The

Fairey Aviation Company The Fairey Aviation Company Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century based in Hayes in Middlesex and Heaton Chapel and RAF Ringway in Cheshire. Notable for the design of a number of important military a ...

Fairey III was a family of British

reconnaissance In military operations, reconnaissance or scouting is the exploration of an area by military forces to obtain information about enemy forces, terrain, and other activities. Examples of reconnaissance include patrolling by troops (skirmisher ...

biplane A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...

s that enjoyed a very long production and service history in both landplane and

seaplane A seaplane is a powered fixed-wing aircraft capable of takeoff, taking off and water landing, landing (alighting) on water.Gunston, "The Cambridge Aerospace Dictionary", 2009. Seaplanes are usually divided into two categories based on their tec ...

variants. First flying on 14 September 1917, examples were still in use during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Design and development

The prototype of the Fairey III was the N.10

floatplane A floatplane is a type of seaplane with one or more slender floats mounted under the fuselage to provide buoyancy. By contrast, a flying boat uses its fuselage for buoyancy. Either type of seaplane may also have landing gear suitable for land, ...

, which was designed and built in 1917 by

Fairey Aviation The Fairey Aviation Company Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century based in Hayes in Middlesex and Heaton Chapel and RAF Ringway in Cheshire. Notable for the design of a number of important military a ...

(along with the smaller N.9) to meet

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...

Specification N.2(a) for a

carrier-based Carrier-based aircraft, sometimes known as carrier-capable aircraft or carrier-borne aircraft, are naval aircraft designed for operations from aircraft carriers. They must be able to launch in a short distance and be sturdy enough to withstand ...

seaplane for the

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...

during the First World War. N.10, also known by its constructor's number F.128 was a two-bay biplane with

folding wing A folding wing is a wing configuration design feature of aircraft to save space and is typical of carrier-based aircraft that operate from the limited deck space of aircraft carriers. The folding allows the aircraft to occupy less space in a c ...

s and powered by a 260 hp (190 kW)

Sunbeam Maori The Sunbeam Afridi was an aero-engine produced by Sunbeam during the First World War. Design and development Conceived to replace the Crusader/Zulu on the production lines, Louis Coatalen designed a companion engine for the V-12 Cossack, givi ...

engine. It first flew from the Port Victoria seaplane station on the

Isle of Grain Isle of Grain (Old English ''Greon'', meaning gravel) is a village and the easternmost point of the Hoo Peninsula within the district of Medway in Kent, south-east England. No longer an island and now forming part of the peninsula, the area is ...

, Kent on 14 September 1917.Taylor 1988, p.71. Following tests both as a floatplane and with a conventional wheeled

undercarriage Undercarriage is the part of a moving vehicle that is underneath the main body of the vehicle. The term originally applied to this part of a horse-drawn carriage, and usage has since broadened to include: *The landing gear of an aircraft. *The ch ...

, production orders were placed for two versions both powered by the Maori, the IIIA and IIIB, with 50 and 60 aircraft planned, respectively. The Fairey IIIA was a reconnaissance aircraft intended to operate from

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and facilities for carrying, arming, deploying, and recovering aircraft. Typically, it is the capital ship of a fleet, as it allows a ...

s, and as such was fitted with a wheeled or skid undercarriage, while the IIIB was intended as a floatplane

bomber A bomber is a military combat aircraft designed to attack ground and naval targets by dropping air-to-ground weaponry (such as bombs), launching aerial torpedo, torpedoes, or deploying air-launched cruise missiles. The first use of bombs dropped ...

, with larger span (increased from 46 ft 2 in/14.19 m to 62 ft 9 in/19.13 m) upper wings and a bombload of three 230 lb (105 kg) bombs.Mason 1994, pp. 89–90. While all 50 IIIAs were built, only 28 of the IIIBs were completed as intended, as a new improved bomber/reconnaissance floatplane, the Fairey IIIC was available, of which 36 were produced, which reverted to short equal-span wings like the IIIA but was powered by the much more powerful and reliable 375 hp (280 kW)

Rolls-Royce Eagle The Rolls-Royce Eagle was the first aircraft engine to be developed by Rolls-Royce Limited. Introduced in 1915 to meet British military requirements during World War I, it was used to power the Handley Page Type O bombers and a number of oth ...

VIII engine and could still carry a useful bombload. Many of the IIIBs were completed as IIICs.Mason 1994, p.90. The first major production model was the IIID, which was an improved IIIC, with provision for a third crewmember and capable of being fitted with either a floatplane or a conventional wheeled undercarriage.Mason 1994, p.131. It first flew in August

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

,Taylor 1988, p.96. powered by a Rolls-Royce Eagle, and initial production for the

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...

, together with aircraft produced for Australia and Portugal retained the Eagle, while later aircraft were powered by the more powerful

Napier Lion The Napier Lion is a 12-cylinder, petrol-fueled 'broad arrow' W12 configuration aircraft engine built by D. Napier & Son from 1917 until the 1930s. A number of advanced features made it the most powerful engine of its day and kept it in produ ...

. The naval variants were usually three-seaters; pilot, observer and gunner and the wings would could be folded back parallel to the

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

for storage aboard ship. In floatplane configuration, carrier-borne Fairey IIIs would be launched from the deck using a trolley and would land on the water upon their return. The Fairey III floatplane could also be

catapult A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden release of stored p ...

-launched from a ship. The IIID had a wooden, fabric-covered

and usually a wooden, two-blade, fixed-pitch

propeller A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...

. One IIID was built with metal wings and floats. A total of 207 IIIDs were produced for the Fleet Air Arm and RAF (Royal Air Force), with a further 20 being built for export.Taylor 1988, p.96. 100 years of the RAF MOD 45163722

A Fairey III floatplane (''G-EALQ'') with a 450 hp Napier Lion was entered into the Air Ministry Commercial Amphibian Competition of September 1920. The most prolific and enduring of the Fairey IIIs was the final model, the IIIF, which was designed to meet Air Ministry Specification 19/24 for a three-seat spotter/reconnaissance aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm and a two-seat general purpose aircraft for the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

. The IIIF, which first flew on 20 April 1926,Taylor 1988, p.145. had a more streamlined engine installation and initially a fuselage of mixed metal and wooden construction, with similar wings to the IIID, although later production aircraft were fitted with an all-metal fuselages and wings.Jarrett March 1994, pp.60–61. Over 350 IIIFs were operated by the Fleet Air Arm, making it the most widely used type of aircraft in Fleet Air Arm service between the warsThetford 1978, p.124. and also the second most produced British military aircraft of the inter-war years behind the

Hawker Hart The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircraf ...

family.Thetford May 1994, p.33. Three IIIFs were modified as a radio-controlled gunnery trainer, known as the Fairey Queen. The Fairey IIIF was also the basis for development of the

Gordon Gordon may refer to: People * Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters * Gordon (surname), the surname * Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War * Clan Gordon, ...

and

Seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impr ...

Operational history

Early versions

The IIIA and IIIB saw limited service towards the end of the war, with some IIIBs being used for

mine Mine, mines, miners or mining may refer to: Extraction or digging * Miner, a person engaged in mining or digging *Mining, extraction of mineral resources from the ground through a mine Grammar *Mine, a first-person English possessive pronoun ...

-spotting duty from the seaplane station at

Westgate-on-Sea Westgate-on-Sea is a seaside town and civil parish on the north-east coast of Kent, England. It is within the Thanet local government district and borders the larger seaside resort of Margate. Its two sandy beaches have remained a popular touri ...

.Taylor 1988, p.78. The IIIC entered service in November 1918, but did not carry out any combat patrols owing to the

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...

ending hostilities with Germany. Seven IIICs were deployed to

Arkhangelsk Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a types of inhabited localities in Russia, city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies o ...

in 1919 by the

seaplane tender A seaplane tender is a boat or ship that supports the operation of seaplanes. Some of these vessels, known as seaplane carriers, could not only carry seaplanes but also provided all the facilities needed for their operation; these ships are rega ...

in support of the

North Russian Expeditionary Force The North Russia intervention, also known as the Northern Russian expedition, the Archangel campaign, and the Murman deployment, was part of the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War after the October Revolution. The intervention brought ...

