Fairey Ferret

Ferret

National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Fairey Aviation Company
First flight: June 1925
Number built: 3

The Fairey Ferret was a 1930s British general purpose biplane designed and built by the Fairey Aviation Company. It performed well in trials but it was not ordered into production.

Development

The Ferret was designed to meet a Fleet Air Arm requirement defined by specification 37/22 for a reconnaissance aircraft; it was the company's first all-metal design. With a lack of interest from the FAA the company proposed the design to meet a Royal Air Force requirement for a general-purpose biplane.

The company built three prototypes, two were three-seaters (to meet the naval requirement) and the third was a two-seater. The two-seater Ferret III was also fitted with a new Fairey-designed high-speed gun mounting in the rear cockpit. The first prototype first flew in June 1925 powered by a 400hp (298kW) Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IV radial engine. The other two aircraft had a 9 inch extension to the wing span and were both fitted with a 425hp (317kW) Bristol Jupiter radial engine.

The aircraft performed well during trials at RAF Martlesham Heath but was not ordered into production.

Variants

Ferret Mk I Three-seat prototype powered by a 400hp (298kW) Armstrong Siddeley Jaguar IVl radial engine, one built. Ferret Mk II Three-seat prototype powered by a 425hp (317kW) Bristol Jupiter radial engine, one built. Ferret Mk III Two-seat prototype powered by a 425hp (317kW) Bristol Jupiter radial engine, one built.

Specifications (Ferret III)

Data from

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 29 ft 6 in (8.99 m)
Wingspan: 40 ft 7 in (12.37 m)
Height: 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
Wing area: 380 ft² (35.30 m²)
Empty weight: 2,583 lb (1,172 kg)
Gross weight: 4,765 lb (2,161 kg)
Powerplant: 1 x— Bristol Jupiter VI 9-cylinder radial engine, 425 hp (317 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: at 5,000 ft (1,524 m)135 mph (217 km/h)
Service ceiling: 15,500 ft (4,725 m)
Rate of climb: initial 920 ft/min (4.67 m/s)

Armament

1 x— fixed forward-firing 0.303in (7.7mm) Vickers machine-gun (on starboard side of fuselage)
1 x— 0.303in (7.7mm) Lewis machine-gun in rear cockpit
Up to 500lb (227kg) bombs fitted under wings

Bibliography

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.
Taylor, H.O. (1974). Fairey Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam Publishing. ISBN 0 370 00065 X.

Fairey Ferret Pictures

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia