Fairey Battle

Last Updated 21/12/04

Fairey "Battle"

Turkish & No.301 Squadron Paint Schemes Added.

Details|CFS2 Screenshots|Acknowledgements|Downloads

Details:

Manufacturers: Fairey Aviation Co. Ltd. (of Hayes, Middlesex), at Heaton Chapel, Stockport. Also Austin Motor Co. Ltd., at Longbridge, Birmingham.

Purpose: 3 Seat Medium bomber. Pilot, Navigator/Bomb Aimer & Wireless Operator/Gunner

Origin & Development: Prototype appeared in 1936. The first production Battles were delivered to the squadrons in 1937.

Power Plant: One Rolls-Royce Merlin II motor. Maximum power, 1,030 h.p. at 16,250 ft. at 3,000 r.p.m. Cruising, 728 h.p. at 15,000 ft. Take-off, 900 h.p.

Construction: Wings: Two-spar type, with stressed-skin covering. Trailing edge flaps. Fuselage: Metal monocoque with Z-section stringers and stressed-skin covering. Tail unit: Light alloy structure with stressed-skin covering. Undercarriage:Two cantilever oleo legs retracting backwards into fairings. Lockheed actuation.

Dimensions: Span, 54 ft. Length, 42 ft. 11 in. Height, 15 ft. 6 in. Area, Wings, 422 sq. ft. Weight, Empty, 6,647 lb. Loaded, 10,792 lb. Military load, 1,432 lb. Petrol and oil, 1,740 lb. Crew (two) and parachutes, 400 lb. Fixed equipment, 573 lb.

Performance: Maximum speed, 257 m.p.h. at 15,000 ft. Cruising, 200 m.p.h. Sea-level, 210 m.p.h. Maximum at 10,000 ft., 240 m.p.h. At 20,000 ft., 250 m.p.h. Landing, 70 m.p.h. Initial climb, 920 ft. per min. Range (cruising), 1,000 miles. Range (top speed), 640 miles. Service ceiling, 25,000 ft.

Armament: One fixed gun in starboard wing and one free gun on special mounting in gunner's cockpit. Approx. 1,000 lb. of bombs, carried in four cells in wings. Also external racks for light bombs.

History: The Battle was designed by Marcel Lobelle originating from Air Ministry Specification P27/32 which was issued in 1933 calling for a single engine two seat monoplane day bomber capable of carrying a 1,000lbs bomb load for 1,000 miles at a speed of 200 miles per hour. This was to be the replacement for the Hawker Hart. Four companies submitted proposals to comply with the specification; Armstrong, Hawker, Bristol and Fairey. From these entries the shortlist was reduced to Armstrong and Fairey who were asked to produce prototypes.

The prototype Battle, K4303, made its maiden flight on the 10th of March 1936 at Northolt. It was powered by a Rolls Royce Merlin 1 driving a variable pitch de Havilland propeller. The Rolls Royce Merlin was chosen as the power plant due to its low frontal area and power which allowed Lobelle to design an aircraft with very clean lines and good speed performance. Service trials at Martlesham Heath clearly indicated that the Battle's performance far exceeded any of its contemporaries. However the initial production order for 155 Battles was placed in 1935 before the flight of the prototype. They were to be built in a new factory at Heaton Chapel, Stockport.

The first production model, K7558, maiden flight was in June 1937 and K7558 was used for the official handling and performance trials. The trials indicated that with a full bomb load the Battle had a speed of 243 mph at 16,200 ft and a range of 1,050 miles. The engine for the first 136 Fairey built Battles remained the Merlin 1 and the initial order on Rolls Royce for 200 engines put the Merlin into production. By the end of 1937 85 Battles had been produced and several RAF squadrons had been re-equiped. The first squadron to replace its Hawker Hinds and Audaxes was No.63, then based at Upwood. K7559 was the first to arrive on the 20th May 1937 and the squadron had 15 on charge by the close of the year. Nos.52, 88, 105 and 226 squadrons also received Battles in the same year.

When the Shadow Factory Scheme came into operation the Austin Motors Longbridge plant at Brimingham began Battle production. The first Austin built Battle was fitted with a Merlin II and flew on or around the 22nd July 1938 and Austin had produced 29 aircraft by the beginning of 1939. However by 1939 the Battle was becoming obsolete; indeed some of the Air Staff had reached the conclusion in 1936 that the light bomber was outmoded on the grounds of insufficient range to attack the obvious threat from Germany. However to prevent a fall in staffing levels in the factories, which would be needed for production of later aircraft types, the Battle remained in production. With small orders a steady production of Battles continued until the autumn of 1940, at which time a total of 2,185 machines had been produced. Of these not all were bombers, several dual control trainers and target tugs were also built. The type of Merlin fitted into the Battle varied with supply. The majority were fitted with the Merlin II or III but Merlin IV and V's did get fitted as well. To differentiate between the types of engine fitted the Battles where designated accordingly, i.e. the Battle Mk. III was fitted with the Merlin III engine.

