Gordon / Seal
Корабельный (палубный или катапультный) разведчик. Одномоторный цельнометаллический биплан. Шасси сменное: колеса или два поплавка.
Создан в КБ фирмы "Фэйри авиэйшн". Являлся морским аналогом сухопутного разведчика "Гордон" II и отличался от него хвостовым ДальшеMore>>>
колесом вместо костыля, тормозными колесами и катапультным оборудованием. И "Сил", и "Гордон" представляли собой дальнейшее развитие самолета Фэйри IIIF. "Гордон" первоначально именовался IIIF Mk.V, a "Сил" - IIIF Mk.VI. Первый опытный экземпляр "Сила", переделанный из IIIF Mk.IIIB, поднялся в воздух 27 ноября 1931 г. (на колесах); на поплавках первый полет состоялся 23 сентября 1932 г.
Серийное производство "Сила" начали в 1 933 г. на заводе "Фэйри" в Хэйсе. Всего изготовили 104 экз.
Разведчики "Сил" состояли на вооружении британского флота с апреля 1933 г., а также в Перу, Аргентине и Чили - с 1934 г., в Латвии - с 1935 г.
Экипаж - 3 чел. Двигатель "Пантер" IIA - на большинстве самолетов, "Пантер" VI - на экспортных машинах для Аргентины, "Лайон" XI - для Чили, "Пегасус" IIIM3 - для Латвии. Вооружение 2x7,69, бомбы до 230 кг.
С весны 1933 г. самолеты "Сил" начали эксплуатироваться на авианосцах британского флота - "Корейджес", "Гермес", "Игл", "Фьюриэс" и "Глориэс". Машины, установленные на поплавки, летали в основном с береговых баз. С 1938 г. "силы" на авианосцах заменяются на более современные бипланы типов "Шарк" и "Свордфиш". К началу Второй мировой войны поплавковые разведчики сохранились на базах в колониях, в частности, на Цейлоне, где осуществляли противолодочное патрулирование у побережья. Большая часть из них была уничтожена в апреле 1942 г. при ударе соединения адмирала Нагумо по Коломбо и Тринкомали, остальные вскоре списали.
Латвийские гидросамолеты в состав ВВС РККА в 1940 г. не вошли, их использовали как мишени на полигоне.
"Сил" сняли с производства в марте 1935 г.
На поплавки ставили и сухопутные разведчики "Гордон", эксплуатировавшиеся в колониях, в частности - в Египте. Первые из них на поплавки от IIIF поставили в начале 1933 г. Пять "гордонов" на поплавках в 1934 г. продали в Бразилию. Поплавковые "гордоны" служили до 1938 г, а их колесные собратья в учебных подразделениях - до сентября 1941 г.
"Сил"||
Размах:||13,94 м
Длина:||10,67 м
Моторы, количество х мощность:||1х 525 л. с.
Взлетная масса, максимальная:||2720 кг
Максимальная скорость:||207 км/ч
Практический потолок:||4230 м
Дальность:||650 км
Fairey Gordon и Seal
Когда пришло время для замены Fairey IIIF, было решено, что лучше в этом качестве будет все тот же Fairey IIIF, только улучшенный. Прототип получил обозначение Fairey IIIF MkV, но потом самолету присвоили наименование Gordon. Новая машина - переделка Fairey IIIF Mk IVM с мотором Armstrong Siddeley Panther IIA мощностью 525 л. с. вместо 570-сильного Napier Lion. Снижение мощности двигателя в определенной степени стало шагом назад, но Gordon весил на 181 кг меньше, чем Fairey IIIF Mk IVM и поэтому имел лучшие летные данные. Изменения внесли в электрическую, топливную и масляную системы, был установлен стреляющий вперед неподвижный пулемет.
Построенный по спецификации 18/30 к двухместному дневному бомбардировщику/многоцелевому самолету, Gordon выполнил первый полет 3 марта 1931 года. Испытания выявили недостаточную прочность планера, тем не менее, британские ВВС заказали 185 машин, включая несколько учебно-тренировочных и последние 24 в варианте Gordon Mk I с рядом небольших изменений и более высоким вертикальным оперением. Около 90 состоявших на вооружении Fairey IIIF доработали до уровня Gordon. 20 самолетов экспортировали в Бразилию и Китай.
