DATABASE WORDS: W. A. HARRISON | Development | Te hia Details chnical | nService In | Insights

ABOVE: AtrioofBattleIs—K7578, K7580and K7575—fromNo105 formate forthe camera. AEROPLANE 15 IN-DEPTH Page 88 FOR THE MONOPLANEANE E ERARA PAGES Page 91 ASTRONG, ADAPTABLE DESIGN Page 93 AT WAR AGAINST THE ODDS Page 100 “JUST TOO EASY TO FLY”

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twas during August Among those offered by Fairey loads could be carried up to a The need for 1932 that the Battle was atwin-engined machine with maximum of 1,250lb (567kg), saga really began, separate twin cockpits, powered later altered to 1,000lb (453.6kg) with an by two Fairey P12 Prince engines. over 1,000 miles (1,609.9km). Tare rapid RAF speciIfication calling for studies Performance was good with a weight was not to exceed 6,300lb to replace the and maximum speed of over 300mph. (2,857.6kg), and it was to have expansion saw Hind bombers. TheAir It was turned down by the Air one 0.303in machine gun in the Staff,via operational requirement Ministryasoutside the requirement, starboardwing, although the Air OR7, asked for adesign to carry which sought alight bomber Ministryfelt this would not be Fairey’s new a1,000lb bomb load for 1,000 poweredbyasingle engine. needed if the bombers were to fly miles at 200mph. Thedirector of Thenew bomber was not in formation! Theengine could be light bomber technical development offered a dissimilar in that it was to havea any British type that had passed newspecification, P27/32, which crew of two, pilot and observer, the Service Type Test of 100 hours was sent out to the industry in their ownseparate cockpits. within ayear of tendering to the being ordered in on 12 April 1933. Armstrong Itsmaximum speed was specified specification, and the propeller Whitworth, Boulton Paul, Bristol, initially as not less than 195mph could be made of wood or metal. quantity,despite Fairey,Gloster,Hawker,Vickers (314km/h) at 10,000ft (304.8m), Fairey and Armstrong Whitworth and Westland tendered designs, and service ceiling as 22,000ft were contracted to construct one lacklustre examined that November. (6,147m). Acombination of bomb prototype each. TheArmstrong performance

88 www.aeroplanemonthly.com AEROPLANEJUNE2016 FAIREY BATTLE DATABASE | Whitworth AW29 (serial K4299) was not arecognised aeroengine (subsequently designated Merlin I) Initial Battle test flying was was built, but the company had manufacturer.Consequently it was with ‘letterbox’ exhaust manifolds shared by Staniland and FltLt Development embarked on the Ensign and decided to opt for the Merlin. and atwo-position, three-bladed Duncan Menzies. K4303 was flown Whitley programmes, so it was The first flight of the Fairey de Havilland propeller,hewas more in July 1936 to the Aeroplane pushed into the background. Not machine —named Battle on 2 enthusiastic. andArmament Experimental until 6December 1936 did it fly. April 1936 —was delayed due to Aspinner fitted to the propeller Establishment (A&AEE) at Following awheels-up landing, the Merlin problems. Fairey’s chief test on early test flights was abandoned Martlesham Heath for handling AW29 was abandoned in favour of pilot FltLtChristopher Staniland and Battles rarely flew with and performance trials. Pilots noted the Whitley. eventually got airborne in prototype spinners after that. Thecanopy was that the aircraft’s handling was Fairey’s single-engined aircraft K4303 at the company’s Great redesigned to merge with the rear docile throughout the speed range, was to be poweredbythe company’s West Aerodrome, today beneath fuselage, making it much more although the appeared to be |

ownPrince engine rated at 710hp. ,on10March 1936. attractive. Thepress noticed these sluggish, and general performance Te Realising that this would leaveit Initially Staniland accepted the changes when K4303 was displayed was disappointing. It was found to underpowered, within ayear it was type’s performance but suggested at Hendon on 27 June 1936 in haveamaximum speed of 257mph Details chnical being offered at asupercharged some slight improvements such the ‘Special Aircraft, Past and (414km/h) at 15,000ft (4,575m) 835hp,only abit shortofthe as modified elevators and rudder Present’park. It had a flat wing, the with a1,000lb (454kg) bomb load. proposed Rolls-RoyceMerlin II of to improvehandling. Alittle introduction of slight dihedral on RAF interest waned at this stage, 880hp. TheAir Ministryrefused later,when it was fitted with a production machines enhancing the but political pressureand agreat to consider the Fairey unit as it morepowerful 1,030hp Merlin F aircraft’s ability to bank. demand to equip newly-formed

BELOW: FirstprototypeK4303 duringatest flightinthe handsofFlt Lt ChristopherStaniland. AEROPLANE | nService In | Insights

AEROPLANEJUNE2016www.aeroplanemonthly.com 89 DATABASE FAIREY BATTLE

out from the newManchester airportatRingway.However, prior to the opening of Ringway the first 21 flights by Battles were carried out at nearbyBarton. On 14 April 1937, Menzies, the chief production test pilot at the northern complex, took initial production Battle IK7558 on its . Ringway was opened on 8June 1937 with Menzies giving aspirited display in Battle K7563. TheAir Ministryapproached Austin Motors in February1936 about manufacturing Battle wings, and in 1938 complete aircraft. For test flying an airstrip was prepared at Northfield, almost alongside the plant at Longbridge in Birmingham. However, in winter it would not be suitable for test flying, so on their first flights the Battles were ferried to RAF Castle Bromwich wheretesting could take place. Chief test pilot for Austin was Capt Neville Stack AFC, who had asmall team including Jim Mollison to help him. The first ABOVE: Battles on thelineat Austin-built Battle L4935 was theopening of Fairey’s plantat FaireyBattle Iand II specifications HeatonChapel, , in flownfromNorthfield on 22 June 1937. AEROPLANE July 1938. Theinitial 59 POWERPLANT Battles to emerge from the Austin bomber squadrons with modern One Rolls-Royce Merlin I(Battle I) or Merlin II (Battle II), 1,030hp plant were poweredbythe Merlin equipment, identified for this task II, followedbythe Merlin III, DIMENSIONS under Scheme Cofthe service’s which became the type’s standard expansion plan, overruled the Air Length: 42ft 4in (12.9m) engine (although some aircraft in Ministry. The firstBattle order Height:15ft(4.57m) service used the improved Merlin was placed in June 1935, for a Span: 54ft 0in (16.46m) IV and V). substantial total of 155 aircraft. WEIGHTS Production at This allowedfactories, including started in May1937 and ended the new‘shadow’ facilities, to set up Empty: 6,647lb (3,015kg) in November 1940, while at for mass production ready for the Max take-off: 10,792lb (4,895kg) Austin it began in October 1938 advent of the newheavybombers PERFORMANCE and ran until October 1940. The that were already on the drawing figures usually quoted state that boards. Theproduction Battle I Maximum speed (15,000ft): 257mph (407km/h) 2,201 Battles were built. However, was ordered to revised specification Serviceceiling: 25,000ft (7,620m) MinistryofAircraft Production P23/35, incorporating changes Range: 1,100 miles (1,769m) at 200mph and records showthe following: from the prototype form. 16,000ft With Fairey’s Hayesproduction ARMAMENT Year Fairey AustinTotal line already full with Swordfish and Albacores, and the planned One 0.303in (7.62cm) machine gun in starboard wing 1937 81 -81 One Vickers 0.303in (7.62cm) machine gun in rear cockpit 1938 352 28 380 Barracuda to come, afactory 1939 513 524 1,037 complex was set up at Heaton Four 250Ib (113.4kg) bombs in recessed wing bays Two250Ib (113.4kg) bombs under each outer wing panel 1940 218 480 698 Chapel in Stockport, with final 1,164 1,032 2,198 assembly and test flying carried

