Fairchild Super 71
Fairchild Aircraft Ltd (Canada) · Canada · first flew 1934 · transport aircraft
The Fairchild Super 71 was a Canadian parasol-mounted high-wing monoplane cargo aircraft. It was one of the first purpose-built civilian bush planes for remote and northern Canada.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Streamlined oval duralumin monocoque fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Parasol-mounted high wing with a strut-braced metal wing and tail
- Streamlined oval duralumin monocoque fuselage
- Rear cockpit position behind a large front cargo compartment
A floatplane bush aircraft with a parasol wing and a high-mounted tailplane, which was moved from an original T-tail position to stay out of take-off spray.
Specifications
- The Fairchild Super 71 has a length of 10.82 m (35 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 17.67 m (58 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 224 km/h (139 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Fairchild began a study of new designs based on its Model 71 in 1933. The prototype CF-AUJ, on floats with a 525 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp, first flew on 31 October 1934.
Variants
The Super 71P was a production variant for the RCAF with a new wing mounting and the cockpit moved ahead of the wing, because forward vision from the rear cockpit was poor. Two were built.
Where you'll see it
The prototype was loaned to Canadian Airways for trials in Quebec and Ontario, and sank after hitting a submerged log off Sioux Lookout on 3 October 1940. The 71P had a chequered history, and the only surviving airframe is the prototype in the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada.
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