. They were used to carry out bombing attacks against Bolshevik shipping and rail communications.Taylor 1988, p.86.

IIID

The IIID was operated by the

and

as well as the

Naval Aviation Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based a ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

(11 aircraft) and the

air force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...

s of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Australia received six IIIDs, the first being delivered in August 1921. In

1924 Events January * January 12 – Gopinath Saha shoots Ernest Day, whom he has mistaken for Sir Charles Tegart, the police commissioner of Calcutta, and is arrested soon after. * January 20– 30 – Kuomintang in China hol ...

, the third of the Australian IIIDs, designated ''ANA.3'' (or ''Australian Naval Aircraft No. 3''), flown by Stanley Goble (later Air Vice Marshal) and Ivor McIntyre was awarded the

Britannia Trophy The Britannia Trophy is a British award presented by the Royal Aero Club for aviators accomplishing the most meritorious performance in aviation during the previous year. In 1911 Horatio Barber, who was a founder member of the Royal Aero Club, wa ...

by the

Royal Aero Club The Royal Aero Club (RAeC) is the national co-ordinating body for air sport in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1901 as the Aero Club of Great Britain, being granted the title of the "Royal Aero Club" in 1910. History The Aero Club was foun ...

for circumnavigating Australia in 44 days. The IIID remained in Australian service until 1928.Isaacs 1984, pp.40–49. Portugal ordered its first IIIDs in 1921. Its first aircraft, modified as the F.400 and named "Lusitânia", was used for an attempt to fly across the South Atlantic and demonstrate the new aerial navigation system devised by

Gago Coutinho Carlos Viegas Gago Coutinho, GCTE, GCC, generally known simply as Gago Coutinho (; 17 February 1869 – 18 February 1959) was a Portuguese geographer, cartographer, naval officer, historian and aviator. An aviation pioneer, Gago Coutinho and Sac ...

, the navigator. The voyage started on 30 March 1922 (Flyers Day in Portugal), stopping at

Las Palmas Las Palmas (, ; ), officially Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, is a Spain, Spanish city and capital of Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands, on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital (jointly with Santa Cruz de Tenerife), the most populous city in th ...

São Vicente, Cape Verde São Vicente (Portuguese for " Saint Vincent") is one of the Barlavento Islands, the northern group within the Cape Verde archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, off the West African coast. It is located between the islands of Santo Antão and Sant ...

and achieving the main navigation goal of

Saint Peter and Paul Rocks The Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago ( pt, Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo ) is a group of 15 small islets and rocks in the central equatorial Atlantic Ocean.

, where it was lost during refuelling.Taylor 1988, pp.98–100. The journey was finished using another two standard aircraft (the second of which was immediately lost in the sea), completing the

first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic The first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic was made by the Portuguese naval aviators Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral in 1922, to mark the centennial of Brazil's independence. Coutinho and Cabral flew in stages from Lisbon, Portugal, to Rio ...

, 72 days after their departure from Lisbon. The last aircraft, "Santa Cruz", is currently displayed at the

Museu de Marinha The Navy Museum ( pt, Museu de Marinha) is a maritime museum in Lisbon, dedicated to all aspects of the history of navigation in Portugal. The museum is administered by the Portuguese Navy and is located in the tourist district of Belém, Lisbon, ...

, in Portugal. The IIID entered Fleet Air Arm Service in 1924, operating from shore bases, aircraft carriers and floats until replaced by the IIIF in 1930. The RAF Cape Flight used four IIIDs to carry out a long distance formation flight from

Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...

and back in 1926, the first long range formation flight by the RAF and the first RAF flight to South Africa.Taylor 1988, p.102–103. Fleet Air Arm IIIDs were used to defend British interests in

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

against rebel Chinese forces in 1927.Thetford 1978, p.116.

