Fairey S.9/30
Fairey Aviation Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1934 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Fairey S.9/30 was a two-seat, single-engined biplane built to an Air Ministry specification for a fleet reconnaissance aircraft. It was the progenitor of the Fairey Swordfish.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11.99 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Single-bay biplane of stainless steel strip and tube, fabric covered
- Lower wing a little smaller in span and chord, with interplane struts converging towards it
- Cut-outs in both wings to improve the pilot's view
The wings folded for on-ship storage, and ailerons were fitted only to the upper wing.
Specifications
- The Fairey S.9/30 has a length of 11.99 m (39 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 14.02 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 219 km/h (136 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Funds for a prototype were awarded in August 1931 and it first flew on 22 February 1934. It first flew as a seaplane on 15 January 1935 at Hamble.
Variants
Only one was built. Its main difference from the Swordfish was the steam-cooled, liquid-cooled Rolls-Royce Kestrel instead of a radial engine.
Where you'll see it
It flew from land and later as a seaplane, and went to naval tests at Felixstowe in 1936, where its behaviour on the water was praised. The controls were found to be heavy but positive.
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- Curtiss SOC Seagull
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