BELOW: The Battle’s debut in the‘SpecialAircraft, Past andPresent’ park at Hendon’s RAFDisplay in 1936. AEROPLANE | Development | Technical Details | In Service | Insights ’s st 91 ing All ANE re ju atter PL ing w. by yw we red deep- wer om re ide AERO .c we Thel ance by we ckers es ly flat strips, Thew s’. pecial Fr umber fitted as a fitting of a th Vi ag ight allo ar cockpit. an as ided po er an flaps li on re ov ov Al vi un, usually a fusel em of rivets through etal frames. ci he blind spot was dg he an ws nd rt dm ng ribs containing large eneath the bomb aimer ro fixe ve re opl sa ingle 0.303in able control surfaces Wi he bombs to be lo ve er flanged lightening holes Kb dont ve flanges pressed from light .a nd attached to the spars dt As erlap and Z-stringer belo ingle ttles in action further strengthened ke rank lit trailing-edge partially successful ov ya we un was carried on flaps, main undercarriage and ll al re Ba As Sp ckers 0.303in (7.62mm) machine ckers erlapping as on the fuselage skins, www Ch sections. edged allo circular we allo means of angle brackets. clear of the wings whenbombing. dive- ribs supported continuous Z-section span-wise stringers, separate from the wing skinning. of metal and connected atinner their ends via universal joints.hydraulic A system pr for bomb mounting crutches. Kg mounting aft of the the Vi gun, was installed in thewing. starboard The Vi skin was applied in long, ov with single the mo fabric-co panel to co not universal, and only field modification to of in 1940. l. stoa pe ’s ha ound each of ’s utted by a ’s nds The nC re ve ection of Ab de the two we tofb es ato proof mall centre teel tube by ubframes and Ou He fire as ing ribs. As irder structure ys s‘ ear monocoque eing made fitted abo ag rd yw uilt from light alloy eb v rk at 06-gallon fuel tank, uselagefile pro was nd detachable panels ,b flange on both sides of Ther wo a1 da wo light allo Thef he upporting the pilot dder could be bolted. es fixe flooring and by es et est of the fuselage structure ru outer wing panels go tted to them. ar fi uselage ahead of the pilot ections into er nd re flanged beams on the outboard xs The Ther nd internal spaces formed pairs of ribs at the outboar each housed while the larger space betweeninner the ribs formed the bombcompartment, aimer which was entered from the cockpit interior. two- construction, the inner ends being of girder form,to changing bo joining four hea section was made up oflengths two of short spar frame with small brackets. flat skin joint was , closur double rivet line through theand skin the outer the longeron. portion of the fuselage wasseparately built from the centr the mainplane. consisted of doubling up somethe of frames in the tailfixing cone of for brackets the to whichfina the Thef bulkhead comprised structur cockpit bulkhead. formed sections; we ckpit eu tl co at he irey fter yB kin Fa wt .A esulted rl ight of by erlap on lo under one ea we tressed first ceive lgian who Thes ov .Itr be flanges of re ew ys Be lled to create This method An al-section ed simple to ro mall ov ov airs, ran for bust, easy-to-build was the el Lobelle, a as ro rc rp It final design, ABOVE: we he domiciled had become head of the Ma les. ro onocoque

ttached the separate stringers

emarkably ur , arranged in nd at the same time adaptable first strip of fuselage skin had ea ar Them Fo irey design team, was elegant and T flya for other skin. aircraft to use light allo airframe was built up ofhoop light frames alloy pressed out inpieces, single each notched to airframe, which pr the four special longerons and pre-formed skin plating. plating was unique, being cutform to strips of clinker construction, with the upper edge of construction saved the Fa streamlined with the cr in an integral U-shaped stringer the been attached to the frames,was the applied next with the previous skin, along whichrivet a line was centred. numerous rivet lines, which would hav had they been used. upper and lo three-quarters of the length offuselage, the with the inner each longeron connected to each long, continuous canopy

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Battle chnical Details

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To Te it wass and adaptable design’s credit, DATABASE FAIREY BATTLE

