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| Firefly | |
|---|---|
 Operational FAA Fairey Firefly FR.1 wearing late World War II camouflage | |
| General information | |
| Type | |
| Manufacturer | Fairey Aviation Company, Ltd. |
| Status | Retired from military service |
| Primary users | Royal Navy |
| Number built | 1,702[1] |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1941–1955 |
| Introduction date | March 1943[1] |
| First flight | 22 December 1941[2] |
| Retired | 1956 (Royal Navy) |
TheFairey Firefly is aSecond World War-eracarrier-bornefighter aircraft andanti-submarine aircraft that was principally operated by theFleet Air Arm (FAA). It was developed and built by theBritish aircraft manufacturerFairey Aviation Company.
Development of the Firefly can be traced back to a pair of specifications issued by the BritishAir Ministry in 1938, calling for new naval fighter designs. Designed to the contemporary FAA concept of a two-seat fleet reconnaissance/fighter, the pilot and observer were positioned at separate stations. In flight, the Firefly was superior in terms of both performance and firepower to its predecessor, theFairey Fulmar. Due to a protracted development, the type only entered operational service towards the end of the conflict, at which point it was no longer competitive as a fighter. The limitations of a single engine in a relatively heavy airframe reduced its performance, but the Firefly proved to be a fairly sturdy, long-ranged, and docile aircraft during carrier operations.
The Fairey Firefly served in the Second World War as a fleet fighter. During thepost-war era, it was soon superseded in the fighter role by the arrival of more modernjet aircraft, thus the Firefly was adapted to perform in other roles, including strike operations and anti-submarine warfare. In these capacities, it remained a mainstay of the FAA until the mid-1950s. Both British and Australian Fireflies routinely performed ground–attack operations from various aircraft carriers during theKorean War. In foreign service, the type was in operation with the naval air arms of Australia, Canada, India and the Netherlands. As late as 1962, Dutch Fireflies were used to carry out attack sorties against Indonesian infiltrators inDutch New Guinea. Its final uses were in various secondary roles, such astrainers,target tugs anddrone aircraft.
During 1938, by which point British authorities were preparing for the likelihood of agreat war, theAir Ministry issued a pair of specifications calling for naval fighters, a conventional and a "turret fighter". The performance requirements for both was to be able to attain a speed of 275 kn (509 km/h; 316 mph) while flying at 15,000 ft (4,600 m) and carrying an armament, for the conventional fighter, of eight 0.303 in (7.7 mm)Browning machine guns or four 20 mm (0.79 in)Hispano cannon. This aircraft would replace theFairey Fulmar, which had been viewed as an interim design. These specifications were updated during the following year, while several British manufacturerstendered their ideas.[3]
Further changes to the official specification followed, such as the turret fighter specification being eliminated, while a modified specification was issued to cover single and dual-seat fighters capable of 330 and 300 kn (610 and 560 km/h; 380 and 350 mph) respectively. Fairey offered designs that could accommodate either a single or twin-seat arrangements, either powered by theRolls-Royce Griffon engine, or combining a larger airframe with aNapier Sabre engine. After consideration of the manufacturer's responses,Specification N.5/40 replaced the earlier specifications. Due to the necessity of navigating over open sea, it was decided to opt for a two-seater aircraft alone.[4][2] For defence of naval bases, a separate single seater design would lead to theBlackburn Firebrand.[5]
The Firefly was designed by a team led by H.E. Chaplin atFairey Aviation which reportedly used the Fulmar as a starting point.[2][6] During June 1940, theAdmiralty placed an initial order for 200 aircraft "off the drawing board", the first three of which were to function as prototypes. On 22 December 1941, the first prototype of the Firefly performed itsmaiden flight.[7] Although the aircraft was 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) heavier than the preceding Fulmar (largely due to the adoption of the heavier Griffon engine and the armament of two20 mm (0.79 in) Hispano cannon in each wing), the Firefly was 40 mph (64 km/h) faster due to improvedaerodynamics, as well as the increased power of the Griffon IIB engine, being capable of generating a maximum of 1,735 hp (1,294 kW).