The squadrons operating the Battle by the end of May 1939 were:

No. 1 Group
No. 12 and No. 142 at Bicester
No. 15 and No. 40 at Abingdon
No. 88 and No. 218 at Boscomb Down
No. 103 and No. 150 at Benson
No. 105 and No. 226 at Harwell

2 Group
No. 35 and No. 207 at Cottesmore
No. 52 and No. 63 at Upwood
No. 98 at Hucknall

No. 5 Group
No. 106 and No. 185 at Thornaby

The ten squadrons of No 1 Group formed the first echelon of the Advanced Air Striking Force. They flew into France on the 2nd of September 1939 to selected airfields, in the champagne region, where the Battles were dispersed about their various airfields, hidden amongst trees and under camouflage nets. The reasoning behind their dispatch to France was to provide a close range retaliation force should the Germans being bombing. As it turned out both side refrained from any offensive activities and this phase became known as the "Phoney" war. However the Battles did not remain idle and were employed on armed daylight reconnaissance over the Siegfried Line. On the 20th of September three Battles of No.88 Squadron (flying from Mourmelon-le-Grand) were intercepted by enemy fighters during a patrol. Two were shot down, however Sgt. F. Letchford the rear gunner of the remaining Battle (K9243) destroyed a Bf109, the first air combat "kill" of the RAF in WWII. Ten days later five Battles of No.150 Squadron were jumped by fifteen Bf109's whilst on their way to carry out reconnaissance of a strongly defended position in the Saar. A long running fight ensued in which three of the five Battles were shot down and the remaining two suffered such bad damage that they were forced to make emergency landings, one being written off. This forced home the need for fighter escort when operating in daylight over enemy territory.

The Battle was proving vunerable to attacks from below and attempts where made to address the bind spot by mounting a free gun in a ventral position. Various mounting were tried but non proved effective so the Battle continued to remain defenseless to attack from this quarter.

During the winter of 1939 - 40 the Battle force was largely limited to training, practice exercises and leaflet raids over Rhineland towns. During this period Nos. 15 and 40 Squadrons returned to England to re-equip with Blenheims.

The German offensive finally began at dawn on the 10th May 1940, and by midday the RAF C-in-C, British Air Forces in France, ordered the first wave of Battles into action against German troop movements in Luxembourg. As it was impossible to provide fighter escort the bombers were briefed to make a very low approach to target and attack from as little as 250' using bombs with a delayed fuse. Intense small arms fire was encountered and three Battles of the first wave were shot down. A similar fate befell the second wave during the afternoon. Of the 32 Battles that took part that day, 13 were lost and all the rest damaged. On the following day eight Battles were despatched by Nos. 88 and 218 Squadrons only one returned. On the 12th an attempt was made to stop the German the advance towards Brussels by bombing two road bridges over the Albert Canal. No.12 Squadron sent six aircraft to carry out this task, non of which returned (this action is described in the VC section below).

On the 14th of May ten Battles from Nos. 103 and 150 Squadron attacked German pontoon bridges in the Sedan area. By employing a high level approach and by not encountering any enemy aircraft they suffered no losses. But in the afternoon of the same day all available Battles were despatched to the same target. This time BF109's were present and the losses were:
No.12 Squadron - lost four out of five
No.88 Squadron - lost one out of ten
No.103 Squadron - lost three out of eight
No.105 Squadron - lost six out of eleven
No.142 Squadron - lost four out of eight
No.150 Squadron - lost four out of four
No.218 Squadron - lost ten out of eleven
No.226 Squadron - lost three out of six
In all from the 63 Battles that took off only 28 made it back.

Despite their appalling losses the Battle Squadrons struggled on valiantly until mid June when, with the war situation in France now hopeless, the remaining serviceable aircraft were flown back to England. No.1 Group was reformed, again equipped with Battles and for several months operated by night from northern airfields against Dutch and French ports in which Hitler was massing his invasion craft for Operation Sealion.

The last operational sorties flown by No.1 Group took place on 15/16th of October 1940, when No.301 (Polish) Squadron bombed Boulogne and Nos.12 and 142 Squadrons bombed Calais. During late 1940 No.1 Group converted to Wellingtons. When Nos. 88 and 226 Squadrons re-mustered following the French collapse they took their new Battles to Sydenham (Belfast) and were engaged until 1941 flying regular dawn and dusk patrols along the entire coast of Northern Ireland as a precaution against possible landings by enemy agents. In July of 1940 No.98 Squadron was transferred to Iceland and spent eleven months with No.15 Group, Coastal Command.

