The Fairey Fawn was a British single-engine light bomber of the 1920s. It was designed as a replacement for the Airco DH.9A and served with the Royal Air Force between 1924 and 1929.
Development
The Fairey Fawn was designed by F Duncanson of Fairey Aviation as a replacement for the Airco DH.9A in the light day-bomber role, to meet the requirements of Specification 5/21 for an aircraft for reconnaissance and army cooperation duties. It was a development of the Fairey Pintail floatplane, powered by a Napier Lion engine.
The first of three prototypes flew on 8 March 1923.Mason 1994, p. 148. The second and third prototypes were fitted with lengthened fuselages to improve stability, and this was adapted for the production version.Taylor 1988, pp. 108–109. The Fawn was fitted with fuel tanks above the top wing in order to meet Air Ministry safety requirements. These tanks posed a hazard to the pilots if the aircraft overturned on landing.
A revised specification 20/23 was issued which added the bomber role. Two prototypes and 48 production Fawn Mk II aircraft were ordered against the new specification in August 1923 to re-equip the home based DH.9A squadrons of the RAF, although the first two production aircraft were completed as short fuselage Fawn Mk Is. The remainder of this order were full production long fuselage Fawn Mk IIs. The Fawn Mk III was fitted with a more powerful 468 hp (350 kW) Lion V engine, while the Fawn Mk IV was fitted with a supercharged Lion VI engine.
Operational history The Fawn entered service with 12 Squadron in March 1924, equipping two further regular squadrons, 11 Squadron and 100 Squadron.Thetford 1957, p. 202. Despite the fact that the Fawn was originally intended to replace all the home-based DH.9A squadrons, four more squadrons continued to be equipped with the DH.9A for several more years before being replaced by other types.
The Fawn was not a popular aircraft in RAF service, having little better performance than the aircraft it replaced, and having a poor view for the pilot owing to the bulky Lion engine.Mason 1994, pp. 149–150.
In 1926 the Fawn was replaced in the three regular squadrons by the Hawker Horsley and the Fairey Fox. The aircraft freed up were used to equip two Special Reserve and Auxiliary Air Force squadrons, these remaining in service until 1929.Mason 1994, p. 149.
Variants Fawn Mk I J6907 Prototype Short fuselage – 450 hp (340 kW) Lion II engine, later converted to Mk III J6908 Prototype built with Long Fuselage J6909 Prototype built with Long Fuselage Two further Mk I aircraft were built as part of the main Mk II production batch. Fawn Mk II J6990 Prototype to Specification 20/23 ordered in February 1923 J6991 Prototype to Specification 20/23 ordered in February 1923 Long Fuselage – 450 hp (340 kW) Lion II engine. Main production type – 48 production aircraft built. Fawn Mk III 468 hp (349 kW) Lion V engine. 20 built. Fawn Mk IV Twelve Mk IIIs were converted with supercharged Lion VI engines for a proposed Mk IV variant but the trial was abandoned and the Mk Iv designation was not used.
Operators
Royal Air ForceThetford Aeroplane Monthly February 1993, p. 10. No. 11 Squadron RAF – April 1924 – May 1927 No. 12 Squadron RAF – May 1924 – December 1926 No. 100 Squadron RAF – May 1924 – December 1926 No 503 (County of Lincoln) Squadron RAF Special Reserve – October 1926 – June 1929 No 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron RAF Auxiliary Air Force – September 1927 – October 1929
Specifications (Fawn Mk III)
See also
References