Поставки первых Gordon Mk I британским ВВС начались в апреле 1931 года. Первой на новые машины перевооружили 40-ю эскадрилью, вне метрополии Gordon первой получила 6-я эскадрилья на Ближнем Востоке, где Gordon заменили Bristol Fighter. Самолеты 35-й и 207-й эскадрилий были переброшены на Ближний Восток в период Абиссинского кризиса 1935 года. Gordon эксплуатировались в частях первой линии до 1938 года, немало таких самолетов использовалось накануне Второй мировой войны как буксировщики мишеней. Последний летающий Gordon поднимался в воздух как минимум до сентября 1941 года, но к этому времени большинство британских Gordon передали Новой Зеландии и Египту.
Аналогом Gordon для флота являлся Seal, в прототип которого также переделали Fairey IIIF (на этот раз Mk IIIB), после чего он получил обозначение Fairey IIIF Mk VI. ВМС заказали 91 самолет, но построено было, предположительно, 90 машин. Поставки Seal начались в 1933 году и завершились в марте 1935 года. От Gordon морской Seal отличался экипажем из трех человек и специальным морским оборудованием (тормозной гак, узел крепления к катапульте, спасательный плот), возможностью замены колесного шасси поплавковым. Первыми на Seal перевооружили 820-ю и 821-ю эскадрильи, приписанные к авианосцу "Корейджес". Seal оставались на вооружении авиации ВМС вплоть до начала Второй мировой войны. Последней сдала Seal на слом 273-я эскадрилья британских ВВС, дислоцированная на Цейлоне и патрулировавшая воды Индийского океана с августа 1939 по апрель 1942 года. Seal выпускались не только для британских ВМС, но и поставлялись на экспорт в Аргентину, Чили, Латвию и Перу.
ТАКТИКО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЕ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ
Fairey Gordon Mk I
Тип: двухместный дневной бомбардировщик/многоцелевой самолет
Силовая установка: один звездообразный ПД Armstrong Siddeley Panther IIA мощностью 525 л. с. (391 кВт)
Летные характеристики: максимальная скорость на высоте 915 м - 233 км/ч; крейсерская скорость на оптимальной высоте 177 км/ч; начальная скороподъемность 305 м/мин; практический потолок 6705 м; дальность 966 км
Масса: пустого 1588 кг; максимальная взлетная 2679 кг
Размеры: размах крыльев 13,94 м; длина 11,20 м; высота 4,32 м; площадь крыльев 40,69 м2
Вооружение: один неподвижный стреляющий вперед 7,7-мм пулемет Vickers и один 7,7-мм пулемет Lewis на турели в задней кабине, до 227 кг бомб на внешней подвеске под нижним крылом
Flight, June 1931
SPECIAL TYPES AT THE DISPLAY
THE FAIREY "GORDON"
IN its general appearance and construction the Fairey “Gordon'' resembles the famous Fairey III F, from which it has been developed. It is, however, fitted with the Armstrong Siddeley "Panther" II A engine of 500 h.p., whereas the standard Fairey III F is equipped with Napier "Lion" or Rolls-Royce "Kestrel" engines. The machine is primarily laid out as a small day bomber suitable for second-class warfare, but is also a general purpose machine, fitted for desert operation in localities like Iraq, etc.
The Fairey "Gordon" has a wing span of 45 ft. 9 in. (14 m.) and a normal flying weight of 5,645 lb. (2,565 kg.). It has an endurance at full throttle of 1/2 hour at ground level plus 3 hours at 15,000 ft. (4,600 m.). The landing speed is 65 m.p.h. (105 km./h.) and the maximum speed is 141 m.p.h. (227 km./h.).
Flight, November 1932
British Aircraft
The Fairey Aviation Co.,
Hayes, Middlesex Ltd.