Battle

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92 www.aeroplanemonthly.com AEROPLANEJUNE2016 | Development | Technical Details | In Service | Insights NE ir re. ups up LA he hi ,a ro ro MS ds nd 142 up ad hack’ up at nd 40 at AEROP COM 5G 2G ro up of AC or eoft S. nson, and ro yh 7. its which ro xf GE nd 88, and Be s12a 6G No 93 5G Un ell. Another MA ,XVa easa‘ 1G nistr d, and 98 nO -I No No r1 itt, commander- s2a No 06 and 185 rw us No di mid-1939 eight Mi ON nt to as No be ew woo TI No s1 ide the cor Ha cester ir or mber 1937 we IA by aining to tw ov Bi ring Up yf No ve AV Tr Oc os 218, 12, 35, 207, 98, but du He ook the type on during No TheA dlow-H in y, nd 207 at Cottesmore, et 81 10 Lu —N cknall. 42, 40, 103, 106, 57, 150 per pe ound. transferred to n, 103 and 150 at 75 squadrons erational ty gr ,1 ingdon, 88 and 218 at Boscombe gar re uadrons at uadrons joined Hu On Up IK Ab Dow decided to make 105 and 226 at five next to conver Sq at Sq 13 mor 1938 XV and 185. an all-Battle outfit, consisting of —35a 52 and 63 at Thornab squadrons from we Bomber Command training group that would pr Op sprang up in 1940. Ed at ew Mk ed en ts he back ic on it. nt ti th th ep ’s 63 was flying tint ta cember Un we he wi r, rmany ed ni 938 and ,s 939 the De ght ve pril 1940 it nterested ax Ge on 1937 the y1 h1 eu uadron and ron dbyt Ni we s, became ei aining is rc ud nson to form th In re Sq In A Tr ew Ho Be umont-British eing transferred rA Ma we bruar mor ng’. le. 52 om ull complement of e. Th aly and ,b Ga Fe Squad ttles. ke re or war mobilisation. eplaced in ro fr Wi It af ar No Ba ring that autumn we yf by er rs 26 aw rlin II-engined MkII he gust 1937 nine of 63’s isis the squadron yr ttles po er erational wood to make ‘Under the ypt, Du Me ato er eH Cr Au Ba Eg Iw Op Up di th ceived woft by ation HQ at then many other squadrons ev In mNo2 la re he latter 12 St nich rlin ar ttles, and their cr ado Early By ro cing dG es Me to the training —t Ba film stars when visited Sh took place during the squadron engaged in airexercises. defence Mu onto stand-b 1938 aircraft, and 21 such machines. not to go to war merged with the China, in the details than buyingtype. the squadron had No had la tl ge d’7f at ep fla an dr ’6 er, te sofB nt ot 63 5, rk ot al we camou lgium, Pa star 59 ttle, design sh flaps, argely No th Be ’s ual-control dr Ba tractable al ur nzies wi wood on 20 re onsequently, Is K7 ad lo irey nL rst example for n, Me Up fi le .C Fa co Sq The unit ro tt he nding introduction od immediately involved perating trials. ad Ba biplane force in 1936. Pe he RAF was still operating ri aircraft created uncan re —t eo qu Pe ttle with its we ew .D attles (K7562, K7563 and 3S ul engine, Ba 937 O, on the intricacies of a W: rf eB presentatives from ABOVE: y1 No sC LO re we uadron at RAF Then riable-pitch propeller and T office came up with the second production conversion trainer K7559, had already been converted when it was delivered to Sq Ma undercarriage, hydraulic va po the RAF of the along to instruct 63’ modern-day single-engined bomber. Thre K7566) in intensiv of interest, the unit actingambassadors as to the media andto hosts by BE he the ft

016 E2 so UN

EJ despite AN the Battle’s came, there When action type’s crews

PL In Service was no hiding heroic shortcomings, RO AE DATABASE FAIREY BATTLE

in-chief of Bomber Command, unchanged. “Onits intended role Note that he said “supported by unable to provide cover. This left wrote aletter to the Chief of the Air as atactical bomber in the field units of Fighter Command…” Only Battle squadrons to operate in Staff,Sir Cyril Newall,stating: “The operating in close co-operation two squadrons daylight, on their own, at lowlevel. bomber force as aweapon of war with ground forces and supported were allotted for escortduties in With lack of speed and inadequate is deplorably inefficient”. He cited by units of Fighter Command”, , Nos1and 73. Once the defensivearmament it was obvious howthe firepoweroffighters had Ludlow-Hewitt continued, “the war started these Hurricanes were that Battle sorties would haveahigh increased four-fold while bomber Fairey Battle is ahighly respected frequently intercepted by enemy casualty rate, which is exactly what armament had remained almost aeroplane.” fighters and quite often rendered happened. TO WAR IN FRANCE TheGermans, for some reason, did not immediately pursue a bombing offensive. This gavethe Allies time to become established with tactical exercises, formation flying and armed reconnaissance over the during what became known as the ‘’. TheBritish units were re-formed into five wings, each with one squadron dispersed to a satellite airfield to keep it safe from bombing.

No 71 Wing No 40 Squadron at Bétheniville No XV Squadron at Condé-Vraux No 72 Wing No 226 Squadron at Reims No 105 Squadron at Villeneuve-les-Vertus No 74 Wing No 103 Squadron at Challerange No 150 Squadron at Écury-sur-Coole No 75 Wing ABOVE: Battlepilotsfromanunidentified unitassignedtothe Advanced AirStrikingForce in France No 218 Squadron at Auberive walk to theiraircrafton13January1940. PRESSASSOCIATION IMAGES No 88 Squadron at Mourmelon-le-Grand In the event of hostilities with retaliate, and all but insisted that the 1939, pre-empting the rapidly No 76 Wing ,the RAF had agreed with AASF’saircraft be used to stem any deteriorating political situation, No 12 Squadron at Berry-au-Bac the French to provide two separate attacks by German ground forces the British authorities ordered No 142 Squadron at Plivot air commands within France. through the continuous medium the mobilisation of No 1Group January1939 records showthat 459 and low-level bombing of motorised squadrons with immediate effect. The These, it turned out, were only Battles and 485 Bristol Blenheims columns, troop movements, AASF flew out on 2September 1939 temporarybases. Squadrons were were available, so therewas no communication centres, storage to bases in Champagne country. movedtimeand again, sometimes shortage of light bombers. depots and, when possible, enemy because the Armée de l’Air wanted Thelight bomber units of the airfields. Squadrons French base abaseitself,orifanairfield became Advanced Air Striking Force(AASF) Theother command, the Air unserviceable. NosXVand 40 were to remain partofBomber Component of the Field Force XV and 40 Bétheniville Squadrons returned to the UK 103 and 150 Challerange Command but be located in France, (ACFF), had light bombers, fighters 12 and 142 Berry-au-Bac in December to re-equip with within range of the German border. and army co-operation units to 88 and 218 Auberive Blenheims. TheFrench high command was provide aerial protection for British 105 and 226 Reims On 30 September 1939, No horrified that the Germans could Army units in France. On 24 August 150 Squadron sent out five Battles

ABOVE: WreckedNo142 Squadron BattleslitterBerry-au-Bac ABOVE: Arméedel’Air Curtiss Hawk 75A-1 fighters from Groupede airfieldnearReims afterthe German onslaught. AEROPLANE Chasse I/5atSuippes escort No 88 SquadronBattles. AEROPLANE

94 www.aeroplanemonthly.com AEROPLANEJUNE2016 FAIREY BATTLE DATABASE | Development D e e v v e VC WINNERS e l l o o p p m m e e n n t t | Te T e e c hia Details chnical Fairey Battle IP2204 c h h n No 12 Squadron,RAF n

