C-61 Forwarder
Encyclopedia
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
light transport aircraft that was used by the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
as the UC-61 and by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. The Model 24 was itself a development of previous Fairchild models and became a successful civil and military utility aircraft.
Design and development
Fairchild Aircraft was hit hard by the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
in the early 1930s as airline purchases disappeared consequently the company attention turned to developing a reliable and rugged small aircraft for personal and business use. The Fairchild 22
Fairchild 22
-References:* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft , 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 1640*...
became somewhat of a hit and led directly to the new and much improved Model 24 which gained rapid popularity in the early 1930s, noted for its pleasant handling characteristics and roomy interior. Having adapted many components from the automotive industry (expansion-shoe brakes and roll-down cabin windows), the aircraft was also affordable and easy to maintain. In production continuously from 1932 to 1948 the aircraft remained essentially unchanged aerodynamically and internally, with the simple addition of extra passenger seating and optional equipment. The first models were equipped with only two seats, but in 1933 a third seat was installed and by 1938 a fourth was added. The interior was first created for the Model 24 in 1937 by noted American industrial designer Raymond Loewy
Raymond Loewy
Raymond Loewy was an industrial designer, and the first to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine, on October 31, 1949. Born in France, he spent most of his professional career in the United States...
. A minor airframe revision was made in 1938 with the redesign of the vertical fin
Vertical stabilizer
The vertical stabilizers, vertical stabilisers, or fins, of aircraft, missiles or bombs are typically found on the aft end of the fuselage or body, and are intended to reduce aerodynamic side slip. It is analogical to a skeg on boats and ships.On aircraft, vertical stabilizers generally point upwards...
and re-designation from C8 to F24G onwards.
In an innovative concept, the aircraft was available with two powerplants, Warner
Warner Aircraft Corporation
The Warner Aircraft Corporation of Detroit, Michigan was the manufacturer of the Scarab family of radial engines for airplanes in 1928 through the early 1930s.-History:...
's reliable Scarab
Warner Scarab
|-See also:-References:*-External links:*...
and Fairchild's in-house 200 hp Ranger series in the F24C-8-D, E and F. Initially the 1932 model Fairchild 24C-8-B used a reliable and popular Warner 125 hp radial engine
Radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel...
, and the Fairchild 24C-8-C used the Warner 145 hp radial. American Cirrus
Cirrus Engine
Cirrus Aero-Engines Limited was a British aircraft engine manufacturer, known for their line of 4-cylinder air-cooled vertical inline engines for general aviation use. The company traded between 1927 and 1931.-History:...
and Menasco Pirate inline engine
Inline engine (aviation)
In aviation, an inline engine means any reciprocating engine with banks rather than rows of cylinders, including straight engines, flat engines, V engines and H engines, but excluding radial engines and rotary engines....
s were also occasionally used in some earlier Fairchild 24s. Later models such as the popular 24Ws upgraded to the 165 hp Warner Super Scarab
Warner Scarab
|-See also:-References:*-External links:*...
.
Designed for operations from relatively unimproved grass airfields, the sturdy undercarriage
Undercarriage
The undercarriage or landing gear in aviation, is the structure that supports an aircraft on the ground and allows it to taxi, takeoff and land...
construction used a vertical oil dampened cylinder
Shock absorber
A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...
above the wheel with a pivoting strut attached to the lower fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
. The result was a complex but undeniably solid undercarriage that could absorb large amounts of shock and was also adapted for the fitting of twin floats
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
for water-based operations.
The sturdiness of construction of the aircraft has ensured many have survived to this day. Some suggest the massive spruce main-spars can be loaded up to 10g, and while that figure is unproved, all pre-war utility category aircraft were designed to withstand at least 4.1g
G-force
The g-force associated with an object is its acceleration relative to free-fall. This acceleration experienced by an object is due to the vector sum of non-gravitational forces acting on an object free to move. The accelerations that are not produced by gravity are termed proper accelerations, and...
as opposed to the 3.8g post-war design limit standard.
The Fairchild 24 built by Kreider-Reisner Aircraft, Hagerstown, Maryland, a division of Fairchild Aviation Corporation, remained in production from 1932 to 1948, essentially the same airframe but with various powerplant and configuration enhancements. In all, Fairchild constructed over 1500 Model 24s, with an additional 280 being constructed by the Texas Engineering & Manufacturing Company (TEMCO) in Dallas when that company purchased the manufacturing rights after World War II.
