Belgium [Data Sheet] Fairey Fantôme / Féroce (in work)

[spirou14 522]

Fairey Fantôme / Féroce

 
 
- Visual Aspects (clic on picture for a larger image) :
 
 

 
 

 

 

 
One of the last and most handsome of the biplane fighters, the Fantôme was designed to meet a Belgian Air

Force specification. This was the first of four (F.2118, G-ADIF), photographed during an air-to-air sortie in

june 1935.
 

 
One of the two Fantôme delivered to the Soviet Union in november 1936 and during tests in 1937
 

 
The fourth and last Fantôme (F.3451), wich was assembled by Aviation Fairey to meet a British Air Ministry order

in 1937 and evaluated at Martlesham as L7045 in 1938-39.
 
 
- Short History:

 

"The Fantôme, the Belgian-assembled version of wich was called the Féroce, might fairly described as a

splendid but still-born fighting aeroplane. It was probably the cleanest and certainly the most handsome

biplane fighter ever produced, but was almost the last of its kind in an era when the development of the

biplane, for all but specialist military and naval purposes, had virtually ceased. Designed in 1934 by

Marcel Lobelle(1) and flown for the first time, as F6, on 6 june 1935, by C.S. Staniland at the Great West

aerodrome, the Fantôme (F.2118) was intended to meet the requierements of a specification issued by

the Belgian Government who were looking for a fighter to support and succeed the Firefly II and were

planning an international competition for that purpose...

 

... After being shown at the RAF and SBAC displays, the Fantôme, now civil-registered G-ADIF, took part

in the competition at Evère, but crashed on 17 july 1935, during the landing circuit following a demonstra-

tion, killing Fairey's test pilot S.H.G.Trower. Sets of parts and assemblies had been made at Hayes for three

additionnal aircraft and these were sent in 1936 to Avions Fairey at Gosselies (Belgium). By this time there

lad been changes in the Belgian fighter requirements. Homewer, the Soviet Government had, following

earlier demonstrations, placed an ordre for two of the fighters in December 1935. These (F.2264-5) were

test-flown by Staniland at Gosselies in November 1936 and crated and shipped, via Antwerp, to the Soviet

Union. They were sent subsequently to Spain for service with the Republican Air Force; one of them is

recorded as having been shot down.

 

The fourth and last Fantôme/Féroce was ordered by the British Air Ministry on 11 May 1937, as L7045

(F.3451) was flown for the first time by F.H.Dixon at Gosselies on 4 November 1937 and was ferried by him

on 10 november from Evère to Heston (for Customs clearance) and the Great West aerodrome. On 23

December 1937, and again on 5 January 1938, the Fantôme was flown to Farnborough and on 17 January

it was delivred to the A & AEE for evaluation which continued until june 1939."

 

H.A.Taylor in "Fairey Aircraft, since 1915"

 

(1) Marcel Lobelle, a Belgian born in Kortrijk, is a designer of repute who, during his time as Chief Designer with Fairey Aviation, produced a

number of famous aircraft.

 

 
- Configuration: Fighter
 

Production Status

 

First flight: 6 June 1935
Introduction year: 1937

Status: Never entered in production.

Number built: 4

 

Crew Data
 

Number of crew: 1
Roles of crew: pilot

 Engine Data (Piston Aircraft)
 

Manufacturer: Hispano Suiza
Name: 925 hp Hispano Suiza 12 Ycrs twelve-cylinder vee liquid-cooled with a 20-mm Oerlikon

motor-cannon
Number of engines: 1
 

Basic Geometric Data
 

Length: 8.40 m
Wing span: 10.515 m
Wing area: 27.2 sq m
Height: 3.45 m

 

Weight Data
 

Empty weight: 1134 kg
Loaded weight: 2060 kg
 
 

General Performance Data
 

Maximum speed:

- at sea level : 360 km/h

- at 4000 m : 435 km/h

Minimum speed:

Landing speed: 96 km/h
Cruising speed: 350 km/h (Endurance : 2 hr)
Service ceiling: 11000 m
 

 

Rate of Climb

 

Climb to 4000 m in 5 min 40 sec

 

 

Armament (1) (2)

 

- 1 x MG 20mm Oerlikon (through the propeller hub)

- 4 x MG Browning 7.7mm

* Two synchronised in the upper fuselage forward of the cockpit (omitted if a moteur

canon was fitted)

* Two in the lower wing

- 4 x 10 kg of bombs

 

 

Ammunition:

 

Notes :

 

- The Fantôme was equipped for day-time and night-time operations and carried radio equipment.

- Of all-metal construction with fabric covering.

- Ailerons were on the upper wings only.

- (1) In that source : "1931-2011 Sonaca, 80 ans de passion aéronautique", p. 18, the authors

explained the possibility to install 1 x MG 20mm Oerlikon AND 4 x MG Browning 7.7mm (Two

in the upper fuselage forward of the cockpit and two in the lower wing) (2)

- (2) Confirmation on an advertising of epoch, there could be 1 x MG 20mm Oerlikon AND

  4 x MG Browning 7.7mm (Two in the upper airframe forward of the cockpit and two in the lower wing)

 

--->Look here: https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/220454-belgium-data-sheet-fairey-fantôme-féroce-in-work/?p=4613584

 

 

 

Sources :

 

- Fairey Aircraft Since 1915 by Hugh A. Taylor (Putnam Aviation Series 1974, 1984 and 1988) (P. 260 - 263)

 

 

 

- The Flightglobal Archive :

 

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1935/1935%20-%201560.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1935/1935%20-%201563.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1935/1935%20-2-%200062.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1935/1935%20-2-%200015.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1940/1940%20-%200755.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1941/1941%20-%200451.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1955/1955%20-%201018.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1955/1955%20-%201019.html

 

Over the 20-mm Oerlikon motor-cannon :

 

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1939/1939-1-%20-%201599.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1939/1939-1-%20-%201605.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1939/1939-1-%20-%201606.html

> http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1939/1939-1-%20-%201607.html

 

 

- The Complete Book of Fighters by William Green and Gordon Swanborough. (P. 200)

   Published by Salamander Books Limited London (1994)

 

 

 

- " 1931-2011 Sonaca, 80 ans de passion aéronautique " by Pierre Sonveaux and Pierre Taquet (p. 12 and 13)

   Published by Sonaca.

 

 

 

- In "L'Aviation Belge" nr 153 Friday, February 21, 1936, page 4.

 

 

- In "L'Aviation Belge" nr 153 Friday, March 27, 1936, page 4

 

 

- In "L'Aviation Belge" nr 153 Friday, April  25, 1936, page 4.

 

 

 

 

 

Updates

 

- 01-03-2015 : Addition of Flightglobal archive in  sources.

- 01-03-2015 : Addition of Flightglobal archive in  sources over the 20-mm Oerlikon motor-cannon.

- 02-03-2015 : Addition in notes.

- 07-03-2015 : Addition in sources.

- 22-03-2015 : Addition in notes (1) and in the sources

- 11-05-2015 : Addition in notes (2) and in the sources

Edited June 20, 2015 by spirou14

[spirou14 522]

[spirou14 522]

Updates

 

- 11-05-2015 : Addition in notes (2) and in the sources