The Firefly was a low-wingcantilevermonoplane, featuring an oval-section metal semi-monocoque fuselage and a conventional tail unit with forward-placedtailplane.[8][2] It was powered by a Rolls-Royce Griffon liquid-cooled piston engine, which drove a four-bladeRotol-builtpropeller.[6] A large chin-mountedradiator was present to provide cooling for the engine.[2] The Firefly had retractable mainundercarriage and tail wheel, thehydraulically-actuated main landing gear retracting inwards into the underside of the wing centre-section. This undercarriage was widely-set, a highly useful feature for carrier landings.[6] The aircraft was also fitted with a retractablearrester hook mounted underneath the rear fuselage. The pilot's cockpit was located above theleading edge of the wing while the observer/radio-operator/navigator was positioned aft of the wing'strailing edge. These positions provided better visibility for operating and landing and both crew were provided with separatejettisonablecanopies.[8][2][6]
The Firefly was equipped with an all-metal wing which could befolded manually, the wings ending up along the sides of the fuselage when folded. When in the flying position, the wings were hydraulically locked in place.[8][2] The wing itself featured square tips and largeFairey-Youngman flaps, which provided relatively good handling while flown at low speeds.[9] Four 20 mmcannon were buried within the wings, which was considered to be relatively heavy armament for the era.[2] According to pilots, the general handling of the Firefly was relatively well-balanced but strength was required foraerobatics.[6]
During 1942, handling and performance trials were first undertaken atRAF Boscombe Down by Admiralty test pilotsMike Lithgow andRoy Sydney Baker-Falkner. By 1944, the Firefly had been cleared to use under-wingrocket projectiles and, by April 1944, tests involving a double under-wing load of 16 rockets and a pair of 45 US gal (170 L; 37 imp gal)drop tanks still provided acceptable handling.[10] Further testing with two 90 gallon (410 L) drop tanks or two 1,000 lb (450 kg)bombs deemed acceptable albeit with "...a small adverse effect on handling..." while "...handling with a single 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb was unpleasant, but manageable."[10] Performance trials at 11,830 lb (5,370 kg) indicated a maximum speed of 315 mph (507 km/h) at 16,800 ft (5,100 m) while a climb to 20,000 ft (6,100 m) took 12.4 minutes, with a maximum climb rate of 2,140 ft/min (650 m/min) at 3,800 ft (1,200 m), and a service ceiling of 30,100 ft (9,200 m).[11]
The primary variant of the aircraft used during the Second World War was the Firefly Mk I, which was used in all theatres of operations. During March 1943, the first Firefly Mk Is were delivered to the FAA but these did not enter operational service until July 1944, at which point they equipped1770 Naval Air Squadron aboardHMS Indefatigable.[1] The first operations were flown in the European theatre where Fireflies carried out numerous armedreconnaissance flights andanti-shipping strikes along the Norwegian coast. That year, Fireflies also provided air cover and aerial reconnaissance during attacks on the GermanbattleshipTirpitz.[12][1]
Throughout its operational career, the Firefly took on increasingly demanding roles from fighter toanti-submarine warfare while being stationed mainly with theBritish Pacific Fleet in theFar East andPacific theatres. The type was used against Japanese ground targets and fighter aircraft.[2] FAA Fireflies carried out attacks onoil refineries andairfields and were repeatedly dispatched against Japanese-controlled islands up untilVictory over Japan Day.[1] The Firefly gained a level of public renown when the type became the first British-designed and -built aircraft to overfly the Japanese capital ofTokyo.[13][2]
During May 1945, in anticipation of a major naval offensive against the Japanese mainland, the Canadian government accepted a British offer to loan a pair ofColossus-class aircraft carriers to theRoyal Canadian Navy.[14] To equip these carriers, it was necessary to procure naval fighters. Based upon the feedback of veteran pilots, Canada opted to acquire the Firefly over opposition that favoured procuring American aircraft instead. As a stop-gap measure, Royal Navy Fireflies were loaned while more advanced purpose-built aircraft were being constructed.[15] Between 1946 and 1954, the Canadian Navy employed 65 AS Mk.5 Fireflies on its aircraft carriers. The service also flew a handful of Mk.I Fireflies. During the 1950s, Canada decided to sell off its Fireflies and buyers included the armed forces of Ethiopia, Denmark, and the Netherlands.[12][16]
After the Second World War, the Firefly remained in front line service with the Fleet Air Arm, continuing in this capacity until the mid-1950s. During this time, British-built Fireflies were also supplied to a number of overseas nations, including Canada, Australia, Denmark, Ethiopia, the Netherlands, India and Thailand.
