A bit if Fairey whiffery

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mattbacon
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A bit if Fairey whiffery

Post by mattbacon »

I was just reading through the "Fairey Aircraft since 1915" Putnam book that I picked up on a "3 for £20" deal at Huddersfield, and came across the Fairey Fantome, which I'd never heard of before. A really good-looking aircraft, I think you'll agree:

Image

It was built for the Belgian government, and a couple were sent to Russia and ended up in teh Spanish Civil War, but the RAF wasn't interested, partly because it's primary armament was a 20mm cannon firing through the engine, which wasn't in line with RAF thinking. But that got me thinking -- suppose the Fairey HAD been selected for the RAF instead of the Hawker Fury? And suppose then that it had spun off a Fantome Monoplane fighter, just as the Hurricane evolved from the Fury... perhaps you'd get an entire alternative lineage...

Image

The drawings need to be worked on, obviously... ;-P

But top to bottom, we have the original monoplane fighter, entering service in 1937, 950HP erngine, armed with a prop boss 20mm cannon, two machine guns in nose troughs, and two more in the wings. (The wing is basically the outer portion of a Battle wing, but with the wide track gear retracting inwards, like the Fulmar).

Then you have the Merlin engine development, with a much more powerful 1640 HP Merlin 32 and four-blade propeller, armed with one cannon and two machine guns in each wing.

And the final development has and 1800 HP Griffon engine, driving a contraprop, armed with two 20mm cannon in each wing.

It woould make for quite an interesting series of WHIF models, I reckon, but finding kits to work with might be a challenge!

bestest,
M.
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Ian
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Re: A bit if Fairey whiffery

Post by Ian »

Nice idea. What amazing imaginations we modellers have!
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DavidWomby
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Re: A bit if Fairey whiffery

Post by DavidWomby »

That seems a very plausible evolution.

David
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iggie
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Re: A bit if Fairey whiffery

Post by iggie »

That's a very nice looking aircraft, and I can see the way you are thinking in terms of the natural progression

It would also be very handy if we ever have an 'Opera' themed GB :-D
Best wishes

Jim
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DavidWomby
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Re: A bit if Fairey whiffery

Post by DavidWomby »

iggie wrote: >
>
It would also be very handy if we ever have an 'Opera' themed GB :-D
Ugh! Get your coat on!

David
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iggie
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Re: A bit if Fairey whiffery

Post by iggie »

dwomby wrote:
iggie wrote: >
>
It would also be very handy if we ever have an 'Opera' themed GB :-D
Ugh! Get your coat on!

David
Tee Hee Image
Best wishes

Jim
If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing
"Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do the day after tomorrow"
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PaulBradley
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Re: A bit if Fairey whiffery

Post by PaulBradley »

Interesting!

One small quibble - you might base the Fairey Monoplane Fighter wing on the P4/34 light bomber prototype, which the Fulmar was derived from - it was smaller and lighter than the Battle and might have more suitable wings. ;-)
Paul

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Chuck E
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Re: A bit if Fairey whiffery

Post by Chuck E »

It's fun isn't it. I love all this alternate stuff and background histories.

I've done a twin engined Battle, Sea Typhoon Ib, a Seacat ( Spitfire with new wing. ) I wonder where they are now.
So many models, so little time.
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