Fairchild F-24W-40

Fairchild · United States · first flew 1940 · light aircraft

The Fairchild F-24W-40 is a variant of the Fairchild F-24, a popular American high-wing cabin monoplane of the late 1930s and early 1940s, powered by a Warner Super Scarab radial engine. The -40 suffix denotes the 1940 production year.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	7.47 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

High-wing strut-braced American light aircraft
Four-seat cabin monoplane of pre-war design
Fairchild F-24 series with Warner Super Scarab radial engine

A high-wing strut-braced monoplane with an enclosed four-seat cabin, radial engine, and fixed spatted undercarriage; the broad chord wing and rounded fuselage are characteristic of the Fairchild F-24 family.

Specifications

The Fairchild F-24W-40 has a length of 7.47 m (25 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.97 m (36 ft).
Its maximum speed is 222 km/h (138 mph).
Typical crew: 1-3.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The Fairchild F-24 series began in the early 1930s and evolved through numerous variants; the W-suffix indicated Warner engine installations. By 1940, the type was widely used in US civil aviation and was also impressed into military service as the UC-61 Forwarder during World War II.

Variants

The F-24 family included Ranger-engined (R-suffix) and Warner-engined (W-suffix) variants across multiple years; the F-24W-40 specifically denotes the 1940 Warner-powered model.

Where you'll see it

F-24s served widely in US civil aviation before the war, and large numbers were requisitioned by the USAAF and US Navy as liaison and communications aircraft from 1941 onwards.

Related aircraft

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