Fairey Seafox

Seafox
Role	ship-borne reconnaissance seaplane
National origin	United Kingdom
Manufacturer	Fairey Aviation
First flight	27 May 1936
Introduction	23 April 1937
Primary user	Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm)
Number built	66

The Fairey Seafox was a 1930s British reconnaissance floatplane designed and built by Fairey for the Fleet Air Arm. It was designed to be catapulted from the deck of a light cruiser and served in the Second World War. Of the 66 built, two were finished as landplanes.

Design and development

The Fairey Seafox was built to satisfy Air Ministry Specification S.11/32. The first of two prototypes appeared in 1936, first flying on 27 May 1936,^[1] and the first of the 64 production aircraft were delivered in 1937.^[2] The flights were organised as 700 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm.

The fuselage was of all-metal monocoque construction, the wings being covered with metal on the leading edge, otherwise fabric. It was powered by a 16-cylinder 395 hp (295 kW) air-cooled Napier Rapier H engine. It cruised at 106 mph (171 km/h), had a range of 440 mi (710 km).

Although the Seafox handled well, it was criticized for being underpowered, engine cooling was poor and landing speeds were higher than desired.

Operational history

In 1939, a Seafox played a part in the attack on the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee, by spotting for the naval gunners. This led to the ship's destruction after the Battle of the River Plate.

Seafoxes remained in service until 1943, they operated during the early part of the war, from the cruisers HMS Emerald, Neptune, Orion, Ajax, Arethusa and Penelope and the armed merchant cruisers HMS Pretoria Castle, Asturias and Alcantara.

Operators

 United Kingdom

• Fleet Air Arm
  • 700 Naval Air Squadron
  • 702 Naval Air Squadron
  • 703 Naval Air Squadron
  • 713 Naval Air Squadron
  • 714 Naval Air Squadron
  • 716 Naval Air Squadron
  • 718 Naval Air Squadron
  • 754 Naval Air Squadron
  • 764 Naval Air Squadron
  • 765 Naval Air Squadron
  • 773 Naval Air Squadron

Specification

Data from Fairey Aircraft since 1915 ^[3]

General characteristics

• Crew: two
• Length: 33 ft 5 in (10.19 m)
• Wingspan: 40 ft 0 in (12.20 m)
• Height: 12 ft 2 in (3.71 m)
• Wing area: 434 ft² (40.3 m²)
• Empty weight: 3,805 lb (1,730 kg)
• Loaded weight: 5,420 lb (2,464 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Napier Rapier VI piston, 395 hp (295 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 124 mph (108 knots, 200 km/h) at 5,860 ft (1,787 m)
• Cruise speed: 106 mph (92 knots, 171 km/h)
• Range: 440 mi (383 nmi, 710 km)
• Service ceiling: 9,700 ft (2,960 m)
  
• Endurance:4.25 hours
• Climb to 5,000 ft (1,520 m): 15.5 min

Armament

• 1 x 7.7mm machine gun

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Arado Ar 196
• Curtiss SOC Seagull
• Fokker C.XI
• Hawker Osprey
• Mitsubishi F1M
• Supermarine Walrus

Related lists

• List of aircraft of World War II
• List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
• List of seaplanes and amphibious aircraft

References

Notes

1. Taylor 1974, p.285.
2. Taylor 1974, p.287.
3. Taylor 1974, p.288.

Bibliography

• "For Light Reconnaissance" (PDF). Flight, 9 December 1937. pp. 570–574.
• Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to British Aircraft of World War II. London; New York: Aerospace Publishing Ltd., 1982. P.87. ISBN 0-600-34951-9, ISBN 0-600-34967-5.
• Taylor, H.A. Fairey Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-00065-X.

External links

• British Aircraft of World War II