Operational history
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
, with the designation J2-K. The Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
operated many Fairchild UC-61/24s and some aircraft were fitted with two 100 pound bombs for what became successful missions against German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s off the east coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the early stages of the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The UC-61 was also procured by the US Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
as the GK-1 and by the British Royal Air Force as the Fairchild Argus.
In 1941, the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) placed an initial order for 163 Fairchild C-61s, however via Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
, 161 of these were shipped abroad. Under the auspices of this program, the majority of the 525 Warner Scarab Fairchild 24s/C-61s went to Great Britain. Most of these aircraft saw service as Argus Is and improved Argus IIs and were allocated to a newly formed adjunct of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF), the Air Transport Auxiliary
Air Transport Auxiliary
The Air Transport Auxiliary was a British World War II civilian organisation that ferried new, repaired and damaged military aircraft between UK factories, assembly plants, transatlantic delivery points, Maintenance Units , scrap yards, and active service squadrons and airfields—but not to...
(ATA). An additional 306 Ranger powered Argus IIIs were also used by the ATA. In British service, the majority of the Argus type operated with the ATA ferrying their aircrew to collect or deliver aircraft to and from manufacturers, Maintenance Units (MU)s and operational bases.
The Argus I was a Warner Scarab equipped aircraft identified by its wind-driven generator located on the starboard struts, and was equipped with a black-painted propeller. The Argus II was also a Scarab powered aircraft, usually with a transparent
Glazing
Glazing, which derives from the Middle English for 'glass', is a part of a wall or window, made of glass. Glazing also describes the work done by a professional "glazier"...
cabin roof. This mark was certified for heavier operational weight than the Mark I and was identified by its yellow propeller. The Argus III was equipped with the six cylinder inverted inline Ranger engine.
Postwar
The aircraft was used by small air charter operators for short distance taxi work and many were acquired by private pilot owners. It served with military forces as diverse as FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the United States and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
The last "new" Fairchild 24 was assembled in 1948 from a large inventory of leftover parts in Winfield, KS.
Ten Fairchild F24R aircraft operated for Comair (South Africa)
Comair (South Africa)
Comair is an airline based in South Africa. It operates scheduled services on domestic trunk routes as a British Airways franchisee and an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. Its main base is OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, with hubs at Cape Town International Airport...
during the period after the Second World War.
Civilian models
| Year produced | Model | Number built | Engine | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | F-24 C8 | 95-hp American Cirrus Cirrus Engine Cirrus Aero-Engines Limited was a British aircraft engine manufacturer, known for their line of 4-cylinder air-cooled vertical inline engines for general aviation use. The company traded between 1927 and 1931.-History:... |
Gross wt 1,600 lb, Cruise 90 mph. Cost $3,360 | |
| 1933 | F-24 C8A | 25 (includes C8) | 125-hp Warner Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
Gross Wt. 1,800 lb, Cruise 95 mph, Cost $3,850 |
| 1933 | F-24 C8B | 2 | 125-hp Menasco | Cost $3,990 |
| 1934 | F-24 C8C | 125 | 145-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
Gross Wt. 2,400 lb. Cost $5,000 |
| 1935 | F-24 C8D | 10 | 145-hp Fairchild Ranger | |
| 1936 | F-24 C8E | 50 | 145-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
New cantilever tail. Cost $5,390 |
| 1936 | F-24 C8F | 40 | 145-hp Fairchild Ranger | Cost $5,390 |
| 1937 | F-24 G | 100 | 145-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
Cost $5,290 |
| 1937 | F-24 H | 25 | 150-hp Fairchild Ranger | Cost $5,590 |
| F-24 J | 10 | 145-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
Gross Wt. 2,550 lb. Increased size. Cruise 115 mph | |
| 1939 | F-24 K | 60 | 145-hp Fairchild Ranger | Increased size. Cruise 125 mph. Cost $6,500 |
| 1939 | F-24 R9 | 35 | 165-hp Fairchild Ranger | |
| 1939 | F-24 W9 | 30 | 145-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
|
| 1940 | F-24 R40 | 25 | 175-hp Fairchild Ranger | Cost $7,230 |
| 1940 | F-24 W40 | 75 | 145-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
Cost $6,290 |
| 1941 | F-24 W41 | 30 | 165-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
|
| 1941 | UC-61 | 640 | 165-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
Same as model W41 |
| 1942-43 | UC-61A | 364 | 165-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
|
| 1944 | UC-61K | 306 | 200-hp Fairchild Ranger | Gross Wt. 2,562 lb. Same as model R40 |
| 1946 | F-24 R46 | 175-hp Fairchild Ranger | Cruise 118 mph. Price $8,875 | |
| 1946 | F-24 W46 | 280 (includes R46) | 165-hp Warner Super Scarab Warner Scarab |-See also:-References:*-External links:*... |
Cost $8,500 |
Military variants
UC-61 Argus- Military version of the Fairchild Model F24W-41 powered by a 165hp R-500-1, 161 built.
