powerful Wright J-6 engine again. A few examples were converted from FC-2s. The Model 61 also had the J-6 engine, but included a redesigned cabin to add another two passenger seats. Only three of these were built, modified from FC-2W2s, but the cabin modification was retained in the Model 71.

Variants

* FC-1 - prototype with Curtiss OX-5 engine (1 built)
** FC-1A - prototype modified with Wright J-4 engine (1 converted)
* FC-2 - production version with Wright J-5 engine (118 built, plus 12 built by Canadian Vickers under license)
** FC-2C (for "Challenger") - version with Curtiss Challenger engine for Curtiss Flying Service (6 built)
** FC-2L (for "Lynx") - version with Armstrong Siddeley Lynx engine for Royal Canadian Air Force (3 converted)
** FC-2W (for "Wasp") - version with Pratt & Whitney Wasp engine (14 built)
*** FC-2W2 - definitive production version of FC-2W
**** UC-96 - designation given to three FC-2Ws impressed into USAAF service
**** Model 61 - FC-2W2s with enlarged cabin (3 converted)
** Model 51 - FC-2s refitted with Wright J-6 engine (31 built)
** JQ (later RQ) - single FC-2 purchased by United States Navy for evaluation.

pecifications (FC-2)

aerospecs
ref=
met or eng?= eng
crew=One pilot
capacity=four passengers "or" 820 lb (372 kg) freight
length m=9.45
length ft=31
length in=0
span m=13.41
span ft=44
span in=0
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
rot dia in=
dia m=
dia ft=
dia in=
width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=2.74
height ft=9
height in=0
wing area sqm=26.9
wing area sqft=290
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=980
empty weight lb=2,160
gross weight kg=1,633
gross weight lb=3,600
lift kg=
lift lb=
eng1 number=1
eng1 type=Wright J-5
eng1 kw= 149
eng1 hp= 200
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=
eng2 kn=
eng2 lbf=
eng2 kn-ab=
eng2 lbf-ab=
max speed kmh=196
max speed mph=122
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=1,127
range miles=700
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=3,500
ceiling ft=11,500
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=2.9
climb rate ftmin=565
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=
armament1=
armament2=
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6= aircontent
see also=
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References

Notes

Bibliography

*Milberry, Larry. "Aviation In Canada". Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-07-082778-8.
* Molson, Ken M. and Taylor, Harold A. "Canadian Aircraft Since 1909". Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. ISBN 0-920002-11-0.
* Taylor, Michael J.H. "Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation". London: Studio Editions, 1989, p. 353. ISBN 0-51710-316-8.
* "World Aircraft Information Files". London: Bright Star Publishing, File 894 Sheet 03.
* [http://www.aerofiles.com/_fair.html aerofiles.com on Fairchild]

External links

* [http://www.rcaf.com/aircraft/misc/fc-2l/index.php?name=FC-2L%20Razorback Fairchild FC-2L Razorback]