The Fairchild 24 is a single-engine four-seater monoplane used by the Army Air Corps in the United States and by the Royal Air Force in the UK. This model is a development of the previous Fairchild types and became successful as military utility and civil aircraft.
With an innovative idea, this aircraft was readily available with the two powerplants, reliable Scarab by Warner and the Fairchild’s in-house with 200 horsepower Ranger series on the F24C-8-D, F, and E. Its 1932 type of Fairchild 24C-8-B utilized a prominent and reliable warner 125 horsepower radial engine while the Fairchild 24C-8-C utilized a Warner 145 horsepower radial engine. Menasco Pirate and American Cirrus inline engines are sometimes utilized in earlier Fairchild 24s. On the subsequent models, like the prominent 24Ws upgraded to 165 horsepower Warner Super Scarab.
Since it was highly designed for some operations from not improved grass airfields, its durable undercarriage construction utilized a vertical oil cylinder on its wheel that contains a pivoting strut that is attached to a lower fuselage. Its result was complex; however, it is undeniably compact undercarriage, which could absorb huge shock and adapted for fitting of floats for some operations on water-based.
The durability of the aircraft’s construction has provided a guarantee to the majority who have survived until this time. Some of them suggested that the massive smart main spars may be filled up to 10g. However, this figure remains unproven. That’s why all before-war utility aircraft category is designed to endure at least 4.1g contrasting to the 3.8g limit after-war design standard.
Notable Accidents and Incidents
On August 26, 1951, Bill Barilko, a Hockey player of Toronto, Maple Leafs, and Henry Hudson, his dentist, disappeared while onboard at Hudson’s Fairchild 24 plane. Its recorded flight was from the Seal River, Quebec. Then, on June 6, 1962, the pilot of the helicopter, Ron Boyd, discovered the aircraft’s wreckage around 100kms north of Cochraine, Ontario, Canada. It was believed that the cause of the aircraft’s crash was the pilot’s inexperience, overloaded cargo, and poor weather.
Characteristics of Fairchild-24
This model has a total capacity of 4 seaters (1 for the crew another 3 for the passengers). It has a length of 23 ft and 10 inches and a height of 7 ft and 8 inches. Its wingspan measures 36 ft and 4 inches long. Its maximum takeoff weight should be 2,882 lbs. or 1,307 kg.
Different Operators for Fairchild 24
This Fairchild 24 was operated by various operators in different countries. Some of the operators for this aircraft’s model include Royal Australian Air Force in Australia, Navegacao Aerea Brasileira in Brazil, Royal Canadian Airforce in Canada, Security Aviation Unit in Czechoslovakia, Sherut Avir & Air Force in Israel, Finnish Air Force in Finland, Swedish Air Force in Sweden, Royal Thai Air Force in Thailand, Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom, and different Air Forces and Military Patrols in the United States.
