Korean War Battler

The RAN operated Firefly Mk Vs in a ground-attack role during the Korean conflict. Under tough conditions, maintenance and aircrews on HMAS Sydney distinguished themselves with very high sortie rates, and their Mk Vs made highly successful raids over the Korean Peninsula. The aircraft shown in Marshall's painting making a low pass over HMAS Sydney wears high visibility markings used in the Korean War. The British company, Fairey Aviation Co Ltd, had a long association with the production of aircraft for Britain’s Royal Navy, culminating in the design of the Swordfish, Fulmar, Albacore, Firefly and Barracuda, all of which were used operationally from aircraft carriers during WW2.

The Fairey Battle; over 2000 were built for the RAF in WW2

The Firefly was a direct development of the Fairey Battle bomber designed for Britain’s Royal Air Force – first flying in 1936. It suffered heavy losses in operations early in World War Two due to its obsolescence. However, it established the single-engined, low-wing, long glasshouse two-seat cockpit format which Fairey carried through to its Fulmar fighter – first flown on January 4th, 1940. The Fulmar was equipped with the eight-gun firepower of contemporary Spitfire and Hurricane fighters of the RAF. It was also fitted with a Rolls Royce Merlin; the Mk X of 1,145 hp. But the Fulmar was burdened with having to carry an observer as well as a pilot, and the extra weight of equipment necessary for shipboard operations. The result was a heavier, slower aircraft than its pilots would have liked. Nevertheless, 600 were constructed and the machine performed well in the Mediterranean and forbidding Arctic waters in the first half of WW2.

Above left: The Fairey Fulmar carrier-borne fighter, 1940. Above right: The Fairey Firefly Mk I with its Youngman flaps extended, 1941.

The Firefly MkI, first flown in December 1941, was superficially similar to the Fulmar, with a wingspan of around 12m and a long glasshouse cockpit to house its two crew members. However, it was more adaptable and a much heavier machine (at 6,350 kg as against 4,853 kg) fitted with a big Rolls Royce Griffon of 2,000 hp. The Griffon gave the early marques a maximum speed of around 508 kph, not fast, but better than the Fulmar’s 397 kph. The Firefly was more manoeuvrable than the Fulmar because it was fitted with Fairey-Youngman Flaps which extended rearwards, increasing the wing area when operated. Judiciously used, these flaps enabled the Firefly to match a Spitfire in a turn and out-turn a Mustang! It was also equipped with four 20mm Hispano cannons and it could carry 900kg of bombs and, later in WW2, eight 27kg rockets. The Firefly distinguished itself in both European and Pacific theatres of war.

The Firefly Mk V and its Anti-Submarine Warfare equipped Mk VI, had a different silhouette from previous models; gone was the large “chin’ radiator and in came wing radiators fitted at the roots of a now clipped elliptical wing. The fin and rudder were also enlarged, further differentiating its appearance from the original. Maximum speed was now 618 kph and weight, fully-loaded, was 6,337 kg. Range increased from 933 km to 1,223 km. These later marques were used both by the RN and the RAN.