IIIF

The IIIF entered service with the RAF in

Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...

and with Fleet Air Arm Catapult flights in

1927 Events January * January 1 – The British Broadcasting ''Company'' becomes the British Broadcasting ''Corporation'', when its Royal Charter of incorporation takes effect. John Reith becomes the first Director-General. * January 7 * ...

,Taylor 1988, p.147.Mason 1994, p.178. and with the

Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...

shortly after. The RAF used the IIIF to equip general-purpose squadrons in Egypt,

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

Aden Aden ( ar, عدن ' Yemeni: ) is a city, and since 2015, the temporary capital of Yemen, near the eastern approach to the Red Sea (the Gulf of Aden), some east of the strait Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000 people. ...

and

Jordan Jordan ( ar, الأردن; tr. ' ), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,; tr. ' is a country in Western Asia. It is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, within the Levant region, on the East Bank of the Jordan Rive ...

, where its ability to operate from both wheels and floats proved useful, while the contemporary

Westland Wapiti The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general-purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service. First flying in 1927, the Wa ...

carried out similar roles in

Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...

and

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

.Thetford 1994, p.33. As such IIIFs were used for colonial policing as well as taking part in further long distance flights. The RAF also used the IIIF to finally replace the

Airco DH.9A The Airco DH.9A was a British single-engined light bomber designed and first used shortly before the end of the First World War. It was a development of the unsuccessful Airco DH.9 bomber, featuring a strengthened structure and, crucially, repl ...

in the home based Day-Bomber role, and, in the absence of sufficient long range

flying boat A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fusela ...

s for maritime patrol duties by 202 Squadron from

Hal Far HAL may refer to: Aviation * Halali Airport (IATA airport code: HAL) Halali, Oshikoto, Namibia * Hawaiian Airlines (ICAO airline code: HAL) * HAL Airport, Bangalore, India * Hindustan Aeronautics Limited an Indian aerospace manufacturer of fight ...

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

.Thetford 1994, pp.34–35. In the Fleet Air Arm, the IIIF replaced the IIID as a spotter-reconnaissance aircraft, operating on floats from the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

s and

battleship A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of large caliber guns. It dominated naval warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The term ''battleship'' came into use in the late 1880s to describe a type of ...

s, and with wheels, from the aircraft carriers , , , and .Taylor 1988, p.148. The IIIF remained in front line service well into the 1930s, with the last front line RAF squadron, 202 Squadron, re-equipping with

Supermarine Scapa The Supermarine Scapa was a British general reconnaissance flying boat built by Supermarine that was used by the Royal Air Force between 1935 and 1939. It was developed from the Southampton and formed the basis of the later Stranraer flying boat ...

s in August 1935,Thetford 1994, p.202. and the final front line Fleet Air Arm squadron, 822 Squadron retained the IIIF until 1936.Thetford 1978, p.126. The IIIF remained in use in second line roles, and despite being declared obsolete in 1940,Thetford 1978, p.128. some were still in use as target tugs as late as

1941 Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January–August – 10,072 men, women and children with mental and physical disabilities are asphyxiated with carbon monoxide in a gas chamber, at Hadamar Eu ...

.Mason 1994, p.128.

Civil use

The first prototype III was purchased back by Fairey in 1919, fitted with new, single bay wings and a Napier Lion engine and entered into the 1919

Schneider Trophy The Coupe d'Aviation Maritime Jacques Schneider, also known as the Schneider Trophy, Schneider Prize or (incorrectly) the Schneider Cup is a trophy that was awarded annually (and later, biennially) to the winner of a race for seaplanes and flying ...

race, on 10 September. The race was abandoned due to fog, however.Taylor 1988, pp.72–74. Four IIICs were civilianized, some with an extra cockpit between the two standard ones and sometimes with an enlarged rear cockpit. One carried five passengers, one in the extra cockpit and four in the rear.Taylor 1988, p.89 One three seat civilianized IIIC (''G-EBDI'') was part of a ''Daily News'' sponsored multi-aircraft round the world flight in 1922, with Norman Macmillan,

W T Blake Major Wilfred Theodore Blake (1894–1968) was a pioneer aviator, travel writer and traveller. He served with the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. It was Blake who led the first attempt to fly round the world in 1922. The pilot for ...

and cine-photographer G.H. Malins. The aircraft, with Macmillan and Malins aboard was finally lost between Lakhidia Char and

Chittagong Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...