MR. C. R. FAIREY holds in Great Britain a position somewhat similar to that occupied in France by M. Louis Breguet in that his company has produced probably a greater number of general purpose aircraft than any other firm, not only for use in Great Britain, but in a large number of other countries. Some years ago Mr. Fairey introduced the "Fox," which set a new fashion in high-performance two-seaters, and which led later to the design and production of the now famous III.F which has been used for a variety of purposes in many countries, and has been fitted with many different types of engine.
At the Paris Aero Show the Fairey Company will exhibit the latest type of "Fox," similar to the model with which squadrons of the Belgian Air Force are now being equipped, and a "Firefly II.M" which also has been adopted by the same Air Force.
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A development of the famous Fairey IIIF, the "Gordon" has an Armstrong-Siddeley Panther engine instead of a water-cooled. The machine is used by the R.A.F. as a day bomber, but belongs to the "general purpose" class, and can be used also for army co-operation. As a day bomber the "Gordon" has a gross weight of 5,900 lb. (2 680 kg.) and a speed at 10,000 ft. (3 000 m.) of 132 m.p.h. (213 km./h.).
Gordon
Легкий бомбардировщик Fairey Gordon Mk I из 47-й эскадрильи Заморских сил Его Величества над Кассалой, Судан, 1935 год.
Between the wars the main R.A.F. unit based in the Sudan was No. 47 Squadron. Here one of No. 47's Fairey Gordons, K2645, piloted by F/O. J. B. T. Whitehead, is seen flying past Jebel Kassala in 1933
The Fairey "Gordon" is fitted with the 525 h.p. "Panther IIA"
Fairey Gordon K1776 of No 35 (Bomber) Squadron, RAF Worthy Down, This was the unit in which the author served. Note the bomb shackles, flare brackets and leading edge slats.
THE FAIREY "GORDON": A two-seater day bomber with Armstrong-Siddeley Panther engine.
Fairey Gordon I K2743, at Fayid in Egypt on April 22, 1943, had served earlier in Iraq
A Fairey Gordon of No. 47 Squadron showing the "R" for Re-built.
The Fairey Gordon, also a G.P. type, with the 535 h.p. Siddeley Panther IIa.
A Fairey Gordon of No. 35 Squadron in the Review line-up
Fairey Gordon I K2717. It was delivered to the RAF in 1932 and first flew with 1 Air Armament School (AAS) before passing to 1 Armament Training Station (ATS). On August .5, 1939, K2717 was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. A total of 271 Gordons was built, including a number of converted Fairey IIIFs, from which the type derived.
ANOTHER NEW AIRCRAFT TYPE WHICH WILL BE SEEN AT THE DISPLAY AT HENDON ON JUNE 25: The Fairey Night Bomber (two Rolls-Royce "Kestrel" engines) is the only monoplane among the new machines of this class. It has a wing span of more than 100 ft., and the gross weight is 19,050 lb.
An airman passes an aerial camera up to the crewman of a 40 Sqn Fairey Gordon at Upper Heyford in 1932.
Handing up a camera to the observer.
Sqd. Ldr. Malcolm Taylor, A.F.C., O.C. No. 40 (Bomber) Squadron, in his Fairey "Gordon" with Armstrong-Siddeley "Panther" engine.
The Gordon was a development of the long-lived Fairey III series fitted with a 575 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley Panther IIA 14-cylinder two-row radial.
Ten years after being introduced, into RAF service, Fairy Gordons were still plodding around the Middle East. The example here, K3994, is seen at Fayid, Egypt, on May 12, 1943.
Fairey "Gordons" flying over a remarkably solid-looking "cotton-wool carpet" while on a raid during the Air Exercises.
IN SQUADRON FORMATION: Fairey "Gordons" of No. 207 (Bomber) Squadron.
Another Flight photograph, this time featuring the Fairey Gordons Is of 207(B) Squadron, RAF, up from Bircham Newton in June 1933.
CHANGING FORMATION: No. 207 Squadron changing from Squadron Formation to Echelon of Flights.
"Gordon" ("Panther") day bombers of No. 35 (Bomber) Squadron.