A total of 2,185 Battles were built in Britain out of a total of 2,419 ordered. 1,156 were built by Fairey and 1,029 by Austin Motors This total produced included 226 Battle target tugs and 100 Battle trainers. Several aircraft originally built as bombers were later converted to target tugs or trainers. In addition to the British built Battles, eighteen were constructed by Avions Fairey at Gosselies, Belgium, for the Belgian Air Force. These were delivered in early 1938 to equip Nos. 5 and 7 Squadrons of the 3rd Group, based at Evere.

Production Details
QTY	Serial No.	Comments.
1	K4303	Prototype
155	K7558 - K7712	First 136 aircraft built with Merlin 1. Remainder had Merlin II. K7587 was delivered to Austin Motors as a pattern machine.
311	K9176 - K9486	Merlin II now the standard power plant. K9181 and K9188 delivered to Austin Motors as pattern machines. K9222 used as engine test bed for 1,200 h.p. Rolls Royce Exe 24 cylinder X engine. K9240 used as engine test bed for 955 h.p. Napier Dagger VIII. K9270 used as engine test bed for Napier Sabre. K9331 used as engine test bed for 1,010 Bristol Taurus T.E.1M K9370 used as engine test bed for 2000h.p. Fairey Prince 24 cylinder double banked engine.
863	L4935 - L5797	Built by Austin Motors. L4935 to L4937 non standard, L4935 to L4993 fitted with Merlin II, L4994 to L5797 fitted with Merlin III. L5598 to L5797 produced as target tugs (T.T.Is). L5286 used as engine test bed for Napier Sabre.
189	N2020 - N2066 N2082 - N2131 N2147 - N2190 N2211 - N2258	Several conversions to trainers. N2219 was consigned to Poland and 29 others N2111 - 2117, N2120 - 2123, N2130 - 2131, N2149, N2153 - 2155, N2211-2218, N2220 - 2222 sent to Turkey. N2024 & N2184 used as engine test beds for 1,300 h.p. Bristol Hercules II. N2024 later used a test bed for fan-cooled Bristol Hercules XI.
150	P2155 - P2204 P2233 - P2278 P2300 - P2336 P2353 - P2369
50	P5228 - P5252 P5270 - P5294
200	P6480 - P6509 P6523 - P6572 P6596 - P6645 P6663 - P6692 P6718 - P6737 P6750 - P6769	P6616 to P6769 built as trainers (T).
100	R3922 - R3971 R3990 - R4019 R3035 - R3054	Built by Austin Motors. Most consigned for the Empire Air Training Scheme.
100	R7356 - R7358 R7399 - R7448 R7461 - R7480	Built for delivery direct to Canada. R7439 fitted with 840 h.p.Wright Cyclone GR-1820-G3B engine by Fairchild, Quebec.
66	V1201 - V1250 V1265 - V1280	Battle T.T.Is built by Austin Motors. V1222 of No.4 Air Obeservers School, West Freugh, interred by Irish Air Corps after a navigational error.

The Battle was described as being 'just too easy to fly'. The pilot seated in a roomy, comfortable cockpit had relatively good forward vision. His rearward view however was poor. Also problematical was the undercarriage safety catch. As the selector levers came up through the cockpit floor the pilot had to bend into awkward positions to release it, but the undercarriage indicator arrangement was particularly clear. The wireless operator / rear gunner had a tilting canopy designed to act as a wind shield when using the gun. This provided excellent protection for his back from the slipstream, but directed the wind into his face instead.

Battles used by the squadrons of the Advanced Air Striking Force in France were shadow-shaded green and brown on the upper surfaces and painted all-black underneath. No serial numbers appeared beneath the wings, and very often no cockades, but some machines had small red, white and blue rings beneath each wing tip. Red and blue cockades were carried above the wings, and red, white and blue rings on the sides of the fuselage, without a yellow ring. The unit markings were painted in light grey beneath the rear cockpit on the fuselage. Some Battles had red, white and blue stripes on the rudder.

Machines in use as advanced trainers are camouflaged on the upper surfaces and painted training yellow underneath. On some machines the yellow extends half-way up the sides of the fuselage, but on others it is only beneath the belly, the sides being completely camouflaged. A serial number such as K 9346 is carried in black on the fuselage sides. Target-towers have blue stripes painted on the undersides against the yellow background. All machines now have stripes on fin. On some machines they are narrow, while on others they cover the whole fin area. A white identification number is painted on a coloured band behind the cockade on the fuselage.