CHRIS SANDHAM-BAILEY i

The action against bridges on 12 May1940led to twomembers on it and near it.Only one of the five aircraft concerned returned of aBattle crew from No 12 Squadron, pilot Fg Off Donald Edward from this mission. The pilot of this aircraft reports that besides being Garland and navigator Sgt Thomas Gray,being awarded the Victoria subjected to extremely heavyanti-aircraft fire,through which they Cross. In serial P2204, they were leading five Battles in an attack on a dived to attack the objective, our aircraft were also attacked by a bridgeoverthe Albert Canal at Veldwezelt,. largenumberofenemy fighters after they had released their bombs In the words of the citation, “All the aircrews of the squadron on the target.Muchofthe success of this vital operation must be concerned volunteered forthe operation, and, after five crews attributed to the formation leader,Flying OfficerGarland, and to had been selected by drawing lots, the attack wasdelivered at low the coolness and resourceofSergeant Gray,who in most difficult |

altitude against this vital target.Orders were issued that this bridge conditions navigated Flying OfficerGarland’s aircraft in such a Service In wastobedestroyedatall costs. As had been expected, exceptionally manner that the whole formation wasablesuccessfully to attack the intense machine-gun and anti-aircraft fire were encountered. target in spite of subsequent heavylosses. Flying OfficerGarland and Moreover, the bridgeareawas heavily protected by enemy fighters. Sergeant Gray did not return.” In spite of this, the formation successfully delivered adive-bombing Incidentally,their gunner,LAC LawrenceReynolds, received no attack from the lowest practicable altitude. British fighters in the decoration on the grounds that his contribution wasnot material to vicinity reported that the target wasobscured by thebombs bursting the outcome of the mission. Ben Dunnell | to find aheavily-defended enemy airfields in France, Belgium and Battle force took off to attack gun Battle squadrons (12, 88, 103, 142, Insights position in the Saar. They were the Netherlandsbut achieved little positions, enemy-held bridges and 150, 218 and 226) flew at least 33 intercepted by 15 Messerschmitt damage, destroying three Battles at moving columns between Sedan aircraft. It was abetter day —just Bf 109s, three Battles being shot Mourmelon. and Givonne. TheLuftwaffehad six were lost,including all three down while the other two force- TheFrench would still not allow been alerted and intercepted them. from 142. landed. Henceforth, the Battles were Britain’s bombers to overflyenemy No 12 Squadron lost four Battles TheDunkirkevacuation began withdrawn from daylight low-level positions, so that afternoon Air out of five,88one out of 10, 103 on 25 May. Duetothe seriousness operations without a fighter escort. Marshal Barratt took things into three out of eight, 105 four out of of thesituation, the Battle Blenheim squadrons undertook his ownhands and ordered AASF four,142 four out of eight, 150 four squadrons were again tasked in many of the necessarydaylight squadrons into action. Battle units, out of four,218 ten out of 11, and daylight. No 12 Squadron bombed reconnaissance flights, and it was apartfromNo88Squadron, carried 226 three out of six. Of 63 Battles Panzer units, 88 attacked targets March1940 beforeBattles returned out low-level attacks on German despatched, 35 did not return. near Abbeville, 103 hit front- to the fray,but even then only columns moving up through Addtothese the loss of five outof line troops, 150 had MT on the carrying out night leaflet raids along Luxembourg. Hits were seen on eight Blenheims from Nos114 and Abbeville road as their objective, the Rhine. militaryvehicles but ground fire 139 Squadrons and the situation and 226 struck enemy positions. Battle crewsinFrance were accounted for 13 of the 32 attacking was totally unsustainable, with Intelligence had been informed unhappy about their vulnerability to Battles. Therest were damaged. further casualties suffered when the that 20 senior Luftwaffeofficers attacks from the rear and below, and Subsequent actions were little Luftwaffebombed RAF bases. would be at Château Roumont near numerous field modifications were better.On11May,Nos 88 and High command decided that Ochampes airfieldfor ameeting on trialled. Theinstallation at least gave 218 Squadrons sent eight Battles to Battles would not nowoperate the morning of 26 May, and Battles the crewssomeconfidence that they attack enemy forces in Luxembourg during daylight hours. All the AASF were briefed to bomb it. Hurricanes could hit back in the blind spot. but lost seven, the other force- airfields were being threatened from Nos1and 73 Squadrons were With heavysnowfalls and freezing landing. Thenext day,totry and by the rapid German advance. A to provide cover. It was pouring temperatures, the weather in the stem the German advance all AASF number of the Battle bases were with rain but four Battles of No 103 winter of 1939-40 was the worst in squadrons were ordered to attack bombed on 15 May, resulting in Squadron, four from 142 and two recent memory, with grass airfields vital bridges, enemy armoured two squadrons moving further from 150 carried out their attack becoming almost unusable. Upon columns and transports. Of 23 south and the rest following aday and observedanumber of hits. the thaw,the ‘phoney war’was over. Battles operating 11 went missing, later. Crewsweretold that they During early June the Battles saw TheGermans began their five of them from No 12 Squadron were going night bombing, even action in an effort to help British long-expected attack through the alone —all the unit had sent. The though many had very little relevant ground forces as they retreated. Ardennes and Luxembourg towards Blenheims fared similarly badly, experience. Battles made one last bombing Sedan during the early hours of 10 seven out of nine being downed. Barratt appealed to his superiors raid on 15 June,after which the May. Another force crossed into With the low-level approach for moresupport, but this was surviving 48 aircraft flew back to the Netherlandsand Belgium, with abandoned, Nos103 and 150 refused. With the Blenheim the UK. France surrended on 22 parachute troops and commandos Squadrons despatched 10 Battles squadrons licking their wounds, June. taking important bridges, while a in the early hours of 14 Mayto on 19 Mayhehad no choice but Figures for Battle losses during glider-borne attack was made on attack German pontoon bridges to send out his Battles on daylight the campaign vary.Records arepoor the supposedly impregnable fortress near Sedan. TheBf109s did operations. At thelastminute to non-existent but the number has at Eben-Emael. TheLuftwaffe not materialise. That afternoon he was granted an escortof26 been quoted as 137, although it bombed some of the AASF things were different. Theentire Hurricanes —unheard-of! Seven may seem like more.