SQUADRON "V": Fairey "Gordons" with Siddeley "Panther" engines flown by No. 40 (Bomber) Squadron.
Squadron "V": A fine piece of formation flying by No. 40 (Bomber) Squadron.
Line Abreast: Among the clouds on a stormy day.
THE GAY "GORDONS": No. 40 (Bomber) Squadron have just dropped bombs on the three capital ships, H.M.S. Renown, Warspite and Malaya. Destroyers are scurrying in all directions. Observe how the Main Fleet has changed direction to avoid the air attack.
"Squadron, Right wheel": No. 40 (Bomber) Squadron in squadron formation.
More 35 Squadron Gordons, with K2689 nearest, bombed up and with a camera gun on the rear cockpit mounting.
Another shot of K2689 and friends in formation; "a three-dimensional aerial ballet."
A SERVICE RECORD: Figures recently issued by the Air Ministry show that the flying time of the machines engaged in the 1935 Air Exercises aggregated 3,839 1/2 hours, which is an increase of 37 per cent, over the figures for 1934. High-altitude fighting was an outstanding feature, combats between light bombers and fighters being fought at about 21,000 ft. This photograph taken during the Exercises, shows such an engagement. The fighters are Furies and the picture was secured from a Gordon.
FIRING AT THE DROGUE: When a gunner has proved himself at the ground targets he is allowed to fire at targets in the air, and his merit is rated by his success at this practice.
GROUND TARGETS: A line of targets for preliminary gunnery practice is laid out along the wet sand, and a "Gordon" is firing at them. Note the shadow of the machine.
GUNNERY TARGETS: The "Gordon" is flying past the line of ground targets (which are covered with old aeroplane fabric) and the rear gunner is firing at target No. 4.
A GAY CO-OPERATIVE GORDON: This picture from an Asiatic desert is probably the first of a Fairey Gordon general-purpose machine equipped with a hook for collecting messages from ground forces. The verticals (sometimes formed on actual service by rifles with their bayonets stuck in the ground) seem reluctant to part with the message.
FOR GUNNERY TRAINING: Three Bristol "Bulldog II.A" ("Jupiter VII.F.P.") of No.29 (Fighter Squadron) and a Fairey "Gordon" ("Panther II.A") start off to give a demonstration aerial target practice. The target is towed by the "Gordon," and the "Bulldogs" swoop down on the former and fire at it with their machine guns.
Line up of the 12 "Gordons" of No. 40 (Bomber) Squadron at Upper Heyford.
READY FOR THE DAY'S WORK: Fairey "Gordons" ("Panther" engines) lined up on the aerodrome at Bircham Newton.
Pilots of No. 40 B.S. (left to right): Sgts. Emly, Harris, Pattenden, Sowden, Evans; F/O. D. G. Morris; Flt. Lts. J. E. L. Drabble, C. C. Edwards, R. J. H. Holland; (behind) F/O. N. C. M. Styche; Sqd. Ldr. M. L. Taylor, A.F.C.; (behind) P/O. O. P. E. Williams; F/O. H. V. L'Amy; P/O. A. Taylor; F/O's. H. P. Wilson, G. Calvert; Sgt. Christian; P. O. G. W. Montagu; Sgt. O'Brien; P/O. R. H. Page; Sgt. Avent; F/O. L. F. H. Orr; P/O. W. H. N. Turner.
The Airmen of No. 40 (Bomber) Squadron.
PILOTS OF No. 207 (BOMBER) SQUADRON: From left to right, P Sgt. Mitchell, P/Sgt. Lawton, P O. Terdrey, F O. Bax, Flt. Lt. Ware, Sqd. Ldr. Vachell, Flt. Lt. Crummy, P/Sgt. Gould, and P/Sgt. Goodwin.
The "Gordon" as a Seaplane.
Поплавковый "Гордон" бразильского флота в полете, 1934 г.
BRITISH AIRCRAFT FOR SOUTH AMERICA: The last of a batch of Fairey "Gordons" (Armstrong Siddeley "Panther") being embarked and completing an order received from South America.
