Fairey Battle effectiveness

For those who have had first hand experience with the Battle will know this is a solidly heavy machine grossly underpowered 1930s design, like it has massive undercarriage!! I have heard on occasion fron the odd vet who flew them should have been designed for 2 engines? Fairey had a reputation for building large single engine airplanes and culminated in the Griffon powered Firefly, now if the Battle had a Griffon well that would have been impressive!

The real tragedy as far as the Battle squadrons were concerned is that the aircrews could have been flying much better aircraft.

The RAF issued a requirement for a Battle replacement (P.4/34) which resulted in a Fairey design of a cleaned-up Battle development and Hawker’s Henley, which used several major Hurricane components. Both were stressed for dive bombing and were considerably faster and handier than the Battle. Hawker’s Henley won the specification and was put into production, only for the requirement to be cancelled. The several hundred Henleys built were converted to target towing.

Meanwhile the Fairey was suggested as a stop-gap naval fighter, initially as insurance against failure of the Roc and then to supplement and eventually replace the Skua.

While the Battle squadrons were being torn to pieces over France, Henleys were towing drogues over England, 40-50mph faster, nearly as manouevrable as a Hurricane and able to carry 1000lb of bombs internally.

BR: Why then were we messing around still with Stringbags?

1935 Anglo-German Naval Agreement. Germany chose Baltic patrol, sub- and surface commerce-raiders. Japan did not participate in the 1936 Second London Naval Treaty and laid down carriers v, clearly, Singapore. Admiralty did not believe matelot gunners could hit aircraft, nor that German or any other landlubbers could find, less hit capital ships. UK funded (5 KGVs and) 4 Illustrious-class (later, +2 Improved) carriers to worry and scatter the Imperial Navy by Air and sink them with guns. Capt. Tom Philipps and W/C Arthur Harris, in a Joint Planning Committee, argued about this; the sailor won…and drowned in consequence in the KGV Prince of Wales.

The task, thus Spec, thus lead-time for the Fleet Fighter, er, evolved (JDK invites a looksee) as an “even more melancholy story” than FAA norm (UK Official History, Design & Devt. of Weapons, M.M.Postan,P.135). The type to harass capital ships, TSR.1, must be STOL to maximise numbers on deck, so low stalling speed. UK’s aerial torpedo, frail, must enter the water at a precise angle, height (low) and speed (slow). Tightly folded biplane. Proved ideal for converted merchantmen CVEs on the ocean wave. Not to be exposed inshore.

2. Fairey made and still were to make aircraft for the Royal Navy in roughly the same configuration e.g. three positions of pilot, nav and observer/gunner.

Have a look at the history of the Fairey Fulmar’s development. 😉

Good point, maybe it wasn’t able to carry a torpedo? The bombs in the Battle were held in bomb cells inside the wings and it doesn’t seem to have a tall enough undercarriage to fit a torpedo under it. The wings might have been a problem converting them to folding, as although to me Battle doesn’t look that big, until you’ve seen the wing on it’s own propped up you don’t realise how huge this aircraft and it’s wings are, although the wingspan is almost the same as the Avenger, yet not as thick (from what I can see)

Interesting about the Polish aircraft, in the book I was reading it mentioned it as the first Allied kill, however found this here http://freespace.virgin.net/john.dell/first_blood.htm about the first British kill of WW2

Notes on the the first British aircraft to shoot down an enemy aircraft in WWII.

On 20th September 1939 three Fairey Battle bombers of 88 Squadron based at Mourmelon-Le-Grand in France as part of the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force (A.A.S.F.) took off at 10am for a recce flight over Aachen. The aircraft were fired on by French anti-Aircraft guns before they crossed the border. Over Aachen they were engaged by three Messerschmitt Bf109 fighters. Battle K9245 flown by Flight Sgt D.A. Page with crewmen Sgt A.W. Eggington and AC1 W.A.W. Radford was shot down, quickly followed by Battle K9242 flown by Flying Officer R.C. Graveley with crewmen Sgt W.S. Everett and AC1 D.J. John. Flying Officer Graveley was awarded the George Cross Medal for his attempts to rescue his crew from the burning aircraft. In the remaining aircraft, K9243 flown by Flying Officer L.H. Baker and crewed by Sgt L.H. Letchford and AC1 C.A. Edwards, fire was returned by Sgt L.H. Letchford in the gunner’s position. He claimed a Bf109 shot down. This does not seem to have been officially “confirmed” at first, which is why the shooting down of the Dornier by Skuas on the 26th is often listed as the first British aerial victory of WWII – It should more accurately be called the first British aerial victory to be confirmed. Evidence to support the claim for Sgt Letchford came later, from French sources, which in turn led to it being confirmed.

There are two things that strike me about the Battle.

1. Air superiority (or supremacy) was not in place so the Battle was likely and dig get trounced on by the Luftwaffe.

2. Fairey made and still were to make aircraft for the Royal Navy in roughly the same configuration e.g. three positions of pilot, nav and observer/gunner. This config is also true for most other naval-borne light bombers in WW2. Why then were we messing around still with Stringbags? Would the Battle have not been better in RN service before Barracudas and Avengers were introduced?

As an intrested Battle fan?. I dont think it was a good aircraft to go to war in. My uncle was with HQ Rheims takiing photo’s with 105sqdn and 226sqdn. He took the much used photo of Battle’s attacking a german horse drawn column in may 1940. Years ago i spoke to Bill Carey of 12sqdn (PH-F) who was shot down on the Masstricht bridge raid. Only to be taken across the bridge by the germans. He liked the Battle but never got to fly after 12 may 1940! I am collecting photos of Battles shot down in may 1940, most seem to have come down under control the right way up. Nice aeroplane flew like a big Dart Kitten and used till 1949.
Dave.

Also, I wonder how many people knew the first enemy aircraft shot down by an Allied aircraft in WW2 was by a Battle?

The first German aircraft shot down by an allied airman was on the morning of the 1st September 1939 – three days before Britain and France declared war on Germany! Officially Wladysław Gnyś is given the credit for two Do 17s although Antoni Markiewicz may have shot down an Hs 126 an hour before. The Polish Air Force downed 127 German aircraft before any British pilot made a claim.