AEROPLANEJUNE2016www.aeroplanemonthly.com 95 DATABASE FAIREY BATTLE BATTLEOFBRITAIN TheAir Ministry, alarmed Newton. Approximately 45 Battles attacks on enemy airfields at bombing Eastchurch and destroying as Germany began to fill the were available with 55 crews. To , Evere, Hingene and some of the Battles. Channel ports with invasion these were added the Battles of Schiphol, but to little effect. Thepattern continued into barges, re-formed No 1Group of Polish-manned Nos300 and 301 Nos12and 142 Squadrons were September,the No 1Group Battles Bomber Command on 18 June Squadrons, which had formed up at attached to No 16 Group,Coastal striking the harbour in Boulogne 1940. With fewaircraft available, Bramcote and movedtoSwinderby. Command, between 7August and on several moreoccasions, plus that it was decided that four Battle On the night of 21-22 July, 6September 1940. Operatingfrom of , and gun positions at Cap squadrons would be made up armed with 250lb bombs, three Eastchurch they sent out six Battles Gris Nez. Theiroperations ceased from those that had returned to Battles of 103 and three from 150 each to attack enemy shipping in on 15-16 October.Between July the UK from France,and used went to hit oil storage tanks at Boulogne harbour. Thefollowing and October 1940 the six Battle for night attacks. Group HQ was Rotterdam. However, poor weather night it was Kriegsmarine E-boats. squadrons flew 289 sorties for a located at , with Nos in the target area resulted in no Throughout August raids were loss of six aircraft. Thelast of them 12 and 142 Squadrons based at hits. Through the rest of July small mounted against shipping there; the to relinquish the type did so that Binbrook, and 103 and 150 at formations of Battles conducted Luftwaffereturned the favour by December. TRAINERS AND TARGET TUGS Fairey initially offered apre- Second production machine assembled dual control conversion K7559 became the first to be fitted kit to allowBattle units to set up with the conversion set. On 20 their owntrainers until purpose- May1937 Duncan Menzies flew built examples became available. it from Barton to Upwood for This consisted of areinforced floor No 63 Squadron. Thereafter,as section on which was mounted an Battles were allocated to the newly- adjustable seat, control column, equipped squadrons at leastone rudder pedals, throttle boxand aircraft would be thus configured. compass mounting. Aspeaking tube The first Battle T(Tr ainer) was provided between the two pilots proper,P2277, was easily but other cockpit items were not distinguished by its two individual duplicated. cockpits. Menzies carried out its To install the unit it was necessary maiden flight at Ringway on 27 to remove from the navigator’s October 1939 and the inaugural full cockpit the backrest on the centre dual control test on 30 November. ABOVE: Hits on adroguetargetbeing inspectedatNo9Bombing section coaming, the mat and Atrial installation of target- andGunnerySchool at Penrhos, withBattleIL5251behind. AEROPLANE footrests on the top skin of the wing towing equipment was made by centresection and the servo Fairey in Battle K7587 during July motor for the auto controls, plus a 1939, followedbyaprototype fewother minoritems. Also taken conversion of Austin-built L5598 out were thewireless operator’s early in 1940. That Mayitwent folding seat and the gunner’s seat to the Armament Flight at RAE and machine gun. At frame 7an Farnborough to test its suitability instrument panel was fitted in the for the role.AType Bwinch was place previously occupied by the installed in the rear cockpit with headrest and handrail. Forthis type 7,000ft of steel cable. AType D of conversion it was also necessary triple drum winch could also be to remove the gunner’s canopy. fittedwith three 1,200ft spools of Thefront pilot’s sliding canopy cable. Three flag targets were carried could be replaced with aslightly in aspecial fairing beneath the rear modified type, which incorporated fuselage. Austin built 200 Battle acollapsible canvas metal-framed target-tugs, which had extensive ABOVE: Twin-cockpitBattleTrainer P6728, operatedbyNo1 blind flying hood. modifications to the rear fuselage. ServiceFlyingTraining School from Netheravon. AVIATION-IMAGES.COM BATTLES OVERSEAS Thedual-control Battle Tr ainer was Themajority of the Battles —weregiven individual flight Theinitial four Royal Australian Air given the nickname ‘Camel’bythe delivered to Australia were used by experience in K4303 at the Great ForceBattles, serials P2167, P2169, Aussies. Bombing and GunnerySchools. West Aerodrome by Fairey test P5239 and P5247, were sent to Many of the instructors on Most had been sent to scrapyards by pilot Duncan Menzies. On 19 June No 1Aircraft Park at Geelong exchange duty came from the early 1944. 1937 Menzies demonstrated Battle on 30 April 1940. FltLtJ.Lerew squadrons that servedinthe Low K7561 to the Belgian Air Ministry test-flew the first to be assembled, Countries. Forinstance, PltOffR. BELGIUM staff at EverenearBrussels. This P5239, on 29 June. Deliveries Givens was with No 88 Squadron On 27 April 1936, shortly after resulted in an initial order for 16 steadily increased until the 366th during 1940, flying K9297 in the first prototype Battle had Battles, released from production at and last example, target tug V1202, combat over France. He piloted flown, three Belgian Air Force Heaton Chapel by theAir Ministry was received at No 2Aircraft Park, the same Battle in Australia as an officers —Maj Kervyn, Maj (and not built under licence as some Bankstown, on 7December 1943. instructor. Leboutte and Lt de Spoelberch sources suggest).

96 www.aeroplanemonthly.comAEROPLANE JUNE 2016 FAIREY BATTLE DATABASE | Theaircraft were test-flown in baremetal. Theonly external Development difference to the RAF machines was an extended radiator air intake beneath the nose and six separate exhaust stacks on each side of the engine cowling instead of the RAF letterboxtype. In 1938 Belgian Air Forcepilots collected the first five of their

