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Fairey Fulmar II
| Crew | 2 |
| Dimensions | 46'5" by 40'3" by 10'8" 14.15m by 12.27m by 3.25m |
| Weight | 7015-10,200 lbs 3182-4627 kg |
| Maximum speed | 272 mph 438 km/h |
| Ceiling | 27,200 feet 8290 meters |
| Power plant | 1300 hp (969 kW) Rolls-Royce Merlin 30 vee-12 liquid-cooled engine driving a three bladed propeller |
| Armament | Eight 0.303 or four 0.50 Browning fixed machine guns in outer wings. |
| External stores | Two 250 lb (113kg) bombs |
| Range | 780 miles 1260 km |
| Production | A total of 250 Mk I and 350 Mk II from 10/5/40 to 2/43. |
| Variants | The Fulmar I was equipped with a 1080 hp (805 kW) Merlin VIII engine. |
The Fulmar was Britain's most advanced carrier fighter at the start of the Pacific War. It was a very large aircraft, and in spite of having a second seat for a navigator there was no rear-firing gun. The Fulmar had good range and was surprisingly maneuverable for a two-seat fighter, and did well enough in the Mediterranean against the Italian and second-line German fighters it usually encountered. However, it was no match for a Zero. This, and the low aircraft capacity of British carriers, prevented Britain from participating in any significant carrier battles.
The design was based on a prewar light bomber, the P.4/34, and the prototype was cobbled together in 1938. The production design first flew in May 1940 and immediately went into production. The tropicalized Fulmar II began to be delivered in February 1943.By 1945 the Fulmar had been replaced in front line
service
by the Seafire, and was relegated
to night fighter and
training duty. Its easy handling
made it particularly suitable for
practicing deck landings.
References
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia © 2007, 2009 by Kent G. Budge. Index
