Fairey Gordon
{{Short description|British light bomber and utility plane of the interwar era}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2015}}
{{Infobox aircraft
|name = Gordon
|image = FaireyGordon0443.jpg
|caption =
|type = Light bomber and general aircraft
|manufacturer = Fairey Aviation
|designer =
|first_flight = 3 March 1931
|introduction =
|retired =
|status =
|primary_user = Royal Air Force
|more_users = Fleet Air Arm (Royal Navy)
|produced =
|number_built = 186
|unit cost =
|developed_from = Fairey III
|variants =
}}
The Fairey Gordon was a British light bomber (2-seat day bomber) and utility aircraft of the 1930s.
The Gordon was a conventional two-bay fabric-covered metal biplane. It was powered by {{convert|525|–|605|hp}} variants of the Armstrong Siddeley Panther IIa engine. Armament was one fixed, forward-firing {{convert|.303|in|mm|adj=on}} Vickers machine gun and a {{convert|.303|in|mm|adj=on}} Lewis Gun in the rear cockpit, plus {{convert|500|lb|kg}} of bombs. The aircraft was somewhat basic; instruments were airspeed indicator, altimeter, oil pressure gauge, tachometer, turn and bank indicator and compass.
Development
The Gordon was developed from the IIIF, primarily by use of the new Armstrong Siddeley Panther engine. The prototype was first flown on 3 March 1931, and around 80 earlier IIIFs were converted to a similar standard, 178 new-built aircraft were made for the RAF, a handful of IIIFs being converted on the production line. 154 Mark Is were produced, before production switched to the Mark II with larger fin and rudder; only 24 of these were completed before production switched to the Swordfish. The naval version of the Gordon, used by the Royal Navy, was known as the Seal.
Service
The type had mostly been retired from Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm service prior to the Second World War, although No. 6 Squadron RAF, No. 45 Squadron RAF, and No. 47 Squadron RAF, still operated the type in Egypt. Six of these aircraft were transferred to the Egyptian Air Force.
49 Gordons were dispatched to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in April 1939, 41 entering brief service as pilot trainers. The RNZAF found the aircraft worn out and showing signs of their service in the Middle East – including at least one scorpion. The last of these – and the last intact Gordon anywhere – was struck from RNZAF service in 1943.
Seven Gordons were adapted to target towing and stationed at No 4 Flying Training School at RAF Habbaniya in Iraq.
{{Cite book |last=Dudgeon |first=Anthony |year=1991 |title=The War That Never Was |place=Shrewsbury |publisher=Airlife Publishing |isbn=1-85310-256-3}} At the end of April 1941 these aircraft were hastily converted back into bombers, and in early May they took part in the defence of Habbaniya against Iraqi forces threatening and then attacking the School.{{cite book |last=Dudgeon |first=Anthony |year=2000 |title=Hidden Victory: The Battle of Habbaniya, May 1941 |place=Stroud and Charleston |publisher=Tempus Publishing |isbn=0-7524-2001-1 |pages=36, 90}}
Variants
;Fairey IIIF Mk V
:Prototype.
;Gordon Mk I
:Two-seat day bomber and general purpose aircraft.
;Gordon Mk II
:Two-seat training version.
;E1F
:Brazilian Navy designation for the Fairey Gordon.{{Cite web |title=Brazilian Military Aircraft Designations |url=https://designation-systems.net/non-us/brazil.html |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=designation-systems.net}}
Operators
; {{BRA}}
: Brazil bought 20 Gordons, comprising 15 land planes and five float planes{{harvnb|Taylor|1988|p=220}}
; {{China as ROC}}
; {{flag|Egypt|1922}}
; {{NZL}}
; {{UK}}
Surviving aircraft
The only known survivor is RNZAF Gordon Mark I NZ629, which is under restoration in New Zealand. On 12 April 1940 two trainee pilots Walter Raphael (pilot) and Wilfred Everist (passenger) of 1 Service Flying Training School were flying NZ629 from Wigram on a flight over the Southern Alps on a "war-load climb to 15,000 feet" training mission. The aircraft entered a spin above the Southern Alps and the crew prepared to bail out, but the aircraft recovered. Moments later it hit trees on top of a ridge on Mount White and flipped backwards down the side of the steep slope, leaving the aircraft hanging in the trees and both Raphael and Everist unconscious. When Raphael regained consciousness he feared the plane would soon catch fire, so he pulled Everist, who was still unconscious, out of the wreckage. Raphael walked to a shearers' hut, carrying Everist who was badly injured.
