Fleet Shadower
Airspeed · United Kingdom · first flew 1940 · reconnaissance aircraft
The Airspeed Fleet Shadower was a British experimental naval aircraft designed to shadow enemy surface forces continuously at very low speeds without losing contact, using four small engines for reliability and STOL performance.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 11 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- British STOL naval shadowing aircraft with four small engines
- High-wing monoplane with large area for low-speed flight
- Designed to shadow enemy fleets at minimal speed
High-wing monoplane with four small radial engines and pronounced high-lift devices; the multi-engine layout on such a small airframe is unique to this specification.
Specifications
- The Fleet Shadower has a length of 11 m (36 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 17.02 m (56 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 185 km/h (115 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Designed to a 1937 Air Ministry specification requiring an aircraft able to shadow enemy fleets at 60 knots without losing contact, the Fleet Shadower first flew in 1940. Both Airspeed and General Aircraft produced competing prototypes; neither entered service as the concept was overtaken by radar.
Variants
Airspeed and General Aircraft each built one prototype to the same specification; the designs differed substantially in configuration.
Where you'll see it
Neither prototype entered operational service; the development of ship-borne radar made the slow shadowing aircraft concept obsolete before production could begin.
Related aircraft
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