Fairey Seal
Fairey Aviation Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1930 · bomber
The Fairey Seal was a British single-engine biplane designed for fleet spotter, reconnaissance, and light bombing duties with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm in the 1930s. It was a development of the Fairey IIIF.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 10.26 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- 1930s British Fleet Air Arm three-seat biplane
- Single Armstrong Siddeley Panther radial engine
- Open cockpit spotter/bomber with folding wings
Three-bay biplane with equal-span wings, single radial engine, and open cockpits in tandem; resembles the IIIF but with detail differences in cowling and undercarriage.
Specifications
- The Fairey Seal has a length of 10.26 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.94 m (46 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 222 km/h (138 mph).
- Typical crew: 3 (pilot, observer, gunner).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Developed from the Fairey IIIF series, the Seal entered FAA service in 1933 and served until the late 1930s. It was designed to operate from both land bases and aircraft carriers with folding wings.
Variants
The Seal was produced in a standard three-seat configuration; a floatplane version could be fitted with twin floats for catapult launching from cruisers.
Where you'll see it
Served with the Fleet Air Arm in the 1930s aboard Royal Navy carriers and shore bases, later passing to second-line and training duties.
Related aircraft
- Fairey Fox Floatplane
- Fairey Long Range Monoplane
- Fairey IIIF
- Fairey Firefly I
- Curtiss A-4 Helldiver
- Curtiss F8C-4 Helldiver
- Curtiss F8C-5 Helldiver
- Fairey Fox II
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