The airframe, minus instruments, guns and engine, was left suspended in trees at the crash site, which is part of a large sheep station. In 1976 it was relocated – still largely suspended from trees – by Charles Darby, with assistance from Walter Raphael. (Everist had been killed in action over France.) NZ629 was recovered by Aerospatiale Lama. It was stored for more than 20 years before restoration began. In February 1988 the civil registration ZK-TLA was reserved and as of 2005 the restorers were looking for an engine.
{{cite web
|url=http://newsletter.adf-serials.com/news0404.pdf
|title=Fairey Gordon Mk I NZ629
|website=ADF Serials Newsletter
|date=April 2004
|page=9
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061104211428/http://newsletter.adf-serials.com/news0404.pdf
|archive-date=4 November 2006
|url-status=bot: unknown
}} In 2014 they were struggling to raise the funds to get the plane restored.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} By 2023 the aircraft was listed for sale.{{cite web |last1=Reece |first1=Robert |title=Revealed: 'Barn find' restoration of the sole surviving Fairey Gordon |url=http://www.key.aero/article/revealed-barn-find-restoration-sole-surviving-fairey-gordon |website=Key.Aero |access-date=11 July 2025 |date=7 February 2013}}
Specifications (Mark I)
{{Aircraft specs
|ref=Fairey Aircraft since 1915{{harvnb|Taylor|1988|p=221}}
|prime units?=imp
|crew=2
|length ft=36
|length in=9
|length note=
|span ft=45
|span in=9
|span note=
|height ft=14
|height in=2
|height note=
|wing area sqft=438
|wing area note=
|aspect ratio=
|airfoil=
|empty weight lb=3500
|empty weight note=
|gross weight lb=5906
|gross weight note=
|max takeoff weight lb=
|max takeoff weight note=
|fuel capacity=
|more general=
|eng1 number=1
|eng1 name=Armstrong Siddeley Panther IIa
|eng1 type=14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine
|eng1 hp=525
|eng1 note=
|prop blade number=2
|prop name=fixed-pitch propeller
|prop dia ft=
|prop dia in=
|prop dia note=
|max speed mph=145
|max speed note=
|cruise speed mph=110
|cruise speed note=
|stall speed mph=
|stall speed note=
|never exceed speed mph=
|never exceed speed note=
|range miles=600
|range note=
|combat range miles=
|combat range note=
|ferry range miles=
|ferry range note=
|endurance=
|ceiling ft=22000
|ceiling note=
|climb rate ftmin=1000
|climb rate note=
|time to altitude=
|lift to drag=
|wing loading lb/sqft=13.5
|wing loading note=
|fuel consumption lb/mi=
|power/mass={{cvt|0.089|hp/lb}}
|more performance=
|guns=1 × fixed, forward-firing .303 in (7.7 mm) Vickers machine gun and 1 × flexible .303 in (7.7 mm) Lewis Gun in the rear cockpit
|bombs=500 lb (227 kg) of bombs carried under wings
}}
See also
References
=Notes=
{{Reflist}}
=Bibliography=
{{Refbegin}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Mason
|first=Francis K.
|title=The British Bomber since 1914
|place=London
|publisher=Putnam
|year=1994
|isbn=0-85177-861-5
}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Taylor
|first=H.A.
|title=Fairey Aircraft since 1915
|place=London
|publisher=Putnam
|year=1988
|isbn=0-370-00065-X
}}
- {{Cite book
|last=Thetford
|first=Owen
|title=British Naval Aircraft Since 1912
|place=London
|publisher=Putnam
|year=1978
|isbn=0-370-30021-1
}}
{{Refend}}
External links
{{Commons category|Fairey Gordon}}
- [http://members.tripod.com/ahsa_q/articles/faireygordon.htm Fairey Gordon]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930184039/http://www.britishaircraft.co.uk/aircraftpage.php?ID=319 Fairey Gordon] – British Aircraft Directory
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080703165222/http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/FAIREY%20GORDON.htm Fairey Gordon] – British Aircraft of World War II
- [http://www.faireygordon.com Fairey Gordon]
{{Fairey aircraft}}
{{AvN aircraft designations}}
Category:1930s British bomber aircraft