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Fairey Firefly
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Fairey Firefly

Fairey Firefly
Description
Role Carrier-borne fighter
Crew 2
First Flight December 22, 1941
Entered Service July 1944
Manufacturer Fairey Aviation
Dimensions
Length 37 ft 7 in 11.46 m
Wingspan 44 ft 6 in 13.56 m
Height 13 ft 7 in 4.14 m
Wing area ft² m²
Weights
Empty lb kg
Loaded lb kg
Maximum takeoff 14,020 lb 6,359 kg
Powerplant
Engines 1 x Rolls-Royce Griffon IIB, XII or 72
Power 1,730 hpIIB
1,765 hp XII
2,330 hp 72 		1,290 kW
1,316 kW
1,740 kW
Performance
Maximum speed 316 mph at 14,000 ft 509 km/h at 4,300 m
Combat range
(with aux. tanks) 		1,070 miles 1,722 km
Ferry range miles km
Service ceiling 28,000 ft 8,530 m
Rate of climb ft/min m/min
Wing loading lb/ft² kg/m²
Power/Mass hp/lb kW/kg
Armament
Guns 4 x 20 mm Hispano cannon
Bombs 1 x 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb
Rockets 8 x 60 lb (27 kg) rockets

The Fairey Firefly was a World War II-era carrier-borne fighter of the Fleet Air Arm. It was superior in performance and firepower to its predecessor, the Fairey Fulmar, but did not enter operational service until towards the end of the war. It remained a mainstay of the FAA until 1950.

The Firefly was designed by H.E. Chapman at Fairey Aviation in 1940 and in June of that year the Admiralty ordered 200 of the aircraft to meet Specification N.5/40. The prototype of the Mk.I Firefly flew on December 22, 1941. Although it was two tons heavier than the Fulmar (due largely to its armament of two 20mm cannon in each wing), the Firefly was 40 mph (64 km/h) faster due to improved aerodynamics and a more powerful engine; the 1,730hp Rolls-Royce Griffon IIB. In March 1943 the first Firefly Mk.Is were delivered but they did not enter operational service until July 1944 when they equipped No. 1770 Squadron aboard HMS Indefatigable.

Two variants of the Mk.I Firefly were built; 429 "fighter" Firefly F Mk.Is, built by Fairey and General Aircraft Ltd, and 376 "fighter/reconnaissance" Firefly FR Mk.Is (which were fitted with the ASH detection radar). The last 334 Mk.Is built were upgraded with the 1,765hp Griffon XII engine.

Only 37 Mk.II Fireflies were built, all of which were night fighter Firefly NF Mk.IIs. They had a slightly longer fuselage than the Mk.I and had modifications to house their airborne interception radar, however, they were superseded by the "night fighter" Firefly NF Mk.I variant. A Firefly Mk.III was proposed, based on the Griffon 61 engine, but never entered production. The final model was the Firefly Mk.IV which was equipped with the 2,330hp Griffon 72 engine and first flew in 1944, however it did not enter service until after the end of the war.

Related content
Related Development None
Similar Aircraft Fairey Fulmar
Designation Series Albacore - Barracuda - Firefly - Spearfish - Gyrodyne
Related Lists List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
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