Seal
The "Seal," Fleet Air Arm three-seater (Siddeley "Panther").
IN THE LINE: The first machine is the Westland G.P. monoplane. Beyond may be recognised the Fairey G.P. and "Seal" and the Vickers "Vellox."
FAIREYS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN: This photograph, taken on board the aircraft carrier Courageous during the Spring Cruise in the Mediterranean, is of interest not only on account of the large number of Fairey machines ranged on the flying deck, but also because at the back, over the extreme stern, may be seen the Supermarine "Seagull Mark V" with Bristol "Pegasus" engine. The presence of the latest type of amphibian flying boat on board the carrier may be significant.
The Seals acquired by Peru were ultimately used both as floatplanes and with wheeled undercarriages. The latter is seen here as a student poses beside a Seal of the Primer Escuadron de Instruccion (First Training Squadron) at San Andres airfield at Pisco on Peru’s southern coast, after a training exercise in November 1940.
Seen here fitted with a wheeled undercarriage and wearing the markings of 1 EBO while the latter was still part of III EA, Seal 1-BO-6C (c/n F. 1939) has suffered damage to its rear lower fuselage and is at Las Palmas air base near Lima for repairs. The Peruvian Seals were fitted with supercharged Armstrong Siddeley Panther IIIA engines.
A rare photograph of one of the two Seals fitted with dual controls for the training role. This included the fitting of full instrumentation and throttle controls in the rear cockpit. With yet another reallocation in late 1941, the Seals were given serials 28-4-12 to 28-4-16 when they were operated by the 4th Flight of training unit 28 EI.
In April 1940 the Seals found a new role when they were reallocated to the Primer Escuadron de Instruccion (I EI - First Training Squadron). Here, students and their instructor from the Escuela de Aviacion Militar pose for a photograph in front of a Seal of I EI in December 1941.
CAP students receive instruction on maintenance and overhaul of the Seal’s Panther engine. Note the naval biplane's wings folded rearwards. In total, only 104 Seals were built, 91 of which went to the Fleet Air Arm, with six being sold to Peru, two to Chile, one to Argentina and four to Latvia.
Возможность замены колесного шасси поплавковым позволяла эксплуатировать Seal с катапульт крупных кораблей.
A Panther engined Fairey Seal seaplane of the Fleet Arm being placed on its catapult aboard one of HM.'s. battleships.
A Fairey Seal of the Fleet Air Arm operating as a float plane.
Developed from the Fairey IIIF under Air Ministry Specification 12/29 for a “Spotter Reconnaissance Aeroplane” for the Fleet Air Arm, the prototype Seal (a converted IIIF) made its maiden flight on September 11, 1930, with a wheeled undercarriage; and with floats, as seen here on production example K3522, on September 29, 1932.
Звено разведчиков "Сил" британской морской авиации, 1935 г.
A FLIGHT OF THE SEAPLANE TRAINING SQUADRON: "Osprey" and "Seal" led by "Tutor."
ON THEIR LAWFUL OCCASIONS. A magnificent impression of a scene at Gibraltar during the Combined Exercises. The seaplane is a Fairey "Seal" (535 h.p. "Panther IIa") of the Fleet Air Arm. The rain-water catchment slope on the face of the Rock is clearly visible.
A Fairey Seal spotter reconnaissance floatplane (525 Siddeley Panther IIa) about to start a navigational training flight at Lee-on-the-Solent.
CRAFT OF THE SEAPLANE TRAINING SQUADRON: The machines from left to right are Fairey "Seal," Avro "Tutor," Saro "Cloud," Hawker "Osprey" and Supermarine "Southampton."
A Fairey "Seal" alights across the bows of the photographic pinnace at Felixstowe.
This photograph of Cuerpo de Aviacion del Peru (CAP) officers in front of a Fairey Seal floatplane of the Primer Escuadron de Bombardeo y Observation (1 EBO - First Bombardment & Observation Sqn) at the Alferez Carlos Huguet seaplane base at Ancon provides a good impression of the large size of the single-engined biplane.
