FAIREY FULMAR

Fairey Fulmar - The Fairey Fulmar emerged in 1938 as an adap-tion to Specification O.8/38 for a two-seat Naval fighter, of the PA/34 day bomber. Differences included a small reduction in wing span, folding wings, deck-arrester gear, catapult points, modified cockpit canopy, Naval equipment and use of a 1,275 hp Merlin VIII. Armament com-prised eight Browning 0.303-in (7.7-mm) guns in the wings and provision for a sim-ilar Vickers K gun in the rear cockpit. One P.4/34 prototype was converted to test features of Fairey Fulmar in March 1938.
Fairey Fulmar I: Total of 250 built for FAA, first flight being on January 4, 1940, with Merlin VIII engine. Entered service June 1940 with No 808 Sqn, and first opera-tions Sept/Oct 1940 on Malta convoys. Equipped 14 front-line squadrons by end-1942 including one in Egypt and one in India; also operated as night-intruder from shore bases, including Malta, and as night-fighter with No 813 Sqn ori Russian convoys. One captured and oper-ated by Vichy French forces at Dakar in 1941.

Max speed, 280 mph (451 km/h). Cruising speed, 235 mph (375 km/h). Initial rate of climb, l,200ft/min (6.1 ml sec). Service ceil-ing, 26,000 ft (7,925 m). Max range, 800 mis (1,287 km). Empty weight, 6,915 Ib (3,137 kg). Gross weight, 9,800 Ib (4,445 kg). Span, 46 ft 4'/2 in (14.14 m). Length, 40 ft 3 in (12.2m).

Fairey Fulmar II: As Fairey Fulmar I but fitted with 1,300 hp Merlin 30, Rotol propeller and tropical filters. One Mk I converted, first flown January 20, 1941, and 350 produc-tion aircraft delivered, ending February 1943.