Battles. They were photographed in |

formation from aFairey Swordfish, Te after which they flew to Everewhere they equipped the 5ème and 7ème Details chnical Escadrille of the IIIème Groupe. Therewas just time for crewsto familiarise themselves with their new aircraft beforewar was declared on 3September 1939. Records showthat 11 Battles were ABOVE: Atightnine-ship Battle formation mounted by theIIIèmeGroupe. BRUSSELS AIRMUSEUM ARCHIVES available to contend the on 10 May1940 —two had been Battles at some stage. Thelast were lost in accidents, two were involved seemingly with No 9B&GS at in ground collisions and one was Mont Joli, Québec, which still had under maintenance. Theremainder some 75 Battles on strength when | were flowntoalanding ground at activities ceased on 30 April 1945. Service In Belsele to avoid air attacks, but serial T66 was destroyed therebyenemy FINLAND bombers. TheBattles then moved Pleas to the British Government for to Aalter. aircraft during the Finnish/Soviet In an efforttoslowdownthe war resulted in the Air Ministry German advance, nine Battles were releasing 20 ex-RAF Battles for ordered to bomb three bridges over deliverytoFinland from January the AlbertCanal at Maastricht on to March1940. However, with the | Insights 11 May1940. Near Gent they ran ABOVE: Newly-delivered BelgianAir ForceBattles on parade at end of hostilities there, none were into aformation of Dornier Do 17 Evere—notethe military band at right. BRUSSELS AIRMUSEUM ARCHIVES delivered. bombers. Battle T60 attacked them but both crew members were pilot dropped his bombs and 560 were given RCAF serials 1301- wounded and the aircraft force- then ordered the observertobail 1320 and 1601-2140. In 1939 the Royal Hellenic Air landed near Lebbeke. T58 was out, after which he made aforced Of the 740 actually delivered, Force(RHAF) ordered nine Battles. shot down by three Bf 109s and landing and escaped. 632 were bombers, 85 trainers and P6607 to P6615 were released off the crew of T73, after reaching the Only afew Belgian Battles were 28 target-tugs. Tenhad been lost the production line, but the British bridge at Veldwezelt, found that nowleft, joined by P2353 from in transit at sea. Four destined for government cancelled the order the bomb release mechanism was No 266 Squadron, RAF,which had were diverted to Australia. and the aircraft were reinstated for not working. Asecond runamid gone to attack enemy columns but Later on the RCAF converted 102 of the RAF. Then, in an about-face intense flak resulted in anear-miss, been damaged by flak andforce- the bombers into target tugs. Some Britain changed its decision and the Battle escaping at lowlevel. The landed near Brussels. It could not of the aircraft still had dual controls agreed to supply 12 examples, second formation, consisting of be flown, however, because the fitted. Fairchild in Québec modified P6604 to P6615, although P6614 T61, T64 and T67, was sent to the RAF and the Belgian Air Forceused morethan 200 Battles to become ended up being retained by the RAF. bridge at Vroenhoven. Oneaircraft different fuel octane ratings. The gunneryturret trainers. Received as Deliveries began on 21 February dropped its bombs alongside the Luftwaffe finished off the remaining ground instructional airframes were 1940 and were completed by 2 bridge but the other two had hang- Belgian Air ForceBattles on 18 May seven ex-RAF Battles, afurther 46 April 1940, with RHAF serials ups. T61 and T67 made another 1940. being downgraded by the RCAF B271 to B282 allocated. They attack but were shot down by flak. later. were in standardRAF Thethird flight, made up of T62, CANADA Thevast training organisation with Greek roundels but no T65 and T71, made for Briedgen. TheEmpireAir Tr aining Scheme required for the needs of the British flash. Once in Greece they formed Unfortunately T71 was hit by (EATS), later renamed the British and Commonwealth air forces was 33 Mira (squadron) of Combat ground fire from its ownside and, Commonwealth Air Tr aining eventually made up of four Training Command. with his observerinapoor way,the Plan (BCATP) and known to the Commands: No 1inToronto, No invaded Greece through pilot abandoned the mission. T62 Canadians as the Joint Air Tr aining 2inWinnipeg, No 3inMontréal Albania on 28 October 1940 and was also hit and the crew bailed Plan (JATP), saw further use of the and No 4inCalgary. Under their 33 Mira, based at Koúklaina, out successfully.Shot at repeatedly type. TheRoyal Canadian Air Force command were 11 Bombing and was soon in action against as it approached the bridge, T65’s was allocated 754 Battles, of which GunnerySchools, most using the Italian forces. Four BELOW: ArankofBattles belonging to No 4Bombingand GunnerySchool at RCAF StationFingalinOntario. VIA LARRYMILBERRY DATABASE FAIREY BATTLE

SOUTHAFRICA Under the Joint Air Tr aining Scheme some 190 Battles were allocated to the , but 11 were lost at sea during delivery, 11 moreweresent to Southern Rhodesia, four to and four to Australia. TheBattles were given serials 901 to 1082, 123 of these being kept as bombers with 51 target- tugs and five trainers. During the East African campaign the SAAF used Battles in their intended role. On 19 May1940 Maj R. Preller led No 11 Squadron, SAAF to Nairobi, Kenya —ithad at its disposal 24 Hawker Hartebeests and one Battle. With Cpls Ackerman and Petterson making up his crew,Preller took aBattle on areconnaissance over Mogadishu in Italian Somaliland ABOVE: Just oneBattle, R7439, wasmodified to MkIITstandardbyFairchild in QuébecwithaWright on 17 June. Leaving the area he saw R-1820 fortrialsincaseMerlin suppliesweredisrupted. VIALARRY MILBERRY aCaproni Ca 133 on the ground near Afmadowand made astrafing Battles bombed the airfield at run, only to be hit by astray bullet Koritza Northon15November, in the radiator. Theglycol gradually destroying aCaproni Ca 133 and leaked away and the Merlin seized. damaging four fighters for no losses. Preller crash-landed safely and set TwoBattles and two Blenheims hit fire to the Battle, the crew setting Koritza South but were intercepted off on foot for base. Foraweek an by Fiat CR42 biplane fighters. aerial search looked for them with Battle B272 piloted by Sgt Arnides no success, but on 1July the crew and B276 in the hands of 2nd Lt of apassing aircraft spotted Preller Kondides were shot down, the on acamel making his way home two pilots and one observerbeing between Garissa and Liboi. He had killed. Capt Pitsikas’s Battle B274 left the two corporals at awater hole was badly damaged, and although and pressed on himself.All were he managed to flyback to base his ABOVE: RCAF 1627 showsaCanadian turret modification to the eventually rescued, Preller being Battle forgunnerytrainingpurposes.Thiscreated theMkIT. observer, 2nd Lt Papas, later died VIALARRY MILBERRY awarded aDFC. from his wounds. Squadron crewshad gone back to TheGreek counter-offensive However, aBattle arrived Ludomił Rayski in June 1939. in mid-June to collect began during November. Three unexpectedly on 24 April 1941 After prolonged negotiations with 15 Battles, permitting them to strike Battles attacked aretreating Italian when target-tug V1222 flown the British government and the Air at the enemy. This they did on many column between Koritza and by aPolish pilot from No 4Air Ministryitwas agreed to supply occasions, hitting Italian airfields, Pogradets on the 22nd. TheCOof ObserverSchool at West Freugh one Spitfire,10Hurricanes and 100 positions and vehicles. Some success 33 Mira, Lt Col D. Stathakos, was force-landed at Corbally Strand, Battles. was achieved, but in the face of quite intercepted and shot down between Tr amore, County Waterford. The Abatch of 30 was intended to severelosses. By June 1941, when Nivitsa and Slatinia on 11 March aircraft was not damaged and was be shipped to Danzig (Gdansk), No 11 Squadron was disbanded 1941 with the loss of both crew later flown to Baldonnel whereit but archives state that one Spitfire and its aircraft transferred to No 15 members. Remnants of the three was interned. In June 1944 it was and 25 Battles were loaded. On 18 Squadron, only four Battles were left squadrons, stationed at Menidi, decided to make use of V1222, and September 1939 amerchant ship on strength —one of those was soon could not hold off the German it was pushed into the Baldonnel left Liverpool escorted by the Polish lost in an accident. Theremainder invasion on 6April 1941. Moving workshops whereatarget-towing destroyer ORP Błyskawica,the two carried on until 19 August, when the south to Tanagra they were all winch was fitted. Coded 92, the arriving in four days later. final example flew its last mission. destroyed by constant German air Battle carried out camera gun However, Romania had declared Theunit then withdrew back to attacks. exercises with Hurricanes and that it was throwing in its lot in with Kenya to re-equip. joined No 1Squadron in September the Germans and stopped the transit INDIA 1940 for air-to-air firing duties. of all arms through its territory. The SOUTHERN RHODESIA Battle K7627 and target-tugs It was withdrawn and flown to a freighter turned quickly around and As partofthe EATS,25Battles went L5661, L5663 and L5726 were maintenance unit in May1946. sailed through the Mediterranean, to Southern Rhodesia. Formed at sent to the Anti-Aircraft School at intending to put the aircraft ashore Moffat in August 1941 was No 24 Karachi in 1942. NEWZEALAND at Odessa, from wherethey would Combined Air Observers School, TwoBattles ended up in New be transported over land to . re-designated in May1943 as a Zealand, for some obscurereason. With the German invasion of Bombing, Gunneryand Navigation Thethen Irish Army Air Corps P6673 arrived in July 1941 after Poland the UK’sChief of the Air School. TheBattle target-tug was its approached the British Government being used in Canada and became Staff offered the immediate release main equipment, with 25 on strength for anumber of aircraft to meet its instructional airframe Inst 42. of 20 Battles, to be flowntoFrance by 1944. In the unit’s annual reportit needs during the Second World War. K9177 was despatched in November for collection by Polish pilots. The was stated, “Other than the extreme In 1941 it asked for 13 Hurricanes, 1941, arrived in February1942 and proposal was refused on the grounds age of these machines, calling for 10 Harvards and three Battle was numbered Inst 59. that deliveries of war materiel would constant repairs and replacements, target-tugs. Theresulting offer,such make no difference to the outcome. very little trouble has been as it was, amounted to 10 Hawker POLAND Adecision was made to let the experienced on the type”. Thelast 12 Hector , an offer the IAAC APolish MilitaryMission to Tu rkish Air Forcehavethe Battles of Southern Rhodesia’s Battles were later accepted. was formed under Gen that were on the ship. struck off charge in August 1945.

