Fairey Seafox

Fairey Seafox
Description
Role	Cruiser-borne reconnaissance floatplane
Crew
First Flight	1936
Entered Service	1938
Manufacturer	Fairey Aviation
Dimensions
Length	32ft 8in	10.0 m
Wingspan	40ft 0in	12.2 m
Height	12ft 1in	3.7 m
Wing area	434 ft²	40.3 m²
Weights
Empty	3,805 lbs	1,725 kg
Loaded	5,420 lbs	2,450 kg
Maximum takeoff	lbs	kg
Powerplant
Engine	Napier Rapier VI
Power	380 hp	280 kW
Performance
Maximum speed	124 mph	200 km/h
Combat range	440 miles	710 km
Ferry range	miles	km
Service ceiling	11,000 ft	3,350 m
Rate of climb	420 ft/min	128 m/min
Wing loading	12.5 lb/ft²	60.8 kg/m²
Power/Mass	0.070 hp/lb	0.11 kW/kg

The Fairey Seafox was a Second World War reconnaissance floatplane of the Fleet Air Arm designed to be catapulted from the deck of a warship. Only 64 were ever built.

Built to specification S 11/32, the prototype appeared in 1936 and the first production versions were delivered to cruisers etc in 1938.

The fuselage was of all-metal monocoque construction, the wings were covered with metal on the leading edge, otherwise fabric. It was powered by a sixteen cylinder 395 HP air-cooled Napier Rapier engine. It reached speeds of 106 mph, had a range of 440 miles.

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 in the Battle of the River Plate.

They were utilized through 1943.

Related content
Related Development	Fairey Fox
Similar Aircraft	SOC Seagull - Mitsubishi F1M
Designation Series
Related Lists	List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm

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