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Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada)
Encyclopedia
The Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. of Longueuil
, Quebec
, Canada
was an aircraft manufacturer in the period 1920-1950. It served as a subsidiary of the Fairchild Aircraft company of the United States.
Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. came about a result of the aviation activities of the St. Maurice Valley Protective Association beginning in 1919. This association was the first to use aircraft for commercial purposes in Canada. From the St. Maurice Association, Fairchild Aerial Surveys of Canada Ltd. was formed in 1922.
Until 1929, Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. acted solely as a servicing organization dealing with forestry, mapping, surveying (aerial photography), fire detection and reforestation. "Forester extraordinaire," Ellwood Wilson, was the man responsible for creating this specialized Canadian company. The first planes used were 12 Curtiss HS-2Ls. Problems with this seaplane
arose when water entered the rubber seals, froze and cracked. The need for utility aircraft appropriate for the Canadian climate, sparked the company to expand into the construction and adaptation of aircraft for the Canadian government.
(FC) types and a number were used in Alaska for the same purpose. The Fairchild FC-2W-2 is typical of a number of single radial-engined cabin monoplanes manufactured during the second half of the 1920s and into the early 1930s, that were built in the United States and to a lesser extent in Canada. Most of them were utility aircraft that could perform a number of roles and could be utilized on wheels floats, or skis. These aircraft played a major part in the rapid development of aviation during this period until they were succeeded by newer types later in the 1930s.
Fairchild aircraft were to be found from northern Canada and Alaska down through the United States, Central America
to South America
where they operated in some of the countries there. They were purchased by civil operators, governments and the military. Their main functions involved carrying of passenger and/or freight, air mail but also performed admirably in the role of aerial surveying.
The first RCAF
orders made with the new Canadian Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. were for Model 71Bs which had been designed to RCAF requirements in the United States with the parent company, Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Corp. The 71Bs were put to use largely for photographic and transport duties. Twelve Fairchild 71Bs were on strength with the RCAF from 20 May 1930 to 2 October 1941 although one (G-CYVE/630) was later converted to a 71C. On 6 July 1930, Fairchild 71B, G-CYVX began a long inspection trip of the Canadian Arctic.
The Fairchild 82A was a Canadian-designed successor to the FC-2W-2 and 71 models. It won immediate acceptance by Canadian bush operators who appreciated its good load-lifting capabilities for freight. The 82A proved to be one of the north’s most reliable bush aircraft. The type was made in Canada and seven were exported to Mexico and South America. Only 24 were built once construction was phased out to make room to produce the Bristol Bolingbroke. An attempt to design a more capable large bush plane resulted in the Fairchild 45-80 Sekani, a twin-engined sesquiplane. Testing revealed a number of troubling faults leading to rejection by both the RCAF and Canadian Airways
. After only two aircraft were built and tested, the project was abandoned.
For bush use, some operators preferred the Fairchild 82A to the more famous Noorduyn Norseman
. The last 82A in service disappeared on a flight in the Northwest Territories on June 9, 1964.
The RCAF selected the Cornell as a successor to the Tiger Moth and Fleet Finch, which the Air Force realized in 1941 were already obsolete because they lacked the full instrumentation of the Cornell. In Canada, the Fleet Aircraft Company (Canada) built 1642 Cornells under licence, designated either as PT-19s or PT-26s. The latter were distinguished by their cold-weather, enclosed canopy. The RCAF first flew Cornells in 1940 and retired the last one in 1947.
In the same year as production started on the Cornell project, Fairchild had joined together with five other companies in setting up Canadian Associated Aircraft Ltd. The consortium was formed in 1938 to build the Handley Page Hampden
for use in the Royal Air Force
with Fairchild mainly contracted to build the Hampden's tail. When the Second World War
broke out, Fairchild undertook a massive expansion of their factory to over 600,000 sq ft (55,000 sq m) by 1944. The workforce similarly increased from just over 1000 workers in 1939 to a maximum of 9,620 in 1944.
