The Firebrand was a single-engine fighter aircraft designed to Air Ministry Specification N.11/40 by Blackburn Aircraft. It was designed around the Napier Sabre III 24-cylinder H-type engine as a single-seat fleet fighter for the Royal Navy. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 750 × 438 pixelsFull resolution (750 × 438 pixel, file size: 31 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Blackburn Firebrand ... A strike fighter is a fighter aircraft which is also capable of attacking surface targets, including ships. ... An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing, building, testing, selling, and maintaining aircraft, aircraft parts, missiles, rockets, and/or spacecraft. ... Blackburn Beverley photographed in 1964. ... The Maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1943: Events January January 27 - the USAAF makes its first daylight raid on Germany January 30 - Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquitos make the first daylight air-raid on Berlin January 30-31 – the H2S radar is used by RAF... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1953: Events The first year in which the worlds airlines carried more than 50 million people (ICAO statement, 29 December) January January 26 - The first meeting of the Experimental Aircraft Association takes place at Milwaukee, Wisconsins Curtis-Wright Field. ... The Fleet Air Arm is the operational group of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... This is a partial list of the British Air Ministry specifications for aircraft. ... Blackburn Beverley photographed in 1964. ... The Sabre was a 24-cylinder sleeve valve piston aircraft engine designed by Major Frank Halford and built by Napier & Son during WWII. It was one of the most powerful piston aircraft engines in the world, especially for inline designs, developing over 3,500 horsepower (2,200 kW) in its... An H engine (or H-block) is an engine configuration in which the cylinders are aligned so that if viewed from the front appear to be in a horizontal letter H. An H engine can be viewed as two flat engines, one atop the other. ... The Fleet Air Arm is the operational group of the Royal Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ...

Development

Work on the B-37 Firebrand proceeded slowly. An unarmed prototype first flew on 27 February, 1942, the armed Firebrand F Mk. I prototype not flying until July of that year. The Sabre engine was also used in the Hawker Typhoon, a fighter already nearing production, and was earmarked for that aircraft. A new engine was needed, along with airframe improvements to handle it; along with these modifications it was deemed appropriate to convert the Firebrand into a strike fighter capable of carrying torpedoes, bombs, and rockets as well as engaging in air to air combat. Only nine production F Mk. I aircraft were built. The Firebrand was unusual in that there was an airspeed gauge mounted outside of the cockpit so that during landing the pilot would not have to look down into the cockpit to take instrument readings, presaging the development of the modern heads up display. The Maiden flight of an aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord. ... February 27 is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1942: Events January January 30 - Canadian Pacific Air Lines formed by the acquisition and merger of Arrow Airways and Canadian Airways, along with all the various subsidiaries of the latter. ... The Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft starting in 1941. ... A strike fighter is a fighter aircraft which is also capable of attacking surface targets, including ships. ... A modern torpedo, historically called a locomotive torpedo, is a self-propelled projectile that (after being launched above or below the water surface) operates underwater and is designed to detonate on contact or in proximity to a target. ... The Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb produced in the United States. ... US Smarties (by Ce De Candy) US Smarties (by Ce De Candy) In the United States, Smarties are a type of artificially fruit-flavored candy produced by Ce De Candy. ... Dog fight is a common term used to describe close-range aerial combat between military aircraft. ... For other meanings of Hud, see this article A Rafale fighter of the FS Charles de Gaulle, seen through the HUD of another Rafale. ...

The first strike variant, the Firebrand TF Mk. II (B-45), flew on 31 March 1943, and was an adaptation of the Mk. I. It incorporated slightly wider wingspan that allowed carriage of a torpedo between the retracted main landing gear. Like the Mk I, the TF Mk. II only saw a very limited production of 12, and was followed by the Firebrand TF Mk. III with the Bristol Centaurus VII radial engine. After the first flight on 21 December, 1943, problems arose: the new engine produced more torque than the Sabre, and rudder control was insufficient on takeoff. The TF Mk. III was determined to be unsuitable for carrier operations, and work began on an improved airframe that would be better-suited for the Centaurus. March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (91st in leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1943: Events January January 27 - the USAAF makes its first daylight raid on Germany January 30 - Royal Air Force de Havilland Mosquitos make the first daylight air-raid on Berlin January 30-31 – the H2S radar is used by RAF... In aviation, the undercarriage or landing gear is the structure (usually wheels) that supports an aircraft and allows it to move across the surface of the Earth when it is not flying. ... Bristol Centaurus engine The Centaurus was the final development of Bristol Engine Companys series of sleeve valve radial aircraft engines, an 18-cylinder two-row design that eventually delivered over 3,000 hp (2. ... The radial engine is an internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel. ... December 21 is the 355th day of the year (356th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Moment (physics). ...

The Firebrand TF Mk. IV (B-46), as the new development was designated, featured a newer Centaurus IX engine and larger tail surfaces for better low-speed control. The enlarged rudder was horn balanced, and the wings now featured dive brakes on both upper and lower surfaces. The TF Mk. IV first flew on 17 May, 1945, and was the first version of the Firebrand to enter mass production, with 102 built. The later Firebrand TF.5 featured minor aerodynamic improvements and was also built in large numbers, with 68 entering service. A further 40 TF Mk. IVs were converted to the TF.5 standard. The final production version was the Firebrand TF Mk. 5A. Empennage is an aviation term used to describe the tail portion of an aircraft. ... Dive brakes are meant to slow down an aircraft when in a dive. ... May 17 is the 137th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (138th in leap years). ... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1945: // Events January January 1 - the Luftwaffe begins targeting Allied airfields in Europe as Operation Bodenplatte February February 13-15 - Allied bombers attack Dresden with incendiary weapons, destroying most of the city and killing some 50,000 people. ... Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardised products on production lines. ...

