Fairey Firefly, British Users, Part five

 

The Fairey Firefly was a British World-War 2 era carrier-borne fighter and anti-submarine aircraft. On this post we're going to cover the many variants that were made:

• Firefly F.MkI/F.I: A carrier-borne fighter developed as a replacement of the Fairey Fulmar. Four-hundred and twenty nine machines manufactured by Fairey Aircraft.
• Firefly NF.Mk.I/NF.I: Night-fighter variant produced in parallel to the F.I. This version was equipped with an ASH radar (AN/APS-4) placed inside a small pod hanging under the nose. Its main screen was in the radio area and had another auxiliary one for the pilot. 
• Firefly FRMk.I/FR.I: Fighter-Reconnaissance variant which progressively replaced the F.I. This differed from the F.I in having an ASH radar fitted in a different manner than the NF.I. Until the start of the Korean War, it was the main two-seater fighter aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). Some of them were also manufactured by General Aircraft Ltd. 
• Firefly F.MkIA/F.IA: Some Fireflies F.I converted into FR.I standards. 
• Firefly T.MkI/T.1: An advanced pilot trainer. Forty-one machines were converted by Fairey in 1946, of which 36 were destined to the FAA and four for the Royal Dutch Navy. The radio operator's area was replaced by an elevated second cockpit and every armament was removed. Some machines, however, kept two machine guns, instead of the four ones.
• Firefly TT.Mk.I/TT.I: Surplus Mk.I machines converted into target tugs. Exported to Canada, Denmark, India and Sweden.
• Firefly NF.Mk.II/NF.II: The original fighter prototype, equipped with an Al Mk.X radar placed inside a radome on the wing. Given the shift on the centre of gravity, the bow was extended 18 inches (45.7 cm). The production was brief after just 37 machines were converted in June 1944 due to problematic radar and manoeuvrability. All of them were reconverted to the NF.I standard. 
• Firefly T.Mk.II/T.2: F.I/FR.I fighters reconverted to aerial combat trainers. Just like the T.1, the rear cockpit was replaced by an elevated second cockpit and was armed by two 20 mm Hispano cannons. It also had provision for underwing bombs and flares. Fifty-four machines were converted in 1949. 
  Every machine until this variant was powered by a single Rolls-Royce IIB engine yielding 1.730 hp of power or, as later variants were, a single Rolls-Royce Griffon XII rated at 1.990 hp which drove a three-bladed propeller.
• Firefly F.Mk.III/F.3: Prototype for a single-seat fighter powered by the Rolls-Royce Griffon 61 engine. It was rebuilt from the 10th exemplar of the F.I and took off for the first time in spring 1943. Results were, however, unsatisfactory and the project was abandoned in favour of the Mk.4, which this prototype worked as.
• Firefly T.Mk.III/T.3: The third and last training variant based on the FR.I. This variant was aimed for observer training and was equipped with additional equipment. Armament and arrestor hook were removed. Fifty machines were converted between 1949 and 1951.
• Firefly FR.Mk.IV/FR.4: Second main fighter-reconnaissance variant, with a shortened wing, a Rolls-Royce Griffon 74 engine which yielded 2.200 hp of power and reworked cooling system with coolers placed in the wings. The ASV radar was placed in a radome on the leading edge of the starboard wing and an additional fuel tank was placed inside another radome-ish looking fuel tank integrated at the leading edge of the port wing. Tail was also modified. More than 160 machines were manufactured between September 1946 and February 1948 and they were kept as FAA's main fighter until 1950.
• Firefly NF.Mk.4/NF.4: A small number converted from the basic FR.4, modified for night-fighting. They barely differed from the FR.4.
• Firefly TT.Mk.4/TT.4: Target tow conversion from the FR.4 made for the FAA. Twenty-eight machines converted, with additional 5 delivered to Australia and the Netherlands.
• Firefly FR.Mk.5/FR.5: Modified fighter-reconnaissance version of the FR.4. This version differed from the FR.4 in having hydraulic folding of the wings instead of the traditional hand-made one. Additional protection was also provided for the radar to protect it from excessive vibration. Many FR.4 were upgraded to this standard at the outbreak of the Korean War.
• Firefly NF.Mk.5/NF.5: Night fighter variant of the FR.5. Equipped with the usual night-fighter equipment like exhaust covers. It also featured a new radio altimeter (of the ARI 5284 model) and a new radar of the ARI 5664 "Monica" model which warned if an aircraft approached from behind. 
• Firefly AS.Mk.5/AS.5: Anti-submarine variant of the FR.5. Production period ranged from 1948 until 1950, however, those built from 1949 onwards were equipped with an ARI 5284 radio altimeter and could be fitted with sonobuoys and depth charges. Many of them served during the Korean War, however as the naval combat during that conflict was residual, most of them were converted to the FR.5 standard to be used as ground attack aircraft.
• Firefly AS.Mk.6/AS.6: Anti-submarine variant based on the AS.5 but with various improvements like longer landing gear, the capacity to carry either British or American-made sonobuoys, a total of 16 underwing rockets and its cannons were removed. The prototype of this variant flew for the first time on 23rd May 1949 and a total of 189 machines were built, 56 of them converted from AS.5 machines.
• Firefly TT.Mk.6/TT.6: Four Australian machines adapted for target towing duties in a similar manner as the TT.4.
• Firefly AS.Mk.7/AS.7: Interim variant intended to serve until the Fairey Gannet was available. Manufactured from 1951 until 1953, this new variant featured a new redesigned wing, a two-seater rear cockpit, a new rudder, it was powered by the Rolls-Royce Griffon 59 engine which could yield 1965 hp of power and it lacked any offensive armament. The new engine featured a semi-circular radiator under the bow. It flew for the first time on 22nd March 1951 and with just 151 machines having been manufactured, production ceased in December 1953. It wasn't very popular as it suffered of poor handling and was unsuitable for carrier landings.
• Firefly T.Mk.7/T.7: As the Grumman Avenger AS.4 was introduced in the FAA, the Firefly AS.7 was retired from active duty and sent for training duties. They were reassigned to coastal bases to train observers and radar operator and were given this designation.
• Firefly U.Mk.8/U.8: Between the years 1953 and 1956 eight T.7 machines were reconverted into unmanned flying drones for missile testing at the Llanbedr proving range, in Wales. Eventually 32 machines were built.
• Firefly U.Mk.9/U.9: In 1956 forty AS.5/FR.5 machines were converted into unmanned target drones in a similar way as the U.8. Most of these were tested at the RAF Hal Far Base, in Malta.

