Fairey Hamble Baby
Fairey Aviation Company · United Kingdom · first flew 1917 · fighter
The Fairey Hamble Baby was a British single-seat floatplane fighter of World War I, developed by Fairey Aviation as an improved variant of the Sopwith Baby. It served with the Royal Naval Air Service on coastal patrol and anti-submarine duties.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.11 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- WWI British single-seat floatplane fighter
- Fairey's conversion of the Sopwith Baby
- Twin floats with single radial engine
A small equal-span biplane on twin floats with a rotary engine; the Fairey-modified floats and folding wings distinguish it from the original Sopwith Baby.
Specifications
- The Fairey Hamble Baby has a length of 7.11 m (23 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 8.46 m (28 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 148 km/h (92 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Fairey substantially redesigned the Sopwith Baby, fitting a more powerful Clerget rotary engine and modifying the airframe and floats. The Hamble Baby entered RNAS service in 1917. Some aircraft were later converted to Hamble Baby Converts with a landplane undercarriage, serving as trainers.
Variants
The Hamble Baby Convert was a landplane conversion used for training; the seaplane version itself existed in small numbers with minor sub-variants.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the Royal Naval Air Service from coastal stations in the UK for patrol and anti-Zeppelin duties; not used abroad in significant numbers.
Related aircraft
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