98 www.aeroplanemonthly.comAEROPLANE JUNE 2016 FAIREY BATTLE DATABASE | Development p

Fairey Battle Itarget-tug RCAF 1639 RoyalCanadianAir Force |

CHRIS SANDHAM-BAILEY Te TUTURKRKEYEY An order for Battles was placed Government agreed to deliver 30 Tu rkshad already offloaded them used for spares. ABattle target tug Details chnical by the Tu rkish government before Battles destined for Poland and from the ship,assembled the aircraft arrived in May1940 but plans for WW2. Four were in preparation at divertthem to Tu rkey.Wherethe without any manuals, instructions three morefell through. the Fairey factory—indeed, they extra five came from is unclear. or drawings and ferried them to On 22 January1943 amemo had even been painted in Tu rkish It was arranged that Fairey Eskişehir with the undercarriages from the Tu rkish authorities Air Forcemarkings —but with production test pilot FltLtSam down and flaps locked up because declared that therewerestill 25 the situation in Europe the deal Moseley would test-flythe Battles the hydraulics were not working! Battles on strength, even though was cancelled beforedelivery. After as they were assembled, but when Moseley’s logbook confirms that 28 Moseley had said the pilots had a protracted negotiations the British he arrived in the enthusiastic Battles were flight-tested with two penchant for very low, fast flying. |

TESTBEDS Service In Although the Battle’s characteristics British engine and the Battle was By 1June1939, K9208 hada target-tugs L5778, L5779, L5781 in combat left alot to be desired, returned to the RAE in 1943. system that could detectahostile and L5796 in October 1940 to the fairly docile machine with its Theair-cooled 24-cylinder Napier target at amaximumrange of undertake trials towing flares to modern engine bay and robustness Dagger VIII was tested during twomiles and aminimum of illuminate enemy aircraft and give made agood test aircraft. Thelong 1938 on Battle K9240, and the 1,000yards. This proved amajor night fighters abetter chance of cockpit allowedthe fitment of liquid-cooled, 24-cylinder,2,000hp breakthrough and demonstrations asuccessful attack. Three flares instrumentation and the carriage SabrebyK9278 and L5287 from to interested partiestookplace. were carried, each burning for one | of a flight observer. With large the following year.With Rolls- These includedFighter Command’s minute, but the tests —which went Insights numbers of Battles being turned out, Royce, Battles trialled numerous C-in-CACM SirHughDowding, on into 1941 —did not go well and the Air Ministrysaw fitto release Merlin derivatives, plus the ExeB Winston Churchill, and Churchill’s the project was abandoned. some to aeroengine manufacturers (previously known as the Boreas) adviser (and member of the In September 1940 another for flight-testing. on K9222, and the Peregrine on Committee forthe Study of Aerial project involving Battles took On 1October 1938 Battle N2110. Defence)ProfFrederick Lindemann. place under the codename K9331 arrived with Bristol to Notgenerally known is the use of Dowding and Lindemann got ‘Pandora’—the use of modified test the 1,065hp Taurus II engine Battles K9207 and K9208 on early airbornetosee theresultsfor bombs as Long Aerial Mines. No for the , followed airborne intercept (AI) trials. themselves. Eachwas sat on aplank 420 Flight was formed at Middle by the 1,130hp Taurus XII. The These aircraft arrived at Martlesham arrangedacrossthe rear seat, which Wallop with the first Battle P5248 company received N2042 on 16 Heath on 3June 1938 and were wasshared with theradar operator, arriving that month, and L5049 February1939 to flight-test the joined by K9230 on 30 June to form with all threetrying to see thesmall and R7472 joining it in November Hercules II and later the Hercules aspecial unit. First to be modified cathode ray tube together! 1940. Theidea was to havemines XI, subsequently joined by N2184. was K9208, with aerial antennae So promising were theresults that suspended from each aircraft on Both were modified so that the fixedoneither side of the fuselage orders were given on 1September a2,000ft (609.6m) cable or some undercarriage was permanently fixed and radar display equipment in the 1939 to convert30Battles as AI- other device, while the enemy down. These aircraft were used until rear cockpit. An RAF pilot flew equipped night fighters. However, aircraft conveniently flewinto the April 1945. the Battle, with ascientist from the authorities, realising the screen of cables, detonating the Fairey was seeking asuitable the airborne radar group at nearby inadequacies of the Battle, had the converted bombs as they did so. testbed for its P24 engine and the Bawdsey operating the kit in the order changed to 30 Blenheims. Notsurprisingly,the project was Air Ministryreleased Battle K9370. rear and another Battle acting as a On the subject of night fighters, abandoned as being too TheP24 was a24-cylinder,H-layout simulated target. No 29 Squadron received Battle hazardous. unit, in effect built by bolting two Fairey Prince engines together. These drovesynchronised co-axial counter-rotating propeller shafts with feathering propellers. Each half of the engine could be operated independently.Soequipped, Chris Staniland took the aircraft on its first flight on 30 June 1939 and it went to the RAE on 12 July 1941. Gen‘Hap’ Arnold thought the unit would be suitable for fitting in US Army Air Corps machines, and K9370 was shipped to the USA on 5December 1941. After undergoing extensivetrials at Wright Field, Ohio, it was ABOVE: BattleK9370 with theFaireyP24 engine during US Army AirCorps trials at Wright Field, Ohio. decided not to proceed with the NATIONAL ARCHIVESAND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