Sources:

1. https://www.valka.cz/Fairey-Firefly-t43239

2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Firefly

3. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 28 - Fairey Firefly

4. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Fairey Firefly, British users, part four

 

During the Korean War (1950-1953) both British and Australian Fireflies performed anti-shipping patrols and ground strikes from aircraft carriers positioned offshore. 

They also performed other mission roles like anti-submarine patrols and aerial reconnaissance as well as assisting battleships in providing effective naval gunfire support. Many Fireflies of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) were loaned during this period to the Royal Australian Navy as we've seen in our previous two posts. In spite of the many incidents with anti-aircraft fire, the Firefly proved to be relatively sturdy. In fact, it was routinely used for strike operations against targets such as bridges and railway lines to damage North Korean logistics and communications. Furthermore, as the war was going on, pilots developed new low-level dive bombing techniques to achieve greater accuracy. In fact, the Firefly was present until the very final part of the conflict, when the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed on 27th July 1953 and they kept on flying post-armistice patrols for many years afterwards. 

The Korean War, however wasn't the end of the operational history for the Firefly, as it was deployed again in the Far East amid the Malayan Emergency, where it was employed in ground attack operations against Malayan Communist Party insurgents. However, it was replaced shortly after the introduction of the Fairey Gannet which eventually fully replaced it.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Firefly

2. Hall Park Books - Warpaint 28 - Fairey Firefly

3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Fairey Firefly, British Users, part three

 

After completion of the prototype, handling trials were executed at RAF Boscombe Down, in Wiltshire. In 1944 the Firefly was cleared for using underwing rockets and, by April that same year, a payload of 16 rockets plus a pair of 45 gallon (205 L) drop tanks were successfully carried out with an acceptable handling. Various further testing was also carried out with different, albeit acceptable, results. 

During the Second World War, the primary used variant was the Firefly Mk.I, which saw action in every theatre of the conflict. 

In March 1943 the first Firefly Mk.I was delivered to the Fleet Air Arm (FAA), but their entry into operational service was delayed until July 1944 when they were assigned to the 1770 Naval Air Squadron on board of HMS Indefatigable (R10) Aircraft Carrier. 

Their first operations took place in the European Theatre where the Fireflies performed many armed reconnaissance flights and anti-shipping strikes along the Norwegian coast. 

Throughout its operational career, the Firefly assumed on more demanding roles, from fighter to anti-submarine warfare, while being stationed in the Far East with the British Pacific Fleet and the Pacific Theatre. In these theatres the type was used against both Japanese ground targets and fighters aircraft. FAA's Fireflies performed attacks on both oil refineries and airfields and they were dispatched numerous times to attack many Japanese-controlled islands until Victory over Japan Day. 

The Firefly gained public renown when it became the first British designed and built aircraft to overfly Tokyo, the Japanese capital. 

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Firefly

2. Hall Parks Books - Warpaint 28 - Fairey Firefly

3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters

Fairey Firefly, Canadian users

 

The Fairey Firefly was a British carrier-borne fighter and anti-submarine aircraft that was developed during the Second World War. It served with the naval arms of various Commonwealth countries, among them, Canada, which is the subject of this post.

In May 1945, after the en of the war in Europe, and anticipating a major naval offensive against the Japanese mainland, the Canadian government accepted a British offer of loaning two Colossus-class aircraft carriers to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). In order to equip those carriers, it was necessary to procure naval fighters and, based upon the feedback of veteran pilots, Canada opted to acquire the Firefly over the other alternative that favoured the acquisition of American fighters.
As an interim measure, the Fireflies were acquired from the Royal Navy while more advanced purpose-built aircraft were being constructed. Therefore, between 1946 and 1954 the RCN employed a total of 64 (65 according to wikipedia). Initially they were based at HMCS Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and they served aboard HMCS Warrior and HMCS Magnificent aircraft carriers operated by the No.825 and 826 squadrons of the RCN. The Firefly AS Mk.V (AS stands for anti-submarine) was ordered in 1949 to meet a NATO role for the RCN in anti-submarine warfare. Those AS.Mk V operated in this role until late 1950s when they were replaced by Grumman Avenger AS.Mk.3. 
Canadian Fireflies were sold to various countries during the 1950s like Ethiopia, Denmark and the Netherlands. Some older FR.I variants were used briefly for training purposes.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Firefly

2. https://www.warplane.com/aircraft/collection/details.aspx?aircraftId=18

3. Salamander Books - The Complete Book of Fighters