, but the crew were rescued.Taylor 1988, pp.87–89 A small number of civil operated IIIDs and IIIFs were used for survey duties in the 1920s and 30s, while in October 1934 a single IIIF was entered into the

MacRobertson Air Race The MacRobertson Trophy Air Race (also known as the London to Melbourne Air Race) took place in October 1934 as part of the Melbourne Centenary celebrations. The race was devised by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sir Harold Gengoult Smith, and th ...

, reaching the finishing line in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

but too late to be classed as completing the race.Jackson 1973, pp.200–203.

Variants

;Fairey N.10 :The first Fairey III prototype. ;Fairey IIIA :Two-seat reconnaissance biplane, powered by a 260 hp (190 kW) Sunbeam Maori II V-12 piston engine; 50 built. ;Fairey IIIB :Three-seat patrol, bomber seaplane, powered by a Sunbeam Maori II V-12 piston engine, it had the same fuselage as the IIIA but the fin, wing and rudder had a larger area, it also had larger floats then the IIIA; 30 built. ;Fairey IIIC :Two-seat reconnaissance, bomber and general-purpose seaplane, powered by a 375 hp (280 kW)

V-12 piston engine; 36 built."The New Fairey Long Distance Seaplane"
''

Flight Flight or flying is the process by which an object moves through a space without contacting any planetary surface, either within an atmosphere (i.e. air flight or aviation) or through the vacuum of outer space (i.e. spaceflight). This can be a ...

'', 19 January 1922, pp. 35-36 ;Fairey IIID :Two-seat general-purpose biplane, powered by a 375 hp (280 kW)

V-12 or 450 hp (336 kW)

W-12 piston engine; 227 built.Taylor 1988, p.94. ;Fairey IIIE :Designation sometimes used for

Fairey Ferret The Fairey Ferret was a 1930s British general-purpose biplane designed and built by the Fairey Aviation Company. It performed well in trials but was not ordered into production. Development The Ferret was designed to meet a Fleet Air Arm requi ...

radial-engine reconnaissance and general purpose aircraft. Three built.Taylor 1988, p.129. ;Fairey IIIF :Two-seat general-purpose biplane or three-seat spotter-reconnaissance biplane, powered by a

W-12 piston engine. ;Fairey IIIF Mk.I :First production version of the Fairey IIIF. Three-seat spotter-reconnaissance biplane, powered by a

Napier Lion VA The Napier Lion is a 12-cylinder, petrol-fueled 'broad arrow' W12 configuration aircraft engine built by D. Napier & Son from 1917 until the 1930s. A number of advanced features made it the most powerful engine of its day and kept it in produ ...

W-12 piston engine, of composite wood and metal construction. 55 built.Taylor 1988, p.165. ;Fairey IIIF Mk.II :Three-seat spotter-reconnaissance biplane, powered by a

Napier Lion XIA The Napier Lion is a 12-cylinder, petrol-fueled 'broad arrow' W12 configuration aircraft engine built by D. Napier & Son from 1917 until the 1930s. A number of advanced features made it the most powerful engine of its day and kept it in produ ...

