Time Period: World War II
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Type: Fighter Aircraft, Reconnaissance and Surveillance (Carrier-Based)
Manufacturer: Fairey Aviation Company
Fairey Fulmar Aircraft Overview
The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that was designed and built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s. It was developed as a replacement for the Hawker Nimrod and was intended to provide the Royal Navy with a modern fighter that was capable of performing a variety of roles.
The Fulmar had a low-wing monoplane design and was powered by a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. It was armed with four .303 inch machine guns and could also carry bombs and rockets. The aircraft had a top speed of around 265 mph and a range of approximately 600 miles.
The Fulmar first entered service with the Royal Navy in 1940 and was used primarily for fleet defense and ground attack duties. It saw extensive service in the Mediterranean and North Atlantic, and also saw limited use in the Pacific theater. The aircraft was praised for its ruggedness and reliability, and was particularly effective against enemy bombers and reconnaissance aircraft.
Despite its success in combat, the Fulmar was gradually replaced by more advanced fighters such as the Hawker Sea Hurricane and Supermarine Seafire. The last Fulmars were retired from service in 1945, with a total of 600 aircraft being produced.
Fairey Fulmar Mk II Specifications
- Crew: 2
- Length: 40 ft 2 in (12.24 m)
- Wingspan: 46 ft 4.25 in (14.1288 m)
- Height: 14 ft 0 in (4.27 m)
- Wing area: 342 sq ft (31.8 m2)
- Airfoil: root: NACA 2418; tip: NACA 2409
- Empty weight: 7,015 lb (3,182 kg)
- Gross weight: 9,672 lb (4,387 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 10,200 lb (4,627 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Merlin 30 V-12 liquid-cooled piston engine, 1,300 hp (970 kW)
- Propellers: 3-bladed Rotol constant-speed propeller.
Fairey Fulmar Mk II Performance
- Maximum speed: 272 mph (438 km/h, 236 kn) at 7,250 ft (2,210 m)
- Cruise speed: 235 mph (378 km/h, 204 kn)
- Range: 780 mi (1,260 km, 680 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 27,200 ft (8,300 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,200 ft/min (6.1 m/s)
- Wing loading: 28 lb/sq ft (140 kg/m2)
Fairey Fulmar Mk II Armament
- 8 × 0.303 in (7.7 mm) or 4 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns wing-mounted, and occasionally 1 × .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers K machine gun in the rear cabin.
- 2 × 100 lb (45 kg) or 250 lb (110 kg) bombs.
