MAEE Report F/A/24 dated October 1926 had details of a trolley built by Fairey for take-off from the deck of aircraft carriers. It was tested by MAEE only as a handling trolley.
The device consisted of a tubular axle carried on two built-up wheels supporting four small flexibly-mounted platforms, the top surfaces of which were of rubber. They were adjustable so as to register with the step of the float.
These devices were tested on two Fairey IIIDs, of which only N9731 is identified in photographs. The platforms could be adjusted to give proper seating for the float but in another case this could not be done as the platform dug into the float.
The single-platform system was preferable but should be extended backwards by about 2 1/2 feet to bring the centre of gravity into a suitable position. A pair of carrying tubes was intended to act as an auxiliary tailskid and as a towing fitment but the tail float took an appreciable amount of weight.
The gear could be manually fitted by one to four men, depending on the type and circumstances. However, the shape of floats was changing and the need to fly seaplanes from a flight deck declined so no further development took place.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Fairey Fairey III - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1917

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Fairey Fairey III - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1917

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Short Springbok / Chamois / S.3 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1923

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Short Springbok / Chamois / S.3 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1923

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Short Springbok / Chamois / S.3 - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1923

During the early 1930s, the MAEE at Felixstowe carried out tests on a wooden-hulled Southampton to see if it was possible to make it more difficult to distinguish, both in flight and when on the ramp or water. We could not find a date of the final report, which was F/A/249.
Observations were made of the Southampton flying over the sea, flying over land, at rest on the water, on a slipway and at moorings, using panchromatic film, The results were disappointing as the paintwork showed very little difference from the standard Southampton paint scheme. It was concluded that there was little or no value in the scheme against either a sea or land background.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Supermarine Southampton / Solent - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1925

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Supermarine Southampton / Solent - ВеликобританияUnited Kingdom - 1925