W-12 piston engine, of composite wood and metal construction; 33 built. ;Fairey IIIF Mk.III :Three-seat spotter-reconnaissance biplane, powered by a Napier Lion XIA piston engine, with a fabric-covered all-metal structure; 291 built. ;Fairey IIIF Mk.IV :Two-seat general purpose biplane for the RAF, in both composite construction and all-metal versions. Powered by a

W-12 piston engine; 243 built. ;Fairey IIIF Mk.V :The original designation of the

. ;Fairey IIIF Mk.VI :Original designation of the

. ;Queen IIIF :Radio-controlled gunnery training aircraft; Three built. ;Fairey IIIM :Civil version; three built. ;Fairey F.400 :The first IIID (manufacturers serial number F.400) for the Portuguese Navy was delivered as a special long-range variant with an extended wing-span of 61 feet. It was also referred to as the Fairey Transatlantic and given the name ''Luzitania'' when it was used for an attempt to fly across the South Atlantic in 1922, stopping at

before being lost making a refuelling stop at the

Saint Peter and Paul Rocks The Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago ( pt, Arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo ) is a group of 15 small islets and rocks in the central equatorial Atlantic Ocean.

Operators

; *

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

- IIID (Six originally ordered by the Royal Australian Navy but transferred to the newly formed air force) ; * Argentine Naval Aviation - Purchased six IIIF MkIIIM (Special) powered by 450 hp (336 kW) Lorraine Dietrich Ed12 engine in 1928. They entered service in 1929. The remaining aircraft were re-engined with Armstrong Siddeley Panthers in 1935, with the last aircraft being retired in 1942.Jarrett ''Aeroplane'' November 2011, pp. 83–84. ; * Royal Canadian Air Force - One Fairey IIIC aircraft, one IIIF aircraft ; * Chilean Air Force - IIIF * Chilean Navy - IIIF ; * Egypt bought a single IIIF in 1939.Jarrett ''Aeroplane'' November 2011, p. 85. ; * Hellenic Air Force *

Hellenic Navy The Hellenic Navy (HN; el, Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, War Navy, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy historically hails from the naval forces of vari ...

- IIIF ; * Irish Air Corps - purchased a single IIIF MkII in 1928, being destroyed in a crash in 1934. ; * Netherlands Naval Aviation Service - IIID ; *

- New Zealand purchased two IIIF MkIIIMs in 1928, adding another in 1933, with one remaining in use in 1940. ; *

Portuguese Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = 1 July , equipment = , equipment_label ...

* Portuguese Naval Aviation - IIID ; * Soviet Air Force - One Fairey IIIF aircraft, used for tests and trials. ; * Royal Swedish Navy - IIID ; *

- IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IIIFHalley 1980, p. 352. **

No. 8 Squadron RAF Number 8 Squadron (sometimes written as No. VIII Squadron) of the Royal Air Force last operated the E-3 Sentry, Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW1 (Airborne Early Warning and Control, AWACS) from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. As of 2020, the RAF AWACS fl ...

No. 14 Squadron RAF No. 14 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Beechcraft Shadow R1 (a modified Beechcraft Super King Air) in the Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) role from RAF Waddington. History Wor ...

** No. 22 Squadron RAFThetford 1994, p. 38. ** No. 24 Squadron RAF **

No. 35 Squadron RAF No. 35 Squadron (also known as No. XXXV (Madras Presidency) Squadron) was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. History World War I No. 35 Squadron was formed on 1 February 1916 at Thetford, training as a Corps reconnaissance squadron. In January 1 ...

** No. 45 Squadron RAF **

No. 47 Squadron RAF No. 47 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Lockheed C-130 Hercules from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, England. History First formation No. 47 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed at Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire on 1 March 19 ...

No. 202 Squadron RAF No. 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the maritime and mountains training element of the No.1 Flying Training School, operating the Airbus Helicopters H145 Jupiter. It previously operated the Sea King HAR3 in the search and rescue role ...

No. 203 Squadron RAF No. 203 Squadron RAF was originally formed as No. 3 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service. It was renumbered No. 203 when the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918. History First World War The squadron can be traced to The Eastchurch Squadron, wh ...

No. 207 Squadron RAF ("Always prepared")Halley 1988, p. 268. , colors = , colors_label = , march = , mascot = , equipment = Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning , equipment_label = Aircraft , battles = , anniversaries = , decorations = , battle_honours = ...

