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The Fairey Aviation Company, Ltd was a British aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century. Notable for a number of important planes, including the Fairey III family and the Fairey Swordfish it had a strong presence in the supply of naval aircraft..
History
Founded in 1916, the company's first craft was the Fairey Campania, a patrol seaplane that first flew in February 1917. Fairey subsequently developed many aircraft and post Second World War, missiles.
The government in the late 1950s was determined to see the UK's aero industry "rationalised". The ministry of defence saw the future of helicopters as being one sole provider. The merger of Fairey's aviation interests with Westland Aircraft took place in early 1960 shortly after Westland had acquired Saunders-Roe and Bristol's helicopter division.
Westland Aircraft became Westland Helicopters which was later merged with other companies to form the Hawker Siddeley Group and eventually British Aerospace.
Aircraft
Date of first flight in brackets
- Fairey Campania - 1917
- Fairey III - large biplane family, starting late 1917
- Fairey Flycatcher - biplane figher, 1922
- Fairey Firefly (biplane) - 1925
- Fairey Fox - biplane bomber, 1925
- Fairey Seal - biplane torpedo bomer, reconnaissance floatplane, 1930
- Fairey Swordfish - biplane torpedo bomber, 1934
- Fairey Battle - light bomber, 1936
- Fairey Seafox - reconnaissance floatplane, 1936
- Fairey Fulmar - carrier-borne fighter, 1937
- Fairey Albacore - carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber, 1938
- Fairey Barracuda - carrier-borne divebomber/torpedo bomber, 1940
- Fairey Firefly - carrier-borne fighter, 1941
- Fairey Spearfish - divebomber, 1945
- Fairey Gyrodyne - autogyro/compound helicopter 1947
- Fairey Primer - trainer 1948
- Fairey Gannet - carrier-borne ASW (laterA EW) aircraft, 1949
- Fairey F.D.1 - experimental delta wing
- Fairey F.D.2 - record-setting delta-wing, 1954
- Fairey Ultra-light Helicopter (1955)
- Fairey Rotodyne - compound helicopter, 1957
Missiles
Factory brass band
In 1937, workers at the Fairey Aviation Plant formed a brass band. For some 60 years the band was associated with the company and its successors, although the Fairey Band has now had to turn to external sources for financial backing. Throughout its history though the band has retained it's identity with the company under its guises as The Fairey Aviation Works Band, Williams Fairey Band and later Fairey (FP Music) Band. The band has recently returned to roots, rebranding as just The Fairey Band. The Fairey Band is synonymous with success within the brass band scene, winning national and international titles throughout its proud history.
See also
"Fairey Aviation"