Fairey III. 1929 to 1939

FAIREY III

Company:
Fairey

Wing Span:
45 ft 9 in

Wing Area:
500 sq ft

Length:
34 ft 4 in

Height:
14 ft 3 in

Ceiling:
20,000 ft

Speed: at 10,000 ft
120 MPH

Range:
475 Miles

T/O Weight:
6,300 Lb

Crew:
Pilot
Navigator / Observer
WT / Rear Gunner

Role:
General Reconn
Navy Co-op
Survey
Drogue Towing
Torpedo Spotting

Total Manufactured:
622 All Marks
166 IIIB’s

First Flight:
19 Mar 1926

Developed From:
Fairy N20
Original Contract No N2A

Armament:
1 x Fixed Sync Vickers
1 x Lewis on Scarff Ring in Rear Cockpit
up to 500 Lb Bombs

Qty Served in NZ:
3

Years Served:
Sept 1929 to 1939

ENGINE

image source

Type:
Napier Lion XI
12 cylinder, water cooled W block, [3 banks of 4 cylinders]

Bore:
5.5 in. 139.7 mm

Stroke:
5.125 in. 130.7 mm

Volume:
1,416 cu in. 23.944 L

Horse Power:
570 HP

Max RPM:
2,200 RPM

Length:
57.5 in. 1,460mm

Width:
42.0 in. 1,067 mm

Height:
43.5 in. 1,105 mm

Weight:
960 lb. 435 kg

Power to Weight Ratio:
0.5 hp/lb. 0.82 KW/Kg

NZ 631

RAF No.: F 1133
Mark: Mk 111 M
Shipped on SS Port Melbourne 20 Sep 1929
Assembled as a land plane at Hobsonville
First flight Dec 1929
Re serial numbered as NZ 631 but never used that registration 1939
Converted to Inst 2 at TTS Hobsonville 1940
Broken up at Hobsonville late in the War

NZ 632

RAF No.: F 1134
Mark: Mk 111 M
Shipped on SS Port Melbourne 20 Sep 1929
Assembled as a land plane at Hobsonville
Fitted with floats 18 Jul 1930
Crashed in the Waitemata Harbour off Birkdale 1115 on 29 Oct 1930
Struck the water in a high-speed run, 3 occupants uninjured
Rescued by a Cutty Sark flying boat that was flying behind the Fairey
A/C salvaged the next day relatively undamaged
Never repaired
Re serial numbered NZ 632 but never used 1939

NZ 633

RAF No.: S 1805
Constructors No.: F 1542
Mark: Mk 111 B
Shipped on SS Northumberland
To replace F 1134 Mid June 1933
Operated with old fleet air arm serial no on fuselage
Flown on both wheels and floats
On display at Rongotai Jun 1938
Re Serial numbered NZ 633 but never used 1939
Converted to Inst 18 at TTS Hobsonville 1939
Broken up at Hobsonville late in the war

unsourced photos are official

with thanks to son-of-satire for the banner