The wartime need for a patrol bomber led to a Canadian requirement for a bomber that Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada) of Quebec fulfilled through production of the Bristol Blenheim
Mk IV as the Bristol Bolingbroke, irreverently nicknamed the "Bolly." After a small run of aircraft constructed to British specifications, as the Bolingbroke Mk I, Fairchild switched production to the Bolingbroke Mk IV with American instruments and equipment. These versions also included anti-icing boots and a dinghy
. Some of these aircraft served as bombers during the Aleutians campaign, but most of the 150 served in the intended role as patrol bombers on the Atlantic coast. Another 450 were completed as the Bolingbroke Mk IVT as trainers and saw extensive use in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan. One of the final variants was the Bolingbroke Mk IVW which was powered by two 895 kW (1,200 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines. In total, 676 Bolingbrokes were produced.
Fairchild additionally received a contract to build the Curtiss Helldiver, producing a total of 300 Helldivers, designated XSBF-l, SBF-l, SBF-3 and SBF-4E. Further wartime projects included developing a "one-off" conversion of the Fairey Battle
, the Mk IIT powered by a Wright R-1830-G3B Cyclone. As a subcontractor, in 1945, Fairchild began to manufacture sections of the Vought F4U Corsair
and Grumman F7F Tigercat. By VJ Day, 71 Corsair and 195 Tiger Cat components were delivered.
With the end of wartime contracts, Fairchild ventured back into familiar territory with the design and manufactures of a modern bush plane
, the F-11 Husky. Under the new Fairchild Industries Ltd. banner (the subsidiary company was created in spring 1945), the Husky emerged as an interesting concept but a number of factors combined to doom the project. The Fairchild Husky was a rugged, mainly metal (wing surfaces were fabric covered aft of the front spar) transport able to haul up to eight passengers and cargo. Innovative features included a high aspect ratio wing and slotted flaps for STOL
performance and a unique upswept rear fuselage with a door/ramp allowing large loads to be fitted into the fuselage. Considered underpowered, Fairchild attempted to re-engine the Husky replacing the original 450 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp
Jr with more powerful engines including a 625 hp Alvis Leonides
. The company also found the number of surplus Noorduyn Norseman
bush planes available at reasonable prices as well as the onset of the de Havilland Beaver made it particularly difficult to market a new bush plane. With only 12 Huskies completed, Fairchild Industries went bankrupt, forcing the eventual demise of the parent company in 1948 and the surrender of its charter in 1950.
Longueuil, Quebec
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, 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...
was an aircraft manufacturer in the period 1920-1950. It served as a subsidiary of the Fairchild Aircraft company of the United States.
Origin
Until 1929, Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. acted solely as a servicing organization dealing with forestry, mapping, surveying (aerial photography), fire detection and reforestation. "Forester extraordinaire," Ellwood Wilson, was the man responsible for creating this specialized Canadian company. The first planes used were 12 Curtiss HS-2Ls. Problems with this seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
arose when water entered the rubber seals, froze and cracked. The need for utility aircraft appropriate for the Canadian climate, sparked the company to expand into the construction and adaptation of aircraft for the Canadian government.
First aircraft
A great deal of the work to open up the Canadian North, was carried out by Fairchild CabinFairchild FC-2
The Fairchild FC-1 and its derivatives were a family of light, single engine, high wing utility monoplanes produced in the United States in the 1920s and 1930s...
(FC) types and a number were used in Alaska for the same purpose. The Fairchild FC-2W-2 is typical of a number of single radial-engined cabin monoplanes manufactured during the second half of the 1920s and into the early 1930s, that were built in the United States and to a lesser extent in Canada. Most of them were utility aircraft that could perform a number of roles and could be utilized on wheels floats, or skis. These aircraft played a major part in the rapid development of aviation during this period until they were succeeded by newer types later in the 1930s.
Fairchild aircraft were to be found from northern Canada and Alaska down through the United States, Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
where they operated in some of the countries there. They were purchased by civil operators, governments and the military. Their main functions involved carrying of passenger and/or freight, air mail but also performed admirably in the role of aerial surveying.