During 1947, the Australian government approved of formation of theRoyal Australian Fleet Air Arm and the acquisition of a pair ofMajestic-class aircraft carriers from Britain. Following a consultation with the Royal Navy, theRoyal Australian Navy (RAN) opted to procure both the Firefly and theHawker Sea Fury to equip its new aircraft carriers.[6][17] These two types formed the backbone of the newly formed AustralianCarrier Air Groups (CAGs), which would operate a total fleet size of 108 Fireflies, acquired across multiple orders. The first aircraft was delivered in May 1949, and the final Firefly arrived during August 1953. aircrew training predominated in early RAN operations ahead of achieving operational status during 1950.[6]
During theKorean War of the 1950s, both British and Australian Fireflies carried out anti-shipping patrols and ground strikes from various aircraft carriers positioned offshore.[18][17] Additional missions roles including anti-submarine patrols and aerial observation, as well as assisting battleships in providing effectivenaval gunfire support. Numerous FAA Fireflies were loaned to the Australian Navy during the conflict as many of its aircraft did not feature cannons when configured for anti-submarine warfare.[6] Despite several incidents of aircraft being struck byanti-aircraft fire, the Firefly proved to be relatively rugged. The type was routinely used for strike operations against targets such asbridges and railway lines to damageNorth Korean logistics and communications. As the war went on, pilots developed new low-level dive-bombing techniques to achieve greater accuracy.[6] Combat use of the Firefly in the theatre continued until the signing of theKorean Armistice Agreement on 27 July 1953, although post-armistice patrols involving the type continued for several years afterwards.[17]
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FAA Fireflies were again deployed in the Far East amid theMalayan Emergency, where it was used to conduct ground-attack operations againstMalayan Communist Party insurgents.[1] The Firefly's front line career with the FAA came to an end shortly following the introduction of the newer and largerFairey Gannet, which effectively replaced the type.[2] The RAN also decided to relegate their Fireflies to secondary duties following the adoption of newer aircraft, such as the Gannet and the jet-poweredde Havilland Sea Venom.[6] Several versions of the type were developed later in its career to serve in a number of secondary roles, including astrainers,target tugs anddrone aircraft. As an example, theIndian Navy acquired a batch of 10 aircraft during the mid-1950s for target tug purposes.[19] By the end of the 1950s, many operators were disposing of their remaining Fireflies, typically asscrap.[6]
In the late 1940s, the Royal Netherlands Navy deployed a Firefly squadron to the Dutch East Indies, as part of the forces countering Indonesian nationalists. When talks broke down in July 1947, the Dutch launched multiple air strikes. Three Fireflies were shot down by ground fire.[20] During 1960, in response to territorial demands and threats issued by Indonesia, the Netherlands chose to deploy a number of Firefly AS.Mk 4s toDutch New Guinea. As Indonesian forces began to retake the territory, the Fireflies carried out attack operations during early 1962. These strikes continued until the Royal Netherlands Navy withdrew following the negotiation of a political settlement between the two countries.[21]
Data fromFairey Aircraft since 1915 and Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1949–50.[30][31]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Avionics
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
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