Battles with the medium bomber squadrons in 1937 and 1938, prior to the Munich crisis, were camouflaged on the upper surfaces and all matt black underneath, with serial number painted under each wing in white. Yellow outlined cockades appeared above wings and on fuselage, but no rings were seen beneath wings. Various squadron numbers, such as 63, 105, and 226, were painted in flight colours on the fuselage. The squadron crest was carried against a white grenade background on the fin. 'Plane " M " from No. 63(B) Squadron carried the serial number K 7650. After the Munich crisis of 1938 the yellow outlined rings were replaced by red and blue cockades on all Battles.

FO Donald Garland

Sgt Thomas Gray

Flying Officer Donald Edward Garland & Sergeant Thomas Gray.

Accounts of the events of the 12th May 1940 differ wildly but I've made an attempt to piece together what happened.

On May 11th 1940 the Belgian Air Force had lost six out of nine Fairey Battles whilst trying to prevent a German breakout via two bridges over the Albert Canal near Maastricht. A desperate plea for help was made by the Belgian Air Force, and an order went out to destroy the Vroenhaven & Veldwezelt bridges. As a result 23 Blenheims where sent to attack the bridges, four of these aircraft where lost and none of the bombs hit the intended targets. The French Air Force, in a follow up attack in LeO 451 bombers, also failed to destroy the targets.

The following day, 12 May 1940, No.12 Squadron was given the task of destroying these two vital bridges over the Albert Canal. Six aircraft were to take part in the raid and following a request for volunteers where the whole Squadron "Stepped Forward", the six crews on the readiness roster were chosen. (Some reports suggest 'Lots' were drawn to select the crews but I think this is unlikely).

Three aircraft were to attack each of the bridges, however one machine was unserviceable which left Flying Officer Norman Thomas (in PH_F P2332) and Pilot Officer Thomas Daniel Humphrey Davy (in L5241) to attack the Vroenhaven. The Veldwezelt was to be attacked by Flying Officer Donald Garland (in PH_K P2204), Pilot Officer I A McIntosh (in L5439) and Sgt Fred Marland (in L5227). It seems likely that fighter cover was provided by No.1 Squadron Hurricanes, probably nine aircraft. Both bridges where defended by very heavy anti aircraft artillery and some reports suggest over 100 Messerschmitt BF109's, although all the bombers were damaged or destroyed by the AAA batteries.

FO Thomas led PO Davy into the attack into the Vroenhaven Bridge. Thomas's bombs hit one end of the structure but his machine was hit and he had to make a forced landing. Thomas and his crew were all safe but captured by German troops. Davy following in on the attack bombed short of the target and was hit in the wing, ordering his crew to bail out he struggled to save his burning aircraft, but crashed landed a few miles before getting back to Amifontaine. The aircraft was written off but Davy survived the crash landing and his crew who had bailed out were captured.

Shortly after the attack on the Vroenhaven Bridge had begun FO Garland led McIntosh and Marland into the attack on the Veldwezelt Bridge. McIntosh's aircraft was hit in a fuel tank, caught fire and went down on the run in to target. Jettisoning his bombs McIntosh made a successful crash landing and he and his crew were taken prisoner. Garland, Sgt Thomas Gray (navigator/bombardier) and LAC (Leading Aircraftman) Lawrence Reynolds (W/O and rear gunner) in the leading aircraft were hit over the bridge but released their bombs. The aircraft crashed with no survivors. The final Battle of Sgt Marland was also hit, when banking after his bomb run, but he lost control and his aircraft dived into the ground with the loss of its crew.

When the smoke had cleared it was evident that the western end of the Veldwezelt Bridge was destroyed, this was attributed to Garland and Gray who were awarded the VC. The third man of the crew Lawrence Reynolds did not receive any medal because he was deemed to be not occupying a "decision making" position. The citation for Garland and Grays VC published in the London Gazette dated 11th June 1940 read in part:
"Much of the success of this vital operation must be attributed to the coolness and resource of Sgt Gray who navigated Flying Officer Garland's aircraft under most difficult conditions in such a manner that the whole formation was able to successfully attack the target in spite of subsequent heavy losses."

Some reports suggest that Garland crashed his aircraft with a full bomb load into the bridge, this is highly implausible. If this had been the case it is unlikely that Gray would have been awarded the VC. Also this would mean that reports of Garlands aircraft crashing in the village of Lanaken and that the bodies of the crew were recovered by locals before the German troops could find them or indeed that Garland died in a Maastricht Hospital would be false.

