N.9 | |
---|---|
![]() | |
N.9 during the catapult trials | |
Role | Shipboard floatplane |
National origin | United Kingdom |
Manufacturer | Fairey Aviation Company |
First flight | 5 July 1917 |
Status | Prototype |
Number built | 1 |
The Fairey N.9 (also known as the F.127) was a British experimental floatplane of the First World War; only one was built. It carried out the first shipborne catapult launches from Royal Navy ships, and was later sold to Norway.
In 1917 Fairey Aviation produced two separate designs to meet Admiralty Specification N.2(a) for a two-seat carrier-based seaplane for the Royal Naval Air Service, one powered by a Rolls-Royce Falcon engine, and a larger aircraft powered by a more powerful Sunbeam Maori. The smaller aircraft, usually known by its serial number N.9, but also by its constructor's number F.127, flew first on 5 July 1917, [1] with the larger aircraft (serial number N.10), the prototype Fairey III, flying in September. [2]
N.9 was a compact biplane with single-bay wings of unequal span that folded back for shipboard stowage. It was fitted with trailing edge flaps on both the upper and lower wings. Power was from a 200 hp (149 kW) Rolls-Royce Falcon engine with radiators on each side of the engine. [3]
Its performance was below the requirements of the specification, and no production followed. [4]
Although not chosen for production, N.9 was chosen for trials of catapult launching. After strengthening, it was sent to the Port Victoria Marine Experimental Aircraft Depot for tests with the catapult trials ship, HMS Slinger in June 1918, carrying out the first catapult launches of a seaplane from a Royal Navy ship. [5]
N.9 was bought back from the Royal Navy and fitted with a Maori engine and equal span wings. It was sold to the Royal Norwegian Navy in May 1920, then sold for civil use in 1927, and wrecked in a crash on 12 June 1928. [6]
Data from Fairey Aircraft since 1915 [6]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
The Fairey Barracuda was a British carrier-borne torpedo and dive bomber designed by Fairey Aviation. It was the first aircraft of this type operated by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm (FAA) to be fabricated entirely from metal.
The Fairey Fox was a British light bomber and fighter biplane of the 1920s and 1930s. It was originally produced in Britain for the RAF, but continued in production and use in Belgium long after it was retired in Britain.
The Fairey Aviation Company Fairey III was a family of British reconnaissance biplanes that enjoyed a very long production and service history in both landplane and seaplane variants. First flying on 14 September 1917, examples were still in use during the Second World War.
The Fairey Flycatcher was a British single-seat biplane carrier-borne fighter aircraft made by Fairey Aviation Company which served from 1923 to 1934. It was produced with a conventional undercarriage for carrier use, although this could be exchanged for floats for catapult use aboard capital ships.
The Fairey Hendon was a British monoplane, heavy bomber of the Royal Air Force, designed by Fairey Aviation in the late 1920s. The aircraft served in small numbers with one Squadron of the RAF between 1936 and 1939. It was the first all-metal low-wing monoplane to enter service with the RAF.
The Fairey P.4/34 was a competitor for an order for a light bomber to serve with the Royal Air Force. Although not produced in that form, it formed the basis for the Fulmar long-range carrier-based fighter for the Fleet Air Arm.
The Fairey Firefly IIM was a British fighter of the 1930s. It was a single-seat, single-engine biplane of all-metal construction. Built by Fairey Aviation Company Limited, it served principally with the Belgian Air Force throughout the 1930s until the outbreak of World War II.
The Nakajima E8N was a Japanese ship-borne, catapult-launched, reconnaissance seaplane of the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was a single-engine, two-seat biplane with a central main-float and underwing outriggers. During the Pacific War, it was known to the Allies by the reporting name "Dave".
The Fairey Campania was a British ship-borne, patrol and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War and Russian Civil War. It was a single-engine, two-seat biplane with twin main floats and backward-folding wings. The Campania was the first aeroplane ever designed specifically for carrier operations.
The Avro 604 Antelope was a British light bomber which was designed and built in the late 1920s to meet a requirement for a light bomber to equip the Royal Air Force, competing against the Hawker Hart and the Fairey Fox II. It was unsuccessful, the Hart being preferred.
The Wight Converted Seaplane was a British twin-float patrol seaplane produced by John Samuel White & Company Limited.
The Short Admiralty Type 74 was a single-engined biplane tractor seaplane with non-folding wings, which saw service with the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War.
The Supermarine Type 322 was a prototype British carrier-borne torpedo, dive bomber and reconnaissance aircraft of the Second World War. A single-engined monoplane, it was unsuccessful, with only two examples being built. The Fairey Barracuda, built to the same specification, would fill this role.
The Vickers Vixen was a British general-purpose biplane of the 1920s. Designed and developed by Vickers in a number of variants, with 18 Vixen Mark V sold to Chile. A prototype of a version with metal wings was built as the Vickers Vivid. The Vixen also formed the basis of the closely related Venture and Valparaiso aircraft, which were also built and sold in small numbers in the 1920s
The Vickers Vanox was a British biplane bomber design intended as a successor to the Virginia for the Royal Air Force. Although it underwent extensive development, it was not successful, only a single aircraft being built.
The Blackburn T.R.1 Sprat was a British single-engine two-seat biplane trainer, built in 1926 for advanced training, deck-landing and seaplane experience. Just one was built.
The Short N.2B was a prototype British patrol seaplane of the First World War, designed and built by Short Brothers. A single-engined biplane intended to replace Short's successful Type 184, only two were built, the Fairey III being preferred.
The Fairey Fleetwing was a British two-seat, single-engine biplane designed to an Air Ministry contract for carrier-based reconnaissance operations in the late 1920s. Only one was built.
The Fairey S.9/30 was a two-seat, single-engined biplane built to meet an Air Ministry specification for a fleet reconnaissance aircraft. It flew during 1934-6 in both land- and seaplane configurations. Although only one was built, it was the progenitor of the Fairey Swordfish.
The Short Admiralty Type 81 was a series of British two-seat floatplanes built prior to the First World War, and used by the Royal Naval Air Service in the early years of the war. They were powered by 160 hp (120 kW) Gnome Lambda-Lambda 14 cylinder two-row rotary engines and had folding wings to aid storage on ship, hence the popular name Short Folder, shared with a number of other seaplanes made by Short Brothers.