Fairey Firefly AS Mk 6

Fairey Firefly AS Mk 6
Land	Storbritannia
Rolle	Jagerbomber
Første flytur	22. desember 1941
Bygget	1702

Den Fairey Firefly var et britisk hangarskip-båret jagerfly fra andre verdenskrig og anti-ubåtfly fra Fleet Air Arm (FAA). Designet til det moderne FAA-konseptet med en to-seters flåterekognosering / jagerfly, ble piloten og navigatøren / våpenoffiseren plassert i separate stasjoner. Det var overlegent i ytelse og ildkraft til sin forgjenger, Fulmar, men gikk inn i operativ tjeneste først mot slutten av krigen da det ikke lenger var konkurransedyktig som jagerfly. Begrensningene til en enkelt motor i et tungt flyskrog reduserte ytelsen, men den viste seg å være solid, langtrekkende og føyelig i hangarskipoperasjoner.

Kilde: Fairey Firefly på Wikipedia

Fairey Firefly AS Mk 6
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Bilder	36

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Fairey Firefly Walk Around
Fotograf	Derek Pennington
Lokalisering	Unknow
Bilder	30

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Evolution of a Naval Thoroughbred

Den Fairey Firefly AS Mk 6 represents the peak of the Firefly’s evolution as a specialized Anti-Submarine (AS) platform. Originally designed during WWII as a two-seat fighter-reconnaissance aircraft, the post-war variants traded their cannons for sensors. By the time the Mk 6 arrived in the early 1950s, the threat had shifted from Axis ships to Soviet submarines. This version was the first to be entirely “gunless,” dedicated solely to the detection and destruction of sub-surface threats using an array of sonobuoys, radar, and depth charges.

Attribute	Technical Specification (AS Mk 6)
Rolle	Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
Mannskapet	2 (Pilot and Observer/Radar Operator)
Motor	1 × Rolls-Royce Griffon 74 V12 (2,100 hp)
Maximum Speed	526 km/h (327 mph) at 14,000 ft
Cruise Speed	336 km/h (209 mph)
Bevæpning	None (Internal cannons removed for equipment/fuel)
Underwing Stores	Sonobuoys, 2 × 1,000 lb bombs, or Depth Charges
Special Equipment	ASH Radar in starboard wing pod

Design Engineering: The Griffon and the “Youngman” Flaps

The Griffon Engine: Replacing the older Merlins, the massive Rolls-Royce Griffon drove a four-blade propeller. The Griffon gave the Firefly the low-end torque required to lift heavy anti-submarine gear off the short decks of British Light Fleet Carriers.
Youngman Flaps: These were the Firefly’s secret weapon. These complex flaps could be extended below the wing not just for landing, but for cruising and combat. In the “cruise” position, they increased lift and allowed the plane to fly very slowly while loitering over a suspected submarine contact.
The “Gunless” Mk 6: Unlike the Mk 5 which retained four 20mm cannons, the Mk 6 removed them entirely. This allowed for more internal fuel and specialized radio gear, turning the aircraft from a hybrid fighter into a dedicated, long-endurance hunter.
Tandem Cockpits: The pilot sat forward, while the observer sat in a separate, secluded cockpit behind the trailing edge of the wing. From there, the observer managed the “ASH” radar and monitored the sonobuoy drops, essentially acting as the brains of the hunt.

Operational History: The Korean War and Beyond

The Korean War: Fireflies (mostly Mk 5s and 6s) were workhorses in Korea, flying from carriers like HMS Theseus Og Ocean. While the Mk 6 was specialized for ASW, they were often used for “armed reconnaissance,” spotting targets for the fleet’s big guns and hunting North Korean coastal traffic.
International Hunter: The AS Mk 6 was exported to several allies, most notably Australia. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) operated them from HMAS Sydney, where they were highly regarded for their reliability in the harsh Pacific environment.
The Transition to Jet Power: The Firefly AS Mk 6 served as the vital bridge for the Fleet Air Arm, holding the line until the turboprop-powered Fairey Gannet could take over the specialized anti-submarine role in the mid-1950s.
The Blue Hen: Because of the observer’s cramped, window-heavy cockpit in the rear, the aircraft was sometimes jokingly compared to a “flying greenhouse.”