As a postscript to the events French bombers carried out attacks on the same targets later in the day, but also suffered terribly at the hands of German flak units. In a third disastrous raid, on May 14th, 12 Squadron saw another five out of six aircraft lost. This resulted in the withdrawal of the Battle squadrons from the daytime war. No. 12 Squadron moved to Echimines, where a few night raids were flown, with mixed success.

As if to highlighting the futility of war the Germans erected pontoon bridges over the Albert Canal in the following days.

Pilot Officer Thomas Daniel Humphrey Davy was awarded the DFC on the 31st May 1940 for his part in the action. He subsequently volunteered for fighter command and joined No.266 Squadron in August 1940 and No.72 Squadron a month later before moving to the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit on the 20th June 1941. He completed three sea trips and for six months he was in charge of the Merchant Ship Fighter Unit detachment in Gibralta. On the 13th September 1942 he was detailed as a bomber aircraft in an interception exercise flying Hawker Hurricane No P3868. As his aircraft was approached by the fighters, it was seen to carry out a steep turn to the right at about 2,000 feet and a few seconds later was seen to be spinning. The Hurricane crashed into the Old Racecourse, Babell, Hollywell, nr Chester and caught fire. The accident was considered to have been caused by failing to recover from a flat spin after a high speed stall induced by the step turn. Examination of the wreckage failed to reveal any defect.

CFS2 Screenshots:

Six paint schemes are now included in the download. The RAF paint scheme will represent FO. Norman Thomas's aircraft of No 12 Sqd which was shot down on May 12th 1940 whilst attacking the Vroenhaven bridge near Maastricht. Further skins represent a RCAF Trainer from No.1 Bombing & Gunnery School, Jarvis, Ontario; a Canadian Target Tug; Battles from the Belgian and Greek airforces and also a RAF trainer

Six alternative paint schemes are now available in the downloads section. These are for Nos. 12, 63, 88 & 105 bomber squadrons, the prototype K4303 and 969 of the South African Airforce.

Acknowledgments:

Aircraft of the Fighting Powers: Vol. 1, H.J. Cooper & O.G. Thetford, Edited by D.A. Russel, The Harborough Publishing Company. 1941
The Fairey Battle, Phillip J. R. Moyes, Profile Publications. 1965
D.O.R.I.S. RAF Hendon (Department of Research and Information Services) Tel. 020 8358 4849
The Victoria Cross Reference www.victoriacross.net
Lobo again for the excellent 2D panel
DBOLT for help in creating the weapons pack
The Forums of www.CFS2.dogfighter.com (now www.netwings.org) and the Sim Outhouse
The 1% organisation at www.Avhistory.org for Jerry Beckwiths airfile & DP spreadsheets, and help in general.
Loose Kannon for the low poly count pilot, now converted to the crew.
I think I've got everyone if I've missed you off, please let me know.

Downloads:

This is is a two part download. First download the Model and then the weapons pack if you want it.

Fairey Battle Mk1 V1.2: This comprises of the model, airfile, dp, panel, a gauge file (Modified stock CFS1 Hurricane) and the textures.
NOTE: the main zip file included in the above is for FS9. If you are using CFS2 please follow the instructions in the Readme file carefully, sorry but the CFS2 install may be laborious.

Size: 5.82Mb

Download now.

Weapons Pack: A small weapons pack for the Battle containing 30lb and 250lb general purpose bombs as well as a wing pylon.

Size: 32kb ish

Download now.

Alternative Paint Schemes.

No 12 Squadron: paint scheme for No.12 Sqd aircraft PH_K as flown by FO D.E.Garland V.C.	Prototype K4030: prototype bare metal scheme as used at the 1936 RAF display.
No 88 Squadron: K9244 RH_L of No.88 (Hong Kong) Bomber Squadron, Mourmelon - le - Grand, France, 1939 - 40.	No 105 Squadron: K7578 of No.105 Bomber Squadron, Harwell, Berkshire, 1939.
No 63 Squadron: K7649 of No.63 Bomber Squadron, Upwood, Hunts., 1938.	South African Airforce: No.969 of the South African Air Force, 1939.
Turkish Airforce: No.29 of the Turkish Air Force, 1940.	No 301 Squadron: L5587 GR_F No.301 Squadron (Polish), 1940.

Version History:

V1.0 version released 7th February 2004
V1.1 released 10th February 2004, fixes virtual cockpit gauges in FS2004 and re-maps textures.
V1.2 released 1st July 2004, reduces dynamic shine on the model and includes more realistic textures.

Check back for updates.

Happy flying, Jeff Marsh (Jed)
JMarsh1766@aol.com.