The first RCAF
Royal Canadian Air Force
The 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...
orders made with the new Canadian Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. were for Model 71Bs which had been designed to RCAF requirements in the United States with the parent company, Fairchild Airplane Manufacturing Corp. The 71Bs were put to use largely for photographic and transport duties. Twelve Fairchild 71Bs were on strength with the RCAF from 20 May 1930 to 2 October 1941 although one (G-CYVE/630) was later converted to a 71C. On 6 July 1930, Fairchild 71B, G-CYVX began a long inspection trip of the Canadian Arctic.
The Fairchild 82A was a Canadian-designed successor to the FC-2W-2 and 71 models. It won immediate acceptance by Canadian bush operators who appreciated its good load-lifting capabilities for freight. The 82A proved to be one of the north’s most reliable bush aircraft. The type was made in Canada and seven were exported to Mexico and South America. Only 24 were built once construction was phased out to make room to produce the Bristol Bolingbroke. An attempt to design a more capable large bush plane resulted in the Fairchild 45-80 Sekani, a twin-engined sesquiplane. Testing revealed a number of troubling faults leading to rejection by both the RCAF and Canadian Airways
Canadian Airways
Canadian Airways was an airline formed when Western Canadian Airways bought out Commercial. It operated through the 1930s until it was purchased by Canadian Pacific Air Lines in 1941, carrying passengers on mail planes into smaller communities.-History:James Armstrong Richardson established WCA in...
. After only two aircraft were built and tested, the project was abandoned.
For bush use, some operators preferred the Fairchild 82A to the more famous Noorduyn Norseman
Noorduyn Norseman
The Noorduyn Norseman is a Canadian single-engine bush plane designed to operate from unimproved surfaces. Norseman aircraft are known to have been registered and/or operated in 68 countries throughout the world and also have been based and flown in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.-Design and...
. The last 82A in service disappeared on a flight in the Northwest Territories on June 9, 1964.
The Second World War
The Fairchild Aircraft Company of Hagerstown, Maryland, was awarded a US Army Air Force contract in 1938 for a tandem cockpit, primary trainer. The aeroplane was called "Cornell" after the famous university. An overall total of 7260 were eventually constructed by mid-1944.The RCAF selected the Cornell as a successor to the Tiger Moth and Fleet Finch, which the Air Force realized in 1941 were already obsolete because they lacked the full instrumentation of the Cornell. In Canada, the Fleet Aircraft Company (Canada) built 1642 Cornells under licence, designated either as PT-19s or PT-26s. The latter were distinguished by their cold-weather, enclosed canopy. The RCAF first flew Cornells in 1940 and retired the last one in 1947.
In the same year as production started on the Cornell project, Fairchild had joined together with five other companies in setting up Canadian Associated Aircraft Ltd. The consortium was formed in 1938 to build the Handley Page Hampden
Handley Page Hampden
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber of the Royal Air Force serving in the Second World War. With the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane...
for use in 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...
with Fairchild mainly contracted to build the Hampden's tail. When 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...
broke out, Fairchild undertook a massive expansion of their factory to over 600,000 sq ft (55,000 sq m) by 1944. The workforce similarly increased from just over 1000 workers in 1939 to a maximum of 9,620 in 1944.
The wartime need for a patrol bomber led to a Canadian requirement for a bomber that Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada) of Quebec fulfilled through production of the Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
Mk IV as the Bristol Bolingbroke, irreverently nicknamed the "Bolly." After a small run of aircraft constructed to British specifications, as the Bolingbroke Mk I, Fairchild switched production to the Bolingbroke Mk IV with American instruments and equipment. These versions also included anti-icing boots and a dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
. Some of these aircraft served as bombers during the Aleutians campaign, but most of the 150 served in the intended role as patrol bombers on the Atlantic coast. Another 450 were completed as the Bolingbroke Mk IVT as trainers and saw extensive use in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan. One of the final variants was the Bolingbroke Mk IVW which was powered by two 895 kW (1,200 hp) Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines. In total, 676 Bolingbrokes were produced.