Operational history

The Firebrand did not see action in World War II, but it remained in front-line service on Royal Navy carriers until 1953. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This is a list of aviation-related events from 1953: Events The first year in which the worlds airlines carried more than 50 million people (ICAO statement, 29 December) January January 26 - The first meeting of the Experimental Aircraft Association takes place at Milwaukee, Wisconsins Curtis-Wright Field. ...

Royal Navy units

• 700 Naval Air Squadron
• 703 Naval Air Squadron
• 708 Naval Air Squadron
• 736 Naval Air Squadron
• 738 Naval Air Squadron
• 759 Naval Air Squadron
• 764 Naval Air Squadron
• 767 Naval Air Squadron
• 778 Naval Air Squadron
• 787 Naval Air Squadron
• 799 Naval Air Squadron
• 813 Naval Air Squadron
• 827 Naval Air Squadron

700 Naval Air Squadron of The Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. ...

Specifications (Firebrand TF Mk. IV)

Data from Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II^[1]

General characteristics

• Crew: One pilot
• Length: 39 ft 1 in (12 m)
• Wingspan: 51 ft 3½ in (15.62 m)
• Height: ft in (m)
• Wing area: 381.5 ft² (35.44 m²)
• Empty weight: 11,357 lb (5,150 kg)
• Loaded weight: 15,671 lb (7,100 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 16,227 lb (7,360 kg)
• Powerplant: 1× Bristol Centaurus IX 18-cylinder radial engine, 2,500 hp (1,865 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 350 mph (300 knots, 560 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 289 mph (251 knots, 465 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
• Stall speed: 75 mph (65 knots, 121 km/h)
• Range: 1,250 mi (1,100 nm, 2,000 km) with torpedo and drop tanks
• Rate of climb: 2,600 ft/min (13.2 m/s)
• Wing loading: 41.7 lb/ft² (203.6 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: .157 hp/lb (347 W/kg)

Armament

• Guns: 4× 20 mm (0.787 in) Hispano Mk.II cannon, two in each wing
• Bombs:
  
  • 1× 1,850 lb (840 kg) torpedo, or
  • 2× 1,000 lb (450 kg) bombs, one under each wing, in place of torpedo

The distance AB is the wing span of this Aer Lingus Airbus A320. ... In aviation, the Maximum Take-Off Weight (or MTOW) is the maximum weight with which an aircraft is allowed to try to achieve flight. ... Bristol Centaurus engine The Centaurus was the final development of Bristol Engine Companys series of sleeve valve radial aircraft engines, an 18-cylinder two-row design that eventually delivered over 3,000 hp (2. ... The radial engine is an internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel. ... VNO of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of normal operation. ... Airspeed Indicator in a light aircraft The VC of an aircraft is the V speed which refers to the velocity of cruising. ... Stall speed is an aerodynamic term. ... The maximal total range is the distance an aircraft can fly between takeoff and landing as limited by its fuel capacity. ... This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ... In aerodynamics, wing loading is the loaded weight of the aircraft divided by the area of the wing. ... Power-to-weight ratio is a measure commonly used when comparing various vehicles (or engines), including automobiles, motorcycles and aircraft. ... The 20mm caliber is a specific size of cannon or autocannon ammunition, commonly the smallest caliber which is unambiguously a cannon (or more commonly today, autocannon) and not a heavy machine gun. ... The Hispano-Suiza HS.404 20 mm autocannon was one of the most widely used aircraft weapons of the 20th century, used by British, American, French, and many other military services. ... M242 Bushmaster autocannon on an M2 Bradley. ... A modern torpedo, historically called a locomotive torpedo, is a self-propelled projectile that (after being launched above or below the water surface) operates underwater and is designed to detonate on contact or in proximity to a target. ...

References

Related content

Related development

• Blackburn Firecrest

Comparable aircraft

• Westland Wyvern

Designation sequence

• B-20 - B-37/B-45/B-46 Firebrand - B-48 Firecrest - B-54 - B-88

Related lists

• List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm

The Blackburn B-48 Firecrest or YA.1 was a single-engined naval strike fighter built by Blackburn Aircraft. ... The Westland W.34 Wyvern was a single-seat carrier-based attack aircraft of the 1950s intended to cover a wide variety of roles. ... The Blackburn B-20 was an experimental aircraft, first flying in 1940, that attempted to drastically increase the performance of flying boat designs. ... The Blackburn B-48 Firecrest or YA.1 was a single-engined naval strike fighter built by Blackburn Aircraft. ... The Blackburn B-54 / B-88 was a prototype carrier-borne Anti-submarine warfare aircraft of the immediate post World War II-era developed for the Royal Navys Fleet Air Arm (FAA). ... The Blackburn B-54 / B-88 was a prototype carrier-borne Anti-submarine warfare aircraft of the immediate post World War II-era developed for the Royal Navys Fleet Air Arm (FAA). ... This is a list of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. ...