** No. 219 Squadron RAF ** No. 229 Squadron RAF **

No. 230 Squadron RAF No. 230 Squadron is an RAF squadron, currently based at RAF Benson. The squadron was part of Royal Air Force Germany, operating the Puma HC.1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown at the end of the Cold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April ...

No. 267 Squadron RAF No. 267 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force that served during World War I & World War II. The squadron has been formed a total of four times. History The squadron was formed at RAF Kalafrana, Malta on 27 September 1918 from Nos. 360 ...

- IIID, IIIF **

820 Naval Air Squadron 820 Naval Air Squadron is a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm carrier-based squadron flying the AgustaWestland Merlin HM2 in an Anti-Submarine role from RNAS Culdrose. The Squadron was formed at RNAS Gosport on 3 April 1933 with the transferral of the F ...

822 Naval Air Squadron 822 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm aircraft squadron before and during World War II. History Pre-war 822 squadron was formed on 3 April 1933 from a merger of No's 442 and 449 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flights at Netheravon and posted ...

823 Naval Air Squadron 823 Naval Air Squadron was a Fleet Air Arm aircraft squadron before and during World War II. History Pre-war 823 squadron was formed on 3 April 1933 by a merger of No's 441 and 448 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flights aboard HMS ''Glorious'', ...

** 824 Naval Air Squadron **

825 Naval Air Squadron 825 Naval Air Squadron is a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Naval Air Squadron which was re-commissioned on 10 October 2014 and currently flies the AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA2. It was a carrier-based squadron that was formed on 8 October 1934 from t ...

Surviving aircraft

A single example of the Fairey III is preserved in Portugal's ''

'' (Naval Museum). This is the airplane that finished the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic. The British Fleet Air Arm Museum has a fuselage.

Specifications (Fairey IIIF Mk.IV)

Fairey_III_3-view_L'Aéronautique_May,1926

References

Bibliography

* Grant, James Ritchie. "Anti-Clockwise: Australia the Wrong Way". ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 82, July–August 1999, pp. 60–63. *Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force''. Tonbridge, UK: Air Britain (Historians), 1980. . *Isaacs, Keith. "The Fairey IIID In Australia". '' Air Enthusiast'', No. 24, April–June 1984. pp. 40–49. . *Jackson, A.J. ''British Civil Aircraft since 1919: Volume 2''. London:Putnam, 1973. . *Jarrett, Philip. "Database: Fairey IIIF". ''

Aeroplane An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spectr ...

'', November 2011, Vol 39 No 11 Issue 463. London: Kelsey Publishing Group. pp. 69–85. ISSN 0143-7240. *Jarrett, Philip. "Fairey IIIF: Part 1". '' Aeroplane Monthly'', March 1994, Vol 22 No 3 Issue 251. London:IPC. pp. 58–63. ISSN 0143-7240. *Jarrett, Philip. "Fairey IIIF: Part 2". ''Aeroplane Monthly'', April 1994, Vol 22 No 4 Issue 252. London:IPC. pp. 50–55. ISSN 0143-7240. * *Mason, Francis K. ''The British Bomber since 1914''. London:Putnam, 1994. . * *Taylor, H.A. ''Fairey Aircraft since 1915''. London:Putnam, 1988. . *Thetford, Owen. ''British Naval Aircraft since 1912''. London:Putnam, Fourth edition 1978. . *Thetford, Owen. "Fairey IIIF and Gordon in Service: Part 1". ''Aeroplane Monthly'', May 1994, Vol 22 No 5 Issue 253. London:IPC. pp. 32–38. ISSN 0143-7240. *

External links

Fairey IIIF in Greek service
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairey Iii 1910s British military reconnaissance aircraft

III III or iii may refer to: Companies * Information International, Inc., a computer technology company * Innovative Interfaces, Inc., a library-software company * 3i, formerly Investors in Industry, a British investment company Other uses * Ins ...

Carrier-based aircraft Single-engined tractor aircraft Biplanes Schneider Trophy Floatplanes Aircraft first flown in 1917