The Fairey Fantôme, also known as the Fairey Féroce, was a British fighter prototype of the mid-1930s. The prototype was designed and built by Fairey Aviation and three production aircraft were assembled in Belgium by Avions Fairey.
Fantôme | |
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Role | Fighter Type of aircraft |
National origin | United Kingdom |
Manufacturer | Avions Fairey |
Designer | Marcel Lobelle |
First flight | 6 June 1935 |
Number built | 4 |
The Fantôme was designed in 1934 by Marcel Lobelle to meet a specification drawn up on behalf of the Belgian Aéronautique Militaire who were to hold an international competition to find a replacement for the Fairey Firefly II. It was of all-metal construction, with fabric skinning and a 925 hp (690 kW) Hispano-Suiza 12Ycrs engine, with provision for one 20 mm engine-mounted cannon and two .30 in (7.62 mm) wing-mounted Browning machine guns.
The Fantôme first flew on 6 June 1935, though it crashed at Evere on 17 July of that year. However, Fairey had already produced parts and components for three other aircraft. These were shipped to Belgium in 1936 and completed under the name Fairey Féroce at Gosselies. Two of them were sold to the Soviet government, which later gave them to the Spanish Republican air force during the Spanish Civil War. The fourth aircraft returned to Britain where it was acquired by the British Air Ministry. No further production was undertaken.
United Kingdom
Soviet Union
Spain
General characteristics
Performance
Armament