AEROPLANEJUNE2016www.aeroplanemonthly.com 99 Insights

embers of Battle squadrons in Francewere doing their very best with what was available andM paid scant, if any,attention, to the rights and wrongs of aircraft design and bomb development. In his book ‘What were they like to fly?’ the late SqnLdr D.H.Clarke opined: “Almost any bomber was better than the hideously ugly Fairey Battle which was neither good to fly, nor as nice to flyonops.Itlumbered and wallowedbehind its spinner-less, variable-pitch airscrew,incapable of reaching its designed top speed.” Another pilot said, “Itwas one of those aircraft [that was] reasonably safe and pleasant to flybut until experience was obtained it was an aircraft that demanded respect. I always liked flying it and when I gained moreexperience on the type Itried almost everything except spinning. Despite ageneral ruling that the aircraft was not meant for aerobatics therewereveryfew that Idid not attempt in the Battle. Taxiing presented no problems but the Battle did havealarge keel surface which could become alittle difficult in strong crosswinds. The tail-wheel was free-castoring and not lockable. Theviewforwardwas quite good, considerably better than the Hurricane and Spitfire.” TheBattle was an extremely robust aircraft and has been described as “just too easy to fly”.Ground handling was relatively easy,even in strong winds, when the brakes worked smoothly,although the air pressureoften failed. Thepilot’s cockpit was comfortable enough. It was roomywithout being unduly noisy and had quite a good forwardvisibility,but the rear vision was poor.AsSqn Ldr Rupert Parkhousetoldthe RAFHistorical Society in 1998, the forwardview from the navigator’s position was virtually non-existent and he would correct any headings as each new fixappeared to portorstarboard. If It was pleasant they got lost they could always, as Parkhouseput it, “doaBradshaw” enough to fly, along any of the 200 local stations in the area. Sometimes, when the aircraft intercom failed, the pilot and but its pilots navigator would pass cryptic notes to each other on little metal trays were veryaware attached to an endless belt revolving round small hand-wheels at each crew position. of the Battle’s Therear gunner was not much better off.Hehad atilting hood to shortcomings screen his back from the slipstream, but because of the draught curling in and slapping him full in the face it was useless. Thesingle rear gun had a poor arcoffire,withthe rudder and ABOVE: Aspirited demonstrationofthe Battle’s handling qualities tailplane effectively blocking most of by by test pilotStaniland in MkIK7558,the firstexample from the it. Thebomb-aimer’s position was a initial production batch. AEROPLANE nightmare—the bomb aimer would

100 www.aeroplanemonthly.com AEROPLANEJUNE2016 FAIREY BATTLE DATABASE | lie face-down looking through an oil-stained Perspex panel which, Development with the excessiveheat and glycol/ oil spray causing the bomb-aimer’s goggles to oil up,made accuracy a sheer impossibility. Take-off was exceptionally easy,with little or no swing at full throttle. TheBattle would leavethe ground when 60mph (96.37km/h) indicated air speed was reached |

after arun of approximately 280 Te yards (256.03m) with half- at 24 degrees. After take-off the elevator Details chnical and rudder controls were smooth and effective, as were theailerons, which gaveastable condition in all centreofgravity positions. Landing checks were simple: reduce speed to 120mph (192.74km/h), check brake pressure, lowerundercarriage, bring airscrew pitch to fine and switch mixturetorich. For final landing, flaps were set fully down at 45 degrees, speed reduced to 90mph | (144.65km/h) and then 60mph Service In (96.37km/h) over the hedge, with alanding runofapproximately 390 yards (356.62m). In all circumstances it was quite pleasant to flywith no vicious ABOVE: In aposedphoto for The Aeroplane’s photographer, aNo226 SquadronBattlecrew discusses tendencies or control snatch. theupcoming trainingsortie. AEROPLANE | BATTLE SURVIVORS Insights In the RAF Museum at Hendon is Battle IL5343, an Austin-built in April 1941 and remained thereuntil being struck off chargeduring aircraft handed overtothe RAF on 13 September 1939. It served February 1945. Much later,in1972, the part-restored airframe with Nos 266 and 98 Squadrons until aforced landing in returned to Britain, passing through the hands of the Strathallan exactly ayearafter delivery.The airframe being deemed impossible Collection, Charles Church (including aperiod on loan to IWM to salvage, the crew set it ablaze after removing useful equipment, ) and the Historic Aircraft Collection. An exchangedealfor destroying the cockpit and centrefuselagesection. The wreckage Spitfire XIV RN201 sawR3950 going to the Belgian museum, which wasrecoveredbyateamfromRAF Leeming during 1972 and flown had long sought aBattle, in May1990. It has sincebeen restored into back to the UK in aShorts Belfast forrestoration. This incorporated Belgian markings by volunteer members of the Brussels Air Museum the centreand rear fuselageofL5340 and wing sections originally Restoration Society and bears the serial ‘T70’, though examination from another Battle, obtained from Sir William Roberts’ Strathallan still reveals some missing parts. Collection. Completed at St Athan in March 1990, L5343 wasmoved Just one other complete, preserved Battle remains extant —R7384, to Hendon fordisplay. From 2006-10, it underwent further work at aMkI(T) gunnery trainer,inthe Canada Aviation and SpaceMuseum the Rochester-based Medway Aircraft Preservation Society and the in Rockcliffe, Ontario. However, the South Australian Aviation RAFM’sown Michael Beetham Conservation CentreatCosford. Museum in Port Adelaide is restoring N2188 —which force-landed in The RoyalMuseum of the Armed Forces and Military History swamps off Port Davis in 1943 during servicewith No 2Bombing and in Brussels has Battle R3950, another 1939 product of the Austin Gunnery School —asalong-term project,and the remains of several factory.Itwent to the RoyalCanadian Air Forceasserial RCAF 1899 further airframes can be found elsewhere. Ben Dunnell

ABOVE: It is ashame forthe RAFMuseum’sBattleL5343 to be so ABOVE: Battle R3950inthe Brussels museum,with flat tyresand hemmed-in. BENDUNNELL missingpanels. BENDUNNELL

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