Fairey N.4

Fairey N.4

National origin: United Kingdom
Manufacturer: Fairey Aviation Company
First flight: 1923
Number built: 2

The Fairey N.4 was a 1920s British five-seat long range reconnaissance flying boat. Designed and built by the Fairey Aviation Company to meet an Admiralty requirement for a very large four-engined reconnaissance aircraft, it was the world's biggest flying boat when it first flew in 1923

Development

Following and increase in experience with flying boats in 1917 the Admiralty issued Specification N.4. The specification called for a four-engined long-range reconnaissance flying boat. The admiralty ordered two aircraft from Fairey and one fom Phoenix Dynamo. Fairey sub-contracted the building of the first to Dick, Kerr & Co. of Lytham St. Annes.

The first N.4 (named Atalanta) first flew in 1923 powered by four 650 hp (485 kW) Rolls-Royce Condor IA piston engines. The hull had been built in Southampton (by boat builders) and delivered to Lytham St. Annes for assembly and the complete aircraft was then dismantled and taken by road to the Isle of Grain for its first flight.

The second N.4 Mk II (named Titania) included improvements and later variant Condor III engines. Titania was not flown straight away and was stored, not flying until 1925.

The rival Phoenix Dynamo N.4 was built but never flown and was scrapped as the service lost interest in large flying boats.

Specifications (Mk II Titania)

Data from

General characteristics

Crew: 5
Length: 60 ft 0 in (20.12 m)
Wingspan: 139 ft 0 in (42.37 m)
Wing area: 2900 ft² (269.41 m²)
Gross weight: 31612 lb (14339 kg)
Powerplant: 4 x— Rolls-Royce Condor III Vee piston engine, 650 hp (485 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 115 mph (185 km/h)
Endurance: 9 hours 0 min
Service ceiling: 14,100 ft (4300 m)

Armament

0.303in (7.7mm) Lewis machine-gun (in nose and beam positions)
1000lb (454kg) of bombs

Comparable aircraft

Phoenix Dynamo N.4

Bibliography

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.

Fairey N.4 Pictures

More aircraft.

Source: WikiPedia