Fairchild additionally received a contract to build the Curtiss Helldiver, producing a total of 300 Helldivers, designated XSBF-l, SBF-l, SBF-3 and SBF-4E. Further wartime projects included developing a "one-off" conversion of the Fairey Battle
Fairey Battle
The Fairey Battle was a British single-engine light bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company in the late 1930s for the Royal Air Force. The Battle was powered by the same Rolls-Royce Merlin piston engine that gave contemporary British fighters high performance; however, the Battle was weighed...
, the Mk IIT powered by a Wright R-1830-G3B Cyclone. As a subcontractor, in 1945, Fairchild began to manufacture sections of the Vought F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
and Grumman F7F Tigercat. By VJ Day, 71 Corsair and 195 Tiger Cat components were delivered.
Postwar
Bush plane
A bush airplane is a general aviation aircraft serving remote, undeveloped areas of a country, usually the African bush, Alaskan and Canadian tundra or the Australian Outback...
, the F-11 Husky. Under the new Fairchild Industries Ltd. banner (the subsidiary company was created in spring 1945), the Husky emerged as an interesting concept but a number of factors combined to doom the project. The Fairchild Husky was a rugged, mainly metal (wing surfaces were fabric covered aft of the front spar) transport able to haul up to eight passengers and cargo. Innovative features included a high aspect ratio wing and slotted flaps for STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
performance and a unique upswept rear fuselage with a door/ramp allowing large loads to be fitted into the fuselage. Considered underpowered, Fairchild attempted to re-engine the Husky replacing the original 450 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp
Pratt & Whitney Wasp
-External links:*...
Jr with more powerful engines including a 625 hp Alvis Leonides
Alvis Leonides
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9...
. The company also found the number of surplus Noorduyn Norseman
Noorduyn Norseman
The Noorduyn Norseman is a Canadian single-engine bush plane designed to operate from unimproved surfaces. Norseman aircraft are known to have been registered and/or operated in 68 countries throughout the world and also have been based and flown in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.-Design and...
bush planes available at reasonable prices as well as the onset of the de Havilland Beaver made it particularly difficult to market a new bush plane. With only 12 Huskies completed, Fairchild Industries went bankrupt, forcing the eventual demise of the parent company in 1948 and the surrender of its charter in 1950.
Products
- Fairchild 34-42Fairchild 82-Bibliography:* Donald, David, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.* Milberry, Larry. Aviation In Canada. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-07-082778-8....
- Fairchild 45-80Fairchild 45-80-Bibliography:* Flight, 29 April 1937, p. 427. Retrieved: 9 March 2008.* Milberry, Larry. Aviation In Canada. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-07-082778-8....
- Fairchild 51/71Fairchild 71-Bibliography:* Donald, David, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada: Prospero Books, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.* Milberry, Larry. Aviation In Canada. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-07-082778-8....
- Fairchild F-11 HuskyFairchild F-11 Husky-See also:-Bibliography:* Milberry, Larry. Aviation In Canada. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-07-082778-8.* Molson, Ken M. and Taylor, Harold A. Canadian Aircraft Since 1909. Stittsville, Ontario: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1982. ISBN 0-920002-11-0.-External links:*...
- Fairchild Super 71Fairchild Super 71-Bibliography:* Bourgeois-Doyle, Richard I. Her Daughter the Engineer: The Life of Elsie Gregory MacGill. Ottawa: NRC Research Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0-660-19813-2....
- Bristol Fairchild BolingbrokeBristol Fairchild BolingbrokeThe Bristol Fairchild Bolingbroke was a maritime patrol aircraft used by the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Built by Fairchild-Canada, it was a variant of the Bristol Blenheim Mk IV bomber.-Design and development:...
- Handley Page HampdenHandley Page HampdenThe Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber of the Royal Air Force serving in the Second World War. With the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane...
- SBF HelldiverSB2C HelldiverThe Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was a carrier-based dive bomber aircraft produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service. Despite its size, the SB2C was much faster than the SBD it replaced...