Aviation of World War II

 Home Russian

 Soviet Union  |  Lend - Lease  |  Facts  |   Forum   | Germany | Japan |  R A F  |  U S A A F  |  Other  | Photos

Aircraft | Combat Use | Armstrong Whitworth | A V Ro | Blackburn | Boulton Paul | Bristol | Fairey | Gloster | De Havilland | Handley Page | Hawker | Saunders-Roe | Short | Supermarine | Taylorcraft | Vickers | Westland | People & Aircraft | Photos & Drawings |

Albacore
Deck Torpedo Bomber
Fairey

Fairey Albacore takes off from aircraft carrier Victorious

Albacore - deck bomber - torpedo biplane, developed in 1938 to replace the outdated Swordfish. The first prototype took off on December 12, 1938, and serial production of the aircraft began in 1939.

However, the refined appearance, closed heated cockpit, windshield wipers and an automatically ejected rescue boat did not contribute to its success, and Albacore, nicknamed the consonant Applecore - "Stub", was removed from service before the Suordfish, replaced by the Barracuda monoplane.


Aircraft | Fairey | Albacore | Barracuda | Battle | Battle P.24 | Fulmar | Firefly | Swordfish | Photos & Drawings |


Albacore Specification
Crew 3
Dimensions
Wing span 15.24
Wing area, m² 57.88
Length, m 12.14
Height, m 4.32
Powerplant
1 PE Bristol Taurus XII, h.p. 1085
Weight, kg:
Empty 3,289
Loaded weight 4,745
Performance
Maximum speed, km/h 259
Cruising speed, km/h 187
Service ceiling, m 6,300
Service range, km 1,500
Armament
3 × 7.7 mm Vickers machine gun, bombs up to, kg 904

Combat use. In March 1941, Albacore aircraft of the 826th and 829th squadrons, based on November 26, 1940 on board the aircraft carrier Formidable, took part in a torpedo attack for the first time during the battle at Cape Matapan - they attacked the Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto. By mid-1942, 15 squadrons of British naval aviation were already armed with Albacore aircraft, which operated from the Arctic Circle - providing escort for northern convoys in the USSR, and to the Libyan Desert, in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Indian Ocean. In November 1942, Albacore aircraft from Squadrons 817, 820, 822, and 932 took part in supporting the Allied landing in North Africa, performing anti-submarine patrols and bombing coastal batteries. Albacore peaked in 1942, but the following year they began to be replaced by Fairey Barracuda aircraft, and in 832 Squadron they were replaced by the Grumman Avenger.

In November 1943, the Albacores received the 820th and 841st squadrons, the aircraft of the latter were then transferred to the 415th squadron of the Canadian Air Force, stationed at Manston Air Force Base - the aircraft took an active part in the landing in Normandy. A total of 800 Albacore aircraft were produced between 1939 and 1943, including two prototypes.

Photo Description
Drawing Fairey Albacore Drawing Fairey Albacore
Fairey Albacore in flight Fairey Albacore in flight
Fairey Albacore on the deck of the aircraft carrier Victorious, 1941 Fairey Albacore on the deck of the aircraft carrier Victorious, torpedo suspension, 1941
Landing Fairey Albacore on the deck of the aircraft carrier Victorious, April 42 Landing Fairey Albacore on the deck of the aircraft carrier Victorious, April 42

Bibliography

  • "British warplanes from World War II." / Ed. Daniel March /
  • "Deck-based and shore-based naval aircraft 1939-1945" / Vladimir Kotelnikov /.
  • "Encyclopedia of Military Equipment" / Aerospace Publising /