The CAP underwent several reorganisations throughout the 1930s, the Seals of 1 EBO being reallocated in October 1936 from III Escuadron de Aviacion (III EA) to IV EA, with the resulting slight change in (rather long-winded) serial from III/1-BO-1C etc to IV/1-BO-1 C etc. Here, the latter aircraft and four other Seals undergo maintenance at Ancon sometime before the next CAP reorganisation in 1939.
After completing a three-year flight course at Las Palmas, fourth-year cadets at the Escuela de Aviacion Militar (Military Aviation School) had to complete a six-month course in seaplane operations at Ancon. Here, an instructor and student cadet return to the seaplane base after completing a training sortie in November 1938.
Seal 1-BO-3C during a flight while operating as part of IV EA - note the “IV” above the main serial. Peru was not the only South American nation to acquire the Seal; one (c/n F.2111), fitted with a Panther VI engine, went to the Argentinian government and two were acquired by Chile with Napier Lion XI inline water-cooled engines.
The CAP Seals underwent yet another reorganisation in June 1939, when they were allocated to XXXII Escuadron de Informacion Maritima (XXXII EIM), part of Tercer Grupo Aerea (3 GA). The six Seals initially operated with 82 Escuadrilla de Informacion Maritima; this example, fitted with floats, bears the revised serial XXXII-82-6.
Fairey Seal 'R-54' at Lago Nahuel Huapi, Bariloche, Provincia de Rio Negro.
Fairey IIIF 'R-53', to the right, with its recently-installed Panther VI engine, and identically-powered Fairey Seal 'R-54' at Lago Nahuel Huapi.
Гидросамолет Фейри «Сиал» английского производства
The cockpit of a Fairey Gordon in 1937.
Habbaniya air base. The airfield at the top of the picture was not used at the time. Some of the Harts and Gordons, which can be seen on the polo ground, are on fire.
Fairey Gordon I, K2734, strikes oil. This aircraft belonged to No 47 (General Purpose) Squadron, RAF, based at Khartoum, and ended up like this after a night flight in 1937.
Gordon K2761 of 35 Squadron "in a bad way" during the unit's earlier days in the Sudan. The aircraft were delivered, crated, to Sealand.
... and crunch again! In December 1943 Seal 28-4-15 was involved in a taxying accident when the pilot made a miscalculation and struck a CAP Vultee BT-13 parked next to the runway, causing considerable damage to both aircraft. By late 1944 the Seal had been replaced by more modern American types and, after 11 years of rugged service, the type was retired.
Fairey Gordon K2639 crashed after meeting a violent down-draught near Semak in 1934. The Gordon, which replaced the Fairey IIIF, was a two-seat day-bomber and general purpose aircraft. It was powered by the Armstrong Siddeley Panther radial, which gave it a better performance than the Napier Lion powered Fairey IIIF. A total of 160 Gordons were built for the RAF, in addition to a number of reconstructed IIIFs. K2639 was a No 14 Squadron aircraft based at Amman.
Capt Stead had to force-land this Fairey Gordon, K2631, after an engine failure at night about 50 miles east of Amman on October 12, 1933. As can be seen in photograph, the undercarriage came right back, just missing the pilot, who was unscathed.
Capt Stead had to force-land this Fairey Gordon, K2631, after an engine failure at night about 50 miles east of Amman on October 12, 1933.
Crunch! This unmarked CAP Seal suffered extensive structural damage following a landing accident at Villa auxiliary airfield, near Las Palmas, in September 1940. The Seal was damaged beyond repair and was withdrawn from service.
"SKYBIRDS". Three recent additions to the realistic 1-72nd-scale models produced by A. J. Holladay & Co., Ltd. They are: Albatros D.III; D.H. "Comet"; and Fairey "Seal."
Attack by a two-seater Hawker "Demon" on a Fairey "Gordon" light bomber. The fighter uses its rear gun from a blind spot under the bomber's nose. The bomber has one fixed front gun, which can only be brought to bear by dipping the nose of the machine. This form of attack can be used by a formation as well as by a single fighter.
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