UC-61A Argus
- Military version of the Fairchild Model F24W-41 with radio and 24-volt electrical system, 509 built and three impressed civilian aircraft.
UC-61B
- One impressed Model 24J powered by a 145hp Warner Scarab radial.
UC-61C
- One impressed Model 24A-9.
UC-61D
- Three impressed Model 51As.
UC-61E
- Three impressed Model 24Ks.
UC-61F
- Two impressed Model 24R-9s.
UC-61G
- Two impressed Model 24W-40s.
UC-61H
- One impressed Model 24H powered by a 150hp Ranger 6-410-B.
UC-61J
- One impressed Model 24-C8F two-seater, powered by a 150 hp Ranger 6-390-D3.
UC-61K Forwarder
- Final production variant powered by a 200 hp L-440-7, 306 built.
UC-86
- Nine impressed Model 24R-20s bowered by 175 hp L-410.
GK-1
- Thirteen Model 24W-40 impressed by the United States Navy.
J2K-1
- United States Coast Guard version of the Model 24R, two built.
J2K-2
- As J2K-1 with detailed changes, two built.
Argus I
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
designation for the Model 24W-41 (UC-61), 118 under Lend-LeaseLend-LeaseLend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
Argus II
- Royal Air Force designation for the Model 24W-41A (UC-61), 407 under Lend-Lease
Argus III
- Royal Air Force designation for the Model 24R (UC-61K), 306 under Lend-Lease
Operators
- Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
- NAB – Navegação Aérea BrasileiraNAB – Navegação Aérea BrasileiraNAB – Navegação Aérea Brasileira was a Brazilian airline founded in 1940. In 1961 it was sold to Lóide Aéreo Nacional.-History:NAB was founded on January 28, 1940. The three original associates Orsini de Araújo Coriolano, Paulo da Rocha Viana, and Euvaldo Lodi initially invested heavily in...
Canada
- Royal Canadian Air ForceRoyal Canadian Air ForceThe history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
- Czechoslovakian Security Aviation Unit
- Sherut AvirSherut AvirThe Sherut Avir was the air force of the Haganah and the forerunner of the Israeli Air Force.-Founding:The Sherut Avir was founded in November 1947, just two weeks prior to the passing of the 1947 UN Partition Plan which proposed the division of Palestine into a Jewish and Arab state.It was at...
- Israeli Air ForceIsraeli Air ForceThe Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
- Finnish Air ForceFinnish Air ForceThe Finnish Air Force is one of the branches of the Finnish Defence Forces. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and production of readiness formations for wartime conditions...
- Swedish Air ForceSwedish Air ForceThe Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
- Royal Thai Air ForceRoyal Thai Air ForceThe Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
United States
- United States Army Air Force
- United States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
- United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
- United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast GuardThe United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
- Civil Air PatrolCivil Air PatrolCivil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
Survivors
Converted military aircraft became popular postwar as personal transports and many survive to this day. Extremely solidly built, the aircraft survives in reasonably large numbers. Primarily, this popularity is probably due to affordability. Prices for low hour examples of the aircraft typically range between US $50,000 to US $90,000 (2006 values) and some of the most pristine examples can be seen annually at the Experimental Aircraft AssociationExperimental Aircraft Association
The Experimental Aircraft Association is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Since its inception it has grown internationally with over 160,000 members and about 1,000 chapters worldwide....
fly-in at Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Oshkosh, Wisconsin
As of the census of 2000, there were 62,916 people, 24,082 households, and 13,654 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,662.2 people per square mile . There were 25,420 housing units at an average density of 1,075.6 per square mile...
.
Aircraft museums worldwide are restoring examples for display (such as G-AIZE at the Royal Air Force Museum at RAF Cosford
RAF Cosford
RAF Cosford is a Royal Air Force station in Cosford, Shropshire, just to the northwest of